My high school’s math system is a bit different from most high schools, I guess (there’s no Algebra 1/Algebra 2/Geometry/Trigonometry; there’s “Secondary Math 1”, “Secondary Math 2”, and “Secondary Math 3” for 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, respectively.)
There is one calculus class offered at our school called AP Calculus. It’s available for 11th-12th grades who has taken either Secondary Math 3 Honors, Precalculus, or Math 1050/1060 and I’m taking Secondary Math 2 Honors this year (I’m a sophomore) and plan on taking Math 3 Honors junior year then AP Calculus senior year. I’m aware the two courses listed on college board are AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC, but our school’s course listing only shows “AP Calculus”. Here’s the description, if it helps at all:
Prerequisite: Secondary Math III Honors, Pre-Calculus, or Math 1050/1060 with a grade of
“B” or better, or teacher recommendation.
This course is designed to provide students with
mathematical concepts equivalent to one and one-half
semesters of college calculus. Includes a review of analytic
geometry and introduces the concepts of limit, the derivative,
and the integral.
Any input is appreciated. Thanks.
It’s BC calculus it appears.
I think that might actually be AB because calc BC covers a full year of math instead of one semester, and I don’t think BC calc does any review. I’m not 100% sure tho
I agree that it’s probably AB, but without the specific topics, it’s hard to tell. Your best bet is to ask the calc teacher.
What’s the difference (like BC is accelerated) between Calculus AB and BC? My son’s school offers both… and what are the impacts of taking one vs. the other?
@CaringMom11 to simplify it, BC is AB + a little bit more. AB is Limits, Differential Calc, Integral Calc, and some basic Differential Equations. BC includes that entire curriculum + Series, Polar Coordinates and some other things. This is why some students go from Pre-Calc straight to BC without AB. Also, at some schools, AB gives credit for Calc I and BC gives credit for Calc II, I believe. That being said, if most students at your son’s school go Precalc -> AB -> BC I’d have him do that path since the BC teacher would probably assume that students have previous knowledge of Differential and Integral Calculus. Also, if he takes BC before senior year, he will probably have to take Calc 3 at a local college the next year, unless your school offers it.
Thanks @gormar099 , thanks for the explanation… he is a freshman right now and did preCalc Hons this year… choice is Calc AB or BC for next year… other kids do either one or the other (I think)… after this he will have multiple options for his Junior and Senior year i.e. Statistics, Multivariable Calculus, Advance Calc and Mathematical Statistics, Abstract Algebra and Group Theory, or Advance topics in Mathematics… so he will not run out of courses … (the school connects them to MIT if someone exhausts the courses offered in school but it is unlikely in his case). What would you recommend he should go for… AB or BC…there are kids (can be counted on fingers) who have done Calc BC in 9th and Group Theory and adv. Calc in Sophomore… ;)) (BTW, I love your profile pic !!)
@CaringMom11 He must have a good understanding of math if he’s already in Honors Pre Calculus as a freshman! Good for him! If he already knows some calculus or he feels like AP Cal AB would be too easy, he could take BC to challenge himself. If it were me, I would take AB and then BC junior year to grasp a better understanding of it, etc. However, if he really wants to take statistics, multi variable calculus, etc. instead, then he could go to BC and have the next years to do those.
OK, thank you all for the input, I think I’ve concluded it’s BC.
@TheRealZix I think it’s AB, but I would just ask the teacher or someone who’s taken it before which AP exam you guys take.
@CaringMom11 If he’s a freshman in PreCalc he is clearly a very bright student, so he should be able to handle either AB or BC. Personally, as a sophomore in AB right now, I find it fairly easy, that being said BC is paced much faster than AB so it could be somewhat harder especially without previous Calc experience. I would say start with BC and if it’s too much he can drop down to AB. If he has some extra time over the summer he can look over some calculus topics such as limits and differentiation to help ease the transition into calc. Good luck!
@CaringMom11 I recommend BC, it covers more material, and when you take the BC exam, you get an AB sub score, so even if he doesn’t do great on the BC exam, he can get the AB sub score and do well on that.
@TheRealZix Yes, definitely BC - AB is one semester, BC is 1.5.
