Ap Calc!!!!!

<p>Does anyone know hints on guessing?</p>

<p>Here's my super secret guessing technique:</p>

<p>Often they give you 5 similar choices, with only a few things different. When you look through them, find the most common traits and find the one that combines them. It sounds complicated but it's not. I was able to do this on the SAT II Math and get a 740 without actually doing half the problems. That's the beauty, you don't even have to look at the problems.</p>

<p>So, given the answers:</p>

<p>A. -5x+4
B. 5x+4
c. -5x+6
D. -2x+10
E. 2x+4</p>

<p>By my method the best guess would be A. Why? Because 3/5 have negative signs. 3/5 have 5 as the coefficient, and 3/5 have 4 as the constant. Just by doing this, you can guess A. and amazingly enough, a lot of times you will be right. It's amazing how simple.</p>

<p>Remember this doesn't work on everything, but it's amazing how often it does work. I use this on any problem with a numerical or quantifiable answer, be it history or chemistry or calculus, and it works more often than not.</p>

<p>If you have absolutely no idea, or are a bad guesser, you have to evaluate yourself and consider whether or not you're comfortable with guessing. It's not always beneficial on AP tests to Christmas tree the ones you have no idea on, that's for sure. But if you're well prepared and take a moment to think about the answers, you should have some clue.</p>

<p>Also, on MC, if you're stumped, try working backwards from each answer, for example if it is asking you to integrate some function, and then it gives you 5 choices, and you have no idea, just start taking derivatives and quickly see if the choice is even possible.</p>

<p>dima....i believe there are 28 non-calc MC questions followed by a 17 calc MC portion. After that, you have 3 calc FRQ's and then 3 non-calc FRQ's. So 45 MC and 6 FRQ in all.</p>

<p>Dude, that's a good technique, does it work on the mc for the ab calc exam? Also, any other hints?</p>

<p>The MC number changes from year to year, though it generally stays around 45-50 total, with more non-calc than calc.</p>

<p>Kishlay, just looking through some practice MC tests, and it works pretty good. It at least narrows it down to 2 or 3 choices. It's often tougher than the example I've given. For example, if the answer is an integral, find the most common limits of integration and their proper order.</p>

<p>Just glancing through these problems, most of them I could get it down to 1-2, although sometimes it doesn't work because AP throws in those nasty little coule be answers.</p>

<p>What I mean by 'could be' answer, is an answer that you get if you make a common mistake, like an addition or subtraction error on the non-calc section, or forgetting to raise something to the e power after you used ln to take the derivative of x to the x power. Lots of little distracters like that.</p>

<p>Of course, actually doing the problem is always the best way to go. But if you're going to guess, eliminate some of the choices.</p>

<p>Another example:</p>

<p>take the derivative of a quotient with a polynomial on top and on bottom.</p>

<p>3/5 choices are 2 terms minus 2 terms on top.</p>

<p>2/those 3 have a polynomial squared on bottom.</p>

<p>2/those 3 have the same terms on top in the same order.</p>

<p>So you choose the one that has the polynomial squared on bottom and the same terms on top and you have the correct answer without even knowing anything about calculus.</p>

<p>


</p>

<p>So that's 68 out of 99? (45 MC & 54 FR, 9 each)</p>

<p>68/108
you multiply the mc raw score by like 1.2 and add it to the frq raw score</p>

<p>So I haven't been doing my hw all year, and I'm half-asleep most of the time in class.. but I managed to scrape a 34/54 on the mult choice practice we did in class w/o studying, which is basically almost there to a 5 (which is 37). Eh I'm not too worried.. I think the most important things you'll have to know are like integrating, the series stuff, and Fundamental Theory of Calculus, which I love yay.</p>

<p>Is the 2003 curve the normal curve? I heard something like that was the easiest curve ever...</p>

<p>the shell method </p>

<p>the integral of 2<em>pi</em>r<em>h</em>thickness
the thickness is dx or dy, the radius is generally just x or y and the height is the distance between the two functions. the limits are the limits of whatever variable the thickness is in.</p>

<p>Someone explain how the fundamental theorem can be applied to initial value problems.</p>

<p>Shell: you use whell when the slice is parallel to the axis of rotation. this way you don't have to convert to y-values. </p>

<p>Lagrange: the next non-zero term in a taylor series is approximately the error of the estimate (this makes a lot of sense...the complete error is the sum every other term up to infinite (because the whole series up to infinite is the right answer), but a good approximation would be the largest of the rest of the terms)</p>

<p>converging series: i'm having a ton of trouble...anyone like to offer any advice besides these that i just learned this morning?</p>

<p>if the last term is 0, then it will most likely converge, unless it is the harmonic (1/x^n) series. if it is alternating harmonic (alternating signs in each term) then it will converge. </p>

<p>if the (1/x^p) will converge if p is greater than and NOT equal to one. </p>

<p>for the ones you aren't sure of run the ratio/integral test.</p>

<p>lagrange
f(z)x^n/n(factiorial)
HOW DO YOU KNOW THE Z VALUE
i KNOW ITS BETWEEN X AND C, BUT WHAT IS IT</p>

<p>i though they give it to you...they tell you if the series is centered at 'x= whatever' and then you plug whatever in for z.</p>

<p>Do you know if we get scrap paper during the exam?</p>

<p>What is a math test w/o scratch paper? O.O I think we do...</p>

<p>lagrange is actually abs(ERROR)<= f^n+1(a)(x-a)^n/n!</p>

<p>you don't get scratch paper. you get to work in the margins (they give you room), and on the frq, there's a green insert we can use.</p>

<p>Can someone explain a few of the BC MC problems from here (Page 38-49): <a href="http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/repository/05836apcoursdesccalc0_4313.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/repository/05836apcoursdesccalc0_4313.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Specifically #8, 15, 18, 20, 21, and 24.</p>