- AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus (also known as AP Calculus) is used to indicate one of two distinct
Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by theCollege Board , AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC.AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus AB is an advanced placement
calculus course taken by high school students around the world, most of whom study at schools with an American curriculum. It's traditionally taken afterPrecalculus , otherwise known as Introduction to Analysis, and is the first calculus course offered at most schools.Purpose
"Calculus AB can be offered by an AP course by any school that can organize a curriculum for students with mathematical ability... Students who take an AP Calculus course should do so with the intention of placing out of a comparable college calculus course." [cite web|url=http://collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/calculus/ap-cd-calc-0607.pdf|title=collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/calculus/ap-cd-calc-0607.pdf |format=PDF]
Course Content
The material includes the study and application of differentiation and integration, and graphical analysis including limits,
asymptotes , and continuity. [cite web|url=http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_ab/topic.html?calcab|title=collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_ab/topic.html?calcab] An AP Calculus AB course is typically equivalent to one semester of college calculus.More specifically, the topics are [cite web|url=http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/descriptions/index.html|title=Course Descriptions]
*Analysis of graphs (predicting and explaining behavior)
*Limits of functions (one and two sided)
*Asymptotic and unbounded behavior
*Continuity
*Derivatives
**Concept
**At a point
**As a function
**Applications
**Second derivatives
*Integrals
**Interpretations
**Properties
**Applications
**Techniques
**Numerical approximations
*Fundamental theorem of calculus
*AntidifferentationAP Calculus BC
Purpose
"Calculus BC is a full-year course in the calculus of functions of a single variable. It includes all topics covered in Calculus AB plus additional topics... Students who take an AP Calculus course should do so with the intention of placing out of a comparable college calculus course." [cite web|url=http://collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/calculus/ap-cd-calc-0607.pdf|title=collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/ap/students/calculus/ap-cd-calc-0607.pdf |format=PDF]
Course Content
AP Calculus BC includes all of the topics covered in AP Calculus AB, as well as
convergence tests for series, Taylor and/orMaclaurin series , the use of parametric equations, polar functions, including arc length in polar coordinates, calculating curve length in parametric and function (y = f(x)) equations,L'Hôpital's rule ,integration by parts ,improper integral s, Euler's method, differential equations for logistic growth, and usingpartial fraction s to integrate rational functions. [cite web|url=http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_bc/topic.html?calcbc|title=collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_bc/topic.html?calcbc ] Students in AP Calculus BC generally receive two semesters of Advanced Placement in mathematics.AP Calculus exam
Growth
Between 1990 and 2004, the number of students taking the AP Calculus exams has increased more than threefold. [cite web
url = http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c1/c1s2.htm#c1s2l3
title = Chapter 1: Elementary and Secondary Education, Student Coursetaking in Mathematics and Science, Participation in AP Testing
date = 2006-02-23
work = Science and Engineering Indicators 2006
publisher =National Science Board ] The exams are now taken by more than 250,000 students each year. [cite web
title = AP mathematics and science courses as a gateway to careers in engineering
author = Robinson, M.; Fadali, M.S.; Malisa, M.; Johnson, W.; Batchman, T.
url = http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/8925/28283/01264690.pdf
format = PDF] TheCollege Board intentionally schedules the AP Calculus AB exam at the same time as the AP Calculus BC exam in order to make it impossible for a student to take both tests and receive college credit for both, in the same academic year. [ cite web
title = Exam Calendars
url = http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/cal/cal2.html
publisher = collegeboard.com, Inc.] They do not, however, bar a student from taking the two classes simultaneously; it is usually at the discretion of the individual school to label Calculus AB as the pre-requisite class for Calculus BC, although some schools do allow them as co-requisites for gifted students.Format
The structure of the AB and BC exams is identical. Both exams are three hours and fifteen minutes long, comprising a total of 45
multiple choice questions and sixfree response questions. [cite web|url=http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_ab/exam.html?calcab|title=collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_ab/exam.html?calcab ] They are further subdivided as follows:Composite score range
The College Board has released information on the composite score range (out of 108) required to obtain each grade (note that this changes annually): [cite web|url=http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ap-tests-preparation/336324-official-ap-curve-thread-3.html|title=Official AP curves released by College Board at some point]
References
External links
*AP Calculus AB
** [http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_ab/topic.html?calcab College Board description of the AP Calculus AB course content]
** [http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_ab/exam.html?calcab College Board description of the AP Calculus AB examination]
*AP Calculus BC
** [http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_bc/topic.html?calcbc College Board description of the AP Calculus BC course content]
** [http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/calculus_bc/exam.html?calcbc College Board description of the AP Calculus BC examination]* [http://www.ti89.com ti89.com] - Step by Step Calculus
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