
AP Calculus AB Exam: What You Need to Know Factor in any other AP courses you may want to enroll in and your entire course load. Because of these foundational math courses, taking AP Calculus AB before your senior year may be challenging.Ĭonsider your projected 11th and 12th grade schedules to determine when would be the best time for you to take AP Calculus AB. Typically, prerequisite classes include algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and precalculus. Some schools may require you to be in your junior or senior year before taking an AP class.ĪP Calculus AB builds upon several mathematical concepts. When Should You Take AP Calculus AB?īefore planning your schedule, check with your high school to see whether it has any policies on when you can take AP courses.
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You'll also need to know how to use a graphing calculator. On top of having a strong understanding of math, students should possess high reasoning and justification skills. AP Calc AB builds on various math concepts and requires you to bring those concepts together to solve problems. The difficulty of AP Calculus AB also depends on your unique skills and strengths. Students should also expect to spend more time outside class working on concepts.

Typically, AP courses move at an accelerated rate to keep the pace with a college curriculum. That said, the AP Calculus AB material is meant to replicate a college-level calculus course. The Course Materialīecause AP courses are taught by high school teachers, the pace and curriculum of the AP Calculus AB class is often partly determined by the individual educator. This supports that how challenging a course is will be dependent on many factors, including who teaches the class. However, the percentage of those who scored a perfect score of 5 for AP Calculus AB is almost identical to those who earned a perfect score on all other AP exams. AP Psychology Exam Pass Rates AP Class/Exam Because the pass rate of the AP Calculus AB exam is lower than the average pass rate across all AP classes, you could infer AP Calculus AB is more difficult than some others. In 2021, about 71% of test-takers passed AP exams with a score of 3 or higher.ĪP Calculus AB students had a pass rate around 61%. The Pass RateĪlthough difficulty varies based on each individual students' strengths and level of preparation, an AP exam's pass rate can give a general overview of how difficult that particular course may be. Though course and exam difficulty are subjective, pass rate, course materials, and your personal academic strengths can help you determine how difficult AP Calculus AB might be for you. What Determines the Difficulty of AP Calculus AB? 3 Key FactorsĪP courses are rigorous, but just how challenging are they? There are several factors to consider before you enroll in an AP course, including AP Calculus AB. Contextual and analytical applications of differentiation.Definition and fundamental properties of differentiation.

Specific content covered in AP Calculus AB includes the following: AP Calculus AB typically requires you to use a graphing calculator to solve problems. You'll also solve complex problems with multiple steps that integrate multiple formulas and theorems.

Students learn to use definitions and various math concepts to solve problems and justify their reasoning. The course combines the tangible math equations and concepts of algebra and trigonometry with the theorems and methods of geometry. Ready to Start Your Journey? What Does AP Calculus AB Cover?ĪP Calculus AB is an advanced math class that requires students to think deeply about math problems and concepts.

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