Cubic Symmetry Some things are fairly obvious. For example, if you look at the graphs of a few cubic equations, you might think that each is symmetric to a point and on closer inspection the point of symmetry is the point of inflection. This is true and easy to prove. You can find the point…
Today, for some summer fun, let’s look at synthetic division a/k/a synthetic substitution. I’ll assume you all know how to do that since it is a pretty common pre-calculus topic and even comes up again in calculus. Why Does Synthetic Division Work? An example: consider the polynomial . This can be written in nested form…
What are you looking forward to most: the exam or April vacation? As I’ve mentioned before, I try to keep my posts a little ahead of where I assume you are. With the exams in less than a month away, this means I’m about done for this year. I’m now going to take some time…
This past week I attended the NCTM Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. For many years now, the sessions included a panel discussion on AP Calculus. This year Stephen Davis, chief reader for AP Calculus, was the principal speaker. I would like to share a few of his comments and insights some of which may…
A reader recently asked me to do a post answering some questions about differential equations: The 2016 AP Calculus course description now includes a new statement about domain restrictions for the solutions of differential equations. Specifically, EK 3.5A3 states “Solutions to differential equations may be subject to domain restrictions.” Could you write a blog…
Convergence tests for series appear on both sections of the BC Calculus exam. In the multiple-choice section, students may be asked to say if a sequence or series converges or which of several series converge. The Ratio test is used most often to determine the radius of convergence and the other tests to determine the…
Ideally, as with parametric and vector functions, polar curves should be introduced and covered thoroughly in a pre-calculus course. Questions on the BC exams have been concerned with calculus ideas related to polar curves. Students have not been asked to know the names of the various curves (rose, curves, limaçons, etc.). The graphs are usually…
My friend Ted Gott has just prepared a new index to the AP Calculus exam free-response questions from 1998 to the present. Expanding on an earlier spread sheet by Mark Howell, Ted has referenced all the questions to the Learning Outcomes (LO) and Essential Knowledge (EK) statements of the new Course and Exam Description. AND…
I have always had the impression that the AP exam assumed that parametric equations and vectors were first studied and developed in a pre-calculus course. In fact, many schools do just that. It would be nice if students knew all about these topics when they started BC calculus. Because of time considerations, this very rich…
Any topic in the Course and Exam Description may be the subject of a free-response question. The two topics listed here have been the subject of full free-response questions or major parts of them. Implicitly defined relations and implicit differentiation These questions may ask students to find the first or second derivative of an implicitly…
Differential equations are tested every year. The actual solving of the differential equation is usually the main part of the problem, but it is accompanied by a related question such as a slope field or a tangent line approximation. BC students may also be asked to approximate using Euler’s Method. Large parts of the BC…
Tables may be used to test a variety of ideas in calculus including analysis of functions, accumulation, position-velocity-acceleration, theory and theorems among others. Numbers and working with numbers is part of the Rule of Four and table problems are one way this is tested. What students should be able to do: Find the average rate…
