AP Calculus AB Exam Provided below is information, for the student’s benefit, about the AP Calculus AB exam. Please read this information carefully, ask questions later if needed, and refer back to this often when studying or reviewing for the exam. Please print out a copy for your records as this will not be available all year. Time and Content 1) The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes of test time (plus breaks and time for instructions). It is divided into two sections: •
Section I, 1 hr and 45 minutes, consists consist s of multiple-choice questions. Part A is 28 questions without use of a calculator. Part B is 17 questions with the use of a calculator. Some questions require a graphing calculator.
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Section II, 1 hr and 30 minutes, consists of free-response questions. Part A is 3 questions for 45 minutes with the use of a calculator. Part B is 3 questions for 45 minutes without a calculator. You may go back and work on Section II Part A without your calculator.
2) The multiple choice questions cover a wide range of topics, including questions on definitions and fundamental concepts related to limits, continuity, derivatives, and integrals, as well as questions on common methods, rules, and formulas applied to finding limits, derivatives and antiderivatives, analysis of function graphs, related rates, linear approximation, distance-velocity-acceleration problems, areas of regions, and volumes of solids. Separable differential equations and slope field questions are also also included. 3) The free-response questions may include some theoretical elements but are mostly application problems. Each question consists of several parts (usually between 2 and 4); later parts may ask you to use the results from the previous parts. Grading of Exam
4) The multiple-choice and free-response sections weigh equally in the final grade. •
To determine the grade, the College Board first calculates the total exam score. A weighted combination of the multiple-choice and free-response scores is used to determine the final total score:
Total score = MC coeff * (correct count – 0.25 * wrong count) + FR coeff * FR score 5) Free-response questions are graded by a large invited group of high school teachers and college professors. Scores are assigned on a rubric established by the Chief Reader, the Question Leader, and a group of exam readers. 6) Multiple choice questions receive 1 point for each correct answer and ¼ point is subtracted for each wrong answer. 7) Free-response questions are scored out of 9 points, with partial credit given according to the rubric. 8) The final score is found by adding the MC and FR weighted scores. The MC and FR coefficients are chosen in such a way that they give equal weights to the multiple choice and free response sections of the exam.
9) The exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. Grades of 4 and 5 are called “extremely well qualified” and “well qualified” and usually will be honored by colleges that give credit or placement for AP exams in calculus. A grade of 3, “qualified”, especially on the AB exam, may be denied credit or placement at some colleges. Grades of 2, “possibly qualified”, and 1, “no recommendation”, are very unlikely to earn you credit or placement. •
2004 statistics are as follows: Number of Students
Percentage
Total
170,330
100%
Score:
34,226
20.1%
4
33,831
19.9%
3
32,484
19.1%
2
30,202
17.7%
1
39,587
23.2%
3 or higher
100,541
59.1%
5
10) Most colleges will take your AP courses and exam grades, if you take your exams early enough, into account in admissions decisions. But acceptance of the AP exam results for credit and/or placement varies among colleges. In general, the AB exam corresponds to one-semester introductory course. Some colleges give one semester credit for the AB exam, and two semester credit for the BC exam. However, some may only give one semester credit, regardless of the exam. They may also base their decision on your grade. So you may need to do good in the class as well as on the exam!! Some colleges may not give any credit at all. The College Board has collected links to AP acceptance policy statements at many colleges on its website: http://www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy Please review this when looking at your college of choice’s policy. This is your best resource for this information – I do not know each college policy. Calculator Use
11) Graphing calculators are permitted and you must bring one of an allowed model with you when you take the AP Calculus exam. Not all calculators are allowed. Non-graphing scientific calculators, computers, calculators with a QWERTY keyboard, tablet computers, and PDAs are not allowed. Consult the College Board website for this information. 12) You can bring two calculators in case of batteries dying or you commonly use two different models.
13) You are permitted to come in with programs or other information stored in your calculator! You will not be required to clear the memory prior to the exam. 14) The Test Development Committee has defined four calculator operations that are sufficient to answer all AP exam questions: a) Produce a graph of a function within an arbitrary viewing window; b) Find the zeros of a function (ex: solve an equation numerically); c) Calculate the derivative of a function at a given value; d) Calculate the value of a definite integral. If you know how and when to use the above four operations, you can do well on the exam. You have to watch out for inappropriate references to the calculator in your solution and remember, different viewing windows produce different results. Don’t always rely on your calculator as your only source of information. Your brain is smarter! 15) Calculators are permitted and may be used any way you want. However, it is important you understand what your calculator is producing. When a question asks you to ‘justify an answer’, don’t assume using a calculator is justifying it. You need to give a meaningful and unambiguous use of the calculator answer. Another words, show your work and how you set it up before entering it into the calculator. Tips for Taking the Exam
16) Know when to guess. You should only guess when the odds are in your favor since you are penalized for incorrect answers. 17) The questions do not necessarily become more difficulty as you work through the test. If you are unsure of answer, do not spend too much time on it and go to the next question. Make sure you skip that question the bubble sheet. 18) If a common paragraph, table, or graph refers to a set of questions and you took time to read it, try to answer each question in that group. 19) Don’t go back and change an answer unless you have found an error in your work. Your first impulse is more likely to be correct. 20) Some multiple choice answers can be worked backwards. Plug in a choice and see which answer works. 21) If you take the time to read a question and all the answer choices but decide to skip it, take an extra few seconds and guess. If you can eliminate one or two of the answer choices, your probability of getting it correct increases. 22) Some questions may be easier to determine the answer without a calculator. Don’t assume a calculator is a must. 23) Look through the whole exam when you get it and go to the ones you feel most comfortable doing first. You do not necessarily have to start with question one. 24) In recent years, each problem has some part that you should be able to do. This is usually part “a”, but if you cannot do this part, don’t let that stop you from attempting the other parts of the problem. 25) Show all your work – this is a test to see if you know calculus.
26) Answer only what is asked. You may be penalized for superfluous answers that are incorrect or giving too much information. 27) Don’t waste time simplifying unless it is necessary. 28) WHEN YOU USE YOUR CALCULATOR TO EVALUATE AN ANSWER, IT MUST BE CORRECT TO THREE DECIMAL PLACES. REMEMBER, DO NOT ROUND IN INTERMEDIATE STEPS – CARRY AS MUCH WORK AS YOU CAN IN THE CALCULATOR AND WAIT UNTIL THE END TO ROUND! 29) On the free-response section, try to write clearly, neatly, and keep your exam reader in mind. State the answer clearly and circle it. 30) Number lines need to be labeled with f, f’, or f’’. 31) When using the graphing calculator to determine a solution, you must write the setup. Also, you must use standard mathematical notation, and NOT calculator notation. 32) When asked to sketch a graph, pay close attention to the domain, continuity, extrema, and values given in the problems. 33) When giving intervals in an answer, do not go outside the domain. This also applies to finite answers. 34) When a problem is not working well, don’t erase or “X” out your work. This wastes time and you may have something that is correct. Any work with an “X” over it or erased will NOT be graded. 35) You are in control of your performance on this exam. You can review regularly with classmates, take practice exams, purchase online tutorials, purchase workbooks, etc. Do not wait until the end of the year to review. The more you review and practice, the less studying you will have to do in the end – not to mention how much better you will do in the class. 36) Enjoy your year in this course! Don’t stress out!
