Applications (Unit 8) seems to fit more logically after the opening unit on integration (Unit 6). The Course and Exam Description (CED) present differential equations first probably because the previous unit ended with techniques of antidifferentiation. My guess is that many teachers will teach Unit 8: Applications of Integration before Unit 7: Differential Equations. Therefore,…
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…
More posts on differential equations Good Question 2 (2002 BC 5) and A Family of Function (Good Question 2 continued) – one of my all-time favorite AP exam questions. Parts a, c, and d are suitable for AB students. Part b is a Euler’s method question. Part d is an example of a question where…
Next in line are differential equations. Here are links to some past posts on differential equations Differential Equations Outline of basic ideas for AB and BC calculus Slope Fields Euler’s Method – a BC only topic Domain of a Differential Equation mentioned on the new Course and Exam Description Good Question 6 2000 AB 4…
Chip Rollinson is a teacher at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Today’s post is a note he sent to the AP Calculus Community bulletin board that I found interesting. I share it with you with his permission. I have done some minor editing. Chip wrote on February 5, 2015: I had an epiphany today…
Differential Equations 3 – Euler’s Method Since not all differential equation initial values problems (IVP) can be solved, it is often necessary to approximate the solution. There are several ways of doing this. The one that AP students are required to know is Euler’s Method. The idea behind Euler’s Method is to first write the equation…
