If you are wondering about the format of the AP Calculus BC test, then you’ve come to the right place! In this short article we will discuss the structure of the exam and kinds of questions you might expect to see on test day.
The Format of the AP Calculus BC Exam
First of all, the format of the BC exam is pretty much the same as that of the AP Calculus AB exam. The problems on the BC test are not necessarily harder than those on the AB. However they may seem more difficult because the BC exam covers more material. In fact, the list of topics on the AP Calculus BC exam make it equivalent to two full semesters of calculus at the college level!
Structure of the AP Calculus BC Exam
The AP Calculus BC exam takes 3 hours and 15 minutes, but the time is broken up so that you have a break in the middle. There are two main sections, multiple choice and free response, and each section has one part requiring a graphing calculator and one that does not allow a calculator at all.
The Calculus AB and Calculus BC exams both have the same format.
| Section / Part | Type of questions | Number of questions | Time Limit | Calculator permitted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IA | Multiple Choice | 30 | 60 minutes | No |
| IB | Multiple Choice | 15 | 45 minutes | Yes |
| IIA | Free Response | 2 | 30 minutes | Yes |
| IIB | Free Response | 4 | 60 minutes | No |
The Multiple Choice Section
Each problem in this section has four answer choices below it. Because there is no “None of the above” choice, you can be sure that one of the four answers is correct! In fact, sometimes you only have to work out a part of the problem in order to correctly choose the answer.
But be careful! The answer choices are often quite similar. In addition, the answers may have been simplified in non-obvious ways, so be prepared to use your algebra skills to change the form of your expressions.
The problems in the multiple choice section test your calculus knowledge and skills in a straightforward manner. The problems are not designed to trick you or take huge amounts of time. What makes the problems difficult is the variety of topics covered (breadth). This is especially true of the BC exam.
Start studying early, and check out the following AP Calculus BC Exam Multiple Choice Practice Problems.
The Free Response Section
While the free response section has only six problems, they are all multi-part questions. So you should expect to spend some quality time on each one. A typical problem has three to four parts that refer to the same scenario.
Show you work! The AP graders are looking for a logical progression of steps leading toward a correct answer. If you relied on your calculator for a major step (such as finding a critical number, or performing numeric integration), you must write a sentence to let the graders know what you did.
Here are some AP Calculus BC Exam Free Response Practice Problems to get you started.
Questions from past exams can be found here.
More Information about the Exam
Now that you know the format of the AP Calculus BC exam, you might find it helpful to learn what topics are on the AP Calculus BC exam. Happy studying!
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