Learn about the AP Calculus Exam

AP Calculus AB Exam Strategies

The AP Calculus AB Exam isn’t just about knowing calculus; it’s also about knowing test-taking strategies. Knowing how to pace yourself, make educated guesses, use the two-pass system, and utilize other strategies will help you do your best on the AP Calculus AB Exam.

What’s tested on the AP Calculus AB Exam?

The AP Calculus AB exam has a multiple-choice and a free response section, each with a calculator and a non-calculator portion. Each section of the exam is worth 50% of your overall score.

What’s tested on the AP Calculus BC Exam?

AP Calculus BC is an extension of AP Calculus AB, and as such the difference between the two is in scope, not difficulty. AP Calculus BC includes topics from AP Calculus AB, such as integrals and the fundamental theorem of calculus, plus other concepts such as parametric equations, polar and vector functions and series.

AP Calculus Quiz

In order to track your progress in preparing for the AP Calculus Exam, it’s important to take quizzes and practice tests from time to time. You can start with this five-question quiz that covers several of the topics you might see on either the AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC Exam.

AP Calculus Multiple-Choice Strategies

The multiple-choice questions on the AP Calculus exam count for 50% of your total score. The multiple-choice section consists of two parts: Part A contains 30 multiple-choice questions for which you are not allowed to use your graphing calculator, and Part B contains 15 multiple-choice questions for which you may use your calculator.

AP Calculus Free Response Strategies

The AP Calculus free response section is worth 50% of your grade. Part A contains two free-response questions for which you are allowed (and in fact, will most likely need) to use your graphing calculator. Part B contains four free-response questions for which you may not use your calculator.

Calculators on the AP Calculus AB Exam

You’ll need your calculator for Section I, Part B (which consists of 15 multiple-choice questions) and Section II, Part A (which consists of 2 free-response questions). That means that for 34 out of the 51 questions on the test (more than 60 percent of the exam), you cannot use a calculator.

AP Calculus Prep Resources

Kaplan has a variety of prep resources available for the AP Calculus Exam. Check out your test prep options for AP Calc and many other AP exams.

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