AP Questions Type 6: Differential Equations Differential equations are tested in the free-response section of the AP exams almost every year. The actual solving of the differential equation is usually the main part of the problem accompanied by a related question such as a slope field or a tangent line approximation. BC students may also…
AP Questions Type 5: Riemann Sum & Table Problems Information given in tables may be used to test a variety of ideas in calculus including analysis of functions, accumulation, theory and theorems, and position-velocity-acceleration, among others. Numbers and working with numbers are part of the Rule of Four and table problems are one way they are tested.…
AP Type Questions 4: Area and Volume Given equations that define a region in the plane students are asked to find its area, the volume of the solid formed when the region is revolved around a line, and/or the region is used as a base of a solid with regular cross-sections. This standard application of…
AP Questions Type 3: Graph Analysis The long name is “Here’s the graph of the derivative, tell me things about the function.” Students are given either the equation of the derivative of a function or a graph identified as the derivative of a function with no equation is given. It is not expected that students…
AP Questions Type 2: Linear Motion We continue the discussion of the various type questions on the AP Calculus Exams with linear motion questions. “A particle (or car, person, or bicycle) moves on a number line ….” These questions may give the position equation, the velocity equation (most often), or the acceleration equation of something…
The Free-response Questions There are ten general types of AP Calculus free-response questions. This and the next nine posts will discuss each of them. NOTE: The numbers I’ve assigned to each type DO NOT correspond to the CED Unit numbers. Many AP Exam questions intentionally have parts from different Units. The CED Unit numbers will be…
Unit 9 includes all the topics listed in the title. These are BC only topics (CED – 2019 p. 163 – 176). These topics account for about 11 – 12% of questions on the BC exam. Comments on Prerequisites: In BC Calculus the work with parametric, vector, and polar equations is somewhat limited. I always…
Teaching Calculus 