EXCELLING ON THE
AP CALCULUS AB & BC EXAMS
ABOUT THIS BOOK AND TESTware®
This book, along with the accompanying CD, provides an accurate and complete representation of the Advanced Placement examinations in Calculus AB and BC. Our practice exams are based on the format of the most recently administered Advanced Placement Calculus AB and BC exam. Each practice exam in this book includes every type of question that you can expect to encounter on the real exam. Following each of our practice exams is an answer key complete with detailed explanations designed to clarify the material for you.
By using the subject reviews, completing all the appropriate practice exams for Calculus AB & BC, as necessary, and studying the explanations that follow, you will pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and, above all, put yourself in the best possible position to score well.
Three practice exams are also included on the enclosed TESTware® CDROM—two for the AP Calculus AB exam and one for the AP Calculus BC exam. The software provides timed conditions for instantaneous, accurate scoring, which makes it all the easier to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.
ABOUT THE EXAM
The Advanced Placement Calculus AB & BC examinations are offered each May at participating schools and multi-school centers throughout the world.
The Advanced Placement Program is designed to allow high school students to pursue college-level studies while attending high school. In turn, participating colleges and universities in the United States and more than 30 countries around the world grant credit and/or advanced placement to students who do well on the examinations.
FORMAT OF THE AP CALCULUS AB & BC EXAMS
The AP Calculus AB & BC exams are each approximately three hours and fifteen minutes long. The exams are divided into two sections. Each section of both exams is timed and completed separately, and each counts for half of the student’s score.
Section Part Number of Question Type Calculator** Time
Questions Numbers*
I A 28 1–28 Multiple-choice No 55 min
B 17 76 –92 Multiple-choice Required 50 min
II A 3 1–3 Free response Required 45 min
B 3 4 –6 Free response No 45 min
Total 45 + 6 3 hr 15min
Note: *Oddly enough, Q1–28 are question numbers 1–28
Q29 – 45 are question numbers 76 –92
**If you finish Section II Part B early, you may return to Section II Part A. However, you do NOT get to use your calculator.
CONTENT OF THE AP CALCULUS AB & BC EXAMS
Although the content of the Calculus AB & BC exams changes slightly from year to year, the following outline shows the topics usually found on the exams. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are found only on the BC exam. All other topics are common to both exams.
I. Functions and Relations
Graphical Analysis
Limits
Continuity
Discontinuity
Parametric and Polar*
Vector valued functions*
II. Derivatives
Definition
Derivatives of elementary functions
Chain rule
Implicit differentiation
Mean value theorem
Inverse functions
III. Applications of Derivatives
Curve Analysis
Related Rates
Optimization
L’Hospital’s Rule*
Motion
IV. Integrals
Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
Riemann Sums (right, left, midpoint)/Trapezoidal Rule
Antidifferentiation including u-substitution
Antidifferentiation including partial fractions and by parts*
Improper integrals*
