I've always been somewhat interested in optics, how they are made and how they work. In this IA I wanted to take the opportunity investigate how a basic telescope might be made and the math that can be used to model the telescope's magnification. My tips for writing a math IA: Make sure that your research question is answerable, worthy of investigation, and fitting for the scope of an IA. In many ways, the research question can be considered the most important part of the process so make sure that you put a lot of thought into it. Do a lot of proof reading and checking your work for errors. Make sure to show your personal engagement in the topic. Make sure that your work logically answers the question instead of jumping to conclusions.