If you are looking
for a review book that prepares you and then a
little bit more for the
SAT 1 test, this will
do it.

-Bill D.
on Acing the new SAT I Math



Welcome to Acing AP Calculus AB and BC!
Successful completion of an AP exam represents a high level of achievement. Students using this book as either a companion or as a review to their calculus courses should be confident of their ability to master the necessary calculus concepts.

Using this book

This book helps students review and master calculus concepts in the most concise and straightforward manner possible. Each concept is presented through a succinct definition followed by an example problem demonstrating its application. Every chapter includes exercise sets followed by step-by-step solutions to each problem. Sections dedicated to Calculus BC material are denoted by the BC symbol. Note that Chapters 8 and 9 are exclusively for the BC exam.

Students taking the AP exam may choose to cover one chapter every day or two in the month before the real exam. Alternatively, students and teachers may find it helpful to work through each chapter after finishing the corresponding section in their calculus course at school. Even students who choose not to take the AP exam will find this textbook a useful supplement to their calculus courses. At the end of the book are four full-length practice tests, two each for the AB and BC exams. Practice tests are also accompanied by full-length solutions.

About the Calculus AB and BC Exams

The AP exams in calculus test your understanding of basic concepts in calculus, as well as its methodology and applications. The material covered by the Calculus AB exam is roughly equivalent to a one-semester introductory college course in calculus. The Calculus BC exam is an extension of the AB material, adding on more advanced concepts such as improper integrals, series, logistic curves, and parametric and polar functions. It is important to note that both exams require a similar depth of understanding to the extent that they cover the same topics. Students who take the BC exam also receive a subscore that represents their knowledge of the AB material.

A Note on Graphing Calculators

The calculus AP exams consist of a multiple-choice and a free-response section, with each section including one part that requires use of a graphing calculator and one during which no electronic devices are permitted. While calculators cannot substitute for the necessary depth of understanding or provide any shortcuts where students are required to show their work, the testmakers who develop the AP calculus exam recognize that a graphing calculator is an integral part of the course. Therefore students should become comfortable with their graphing calculators through regular use. Check the AP website at apcentral.collegeboard.com for more details on restrictions on calculators.

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