<p>Are there any optimization problems on the AP exam normally? I took two practice tests and saw 3 or 4 related rates, but no optimization.</p>
<p>We did optimization problems in my AP Calculus AB course, although as I am reviewing with my Princeton Review book, I didn’t see any optimization. Guess not.</p>
<p>It’s fair game, I know, but usually most of the optimization questions that are similar to the ones in most textbooks are going to be short questions on the multiple choice portion, and there’s maybe one or two of those.</p>
<p>On the free response, you’re going to likely see one question that asks for the minimum or maximum amount of something (and not the relative mins or maxes, but the absolutes), and these are really optimization questions if you think about it, but they don’t seem as intimidating as the ones that a lot of the textbooks offer.</p>
<p>MathProf –</p>
<p>Should I expect any derivatives or integrations of inverse trigonometric functions on the AB exam? According to my AP calculus teacher there shouldn’t be any, but I have heard differently from others …</p>
<p>I think integration of inverse trig functions is fair game on the BC test, because the technique required to do those is integration by parts. I can’t imagine it’s on the AB test, though, since you don’t learn that technique (or at least aren’t required to).</p>
<p>But differentiation of inverse trig functions can be on the AB test still. I know it’s not a topic that’s often tested, and if it comes up, it’s likely just one question on the multiple choice. It’s also still in the course description ( <a href=“Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board; ) on page 15 of the PDF file (called page 9 on the page itself).</p>
<p>However, every once in awhile, an inverse trig function will rear its ugly head on the free response. The most recent example I can find is 2004 AB3 ( <a href=“Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board; ), although it looks like you can get away with not knowing the actual derivative formula by using the nDeriv feature for part (a) (since they ask the derivative at a point) or by knowing the value of the inverse function’s derivative at a point (a skill that is also used in 2007 AB3).</p>
<p>So I might take a look at them for derivatives, but it’s not something I’d stress over. I think it’s unlikely not knowing them would greatly impact a person’s score.</p>