<p>So, basically I just found out we're not allowed to use calculators for the AP Chemistry multiple choice section. My teacher probably mentioned this before, but he lets us use calculators and equation charts for all our practice stuff, I just didn't really think about it. Nor do I really listen to him.</p>
<p>How am I ever going to be able to do that math? Even stoichiometry and such...or anything with 10 to the negative whatever.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if I have a question. Just spazzing out.</p>
<p>Well... yeah my teacher did the same thing and I don't think we are even allowed the equation charts for the multiple choice section... which really sucks. But usually the test makers make sure that the numbers for the calculations are easy to manage, like 6/3=2.</p>
<p>Most of the numbers are easy to manage like kaotic suggests (CaCO3 is a popular compound in some types of MC questions because its molar mass is 100) but you are expected to be able to manipulate simple decimals (ex: [.100 x .200]/.400) and solve simple problems with exponential notation (ex: (6x10-2 / 3x10-4). If your teacher has given you old MC questions to review with, go through them without a calculator - the practice helps.</p>
<p>Note, however, that before 1996, calculators were allowed on the MC section. Anyone with really old exams may notice a few problems that weren't meant to be solved without a calculator.</p>
<p>The book we're using, I don't know exactly the name but it's by ARCO or something, says you can't use calculators, but some of the problems seem hard to do without. Like one where you have to calculate deltaH, which is pretty straight forward, but you need to multiply and add and subtract large numbers.</p>
<p>Most of what we have done in class was just calculations, and the multiple choice is like, actual knowledge of chemistry type questions. That could be bad.</p>
<p>Don't worry. Every test that doesn't have a direct relation to math has fairly easy calculations. If you know the basics, you really have nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>I second Afruff! The math may be simple, but if you haven't done math by hand since 6th grade, you may be surprised at what skills have gotten rusty. On the plus side, it is multiple choice, so sometimes getting within an order of magnitude is close enough to pick the right answer.</p>
<p>BTW - on many standard MC tests, people tend to solve a problem and assume they are correct if their answer matches one of the answer choices. They don't double check their thinking or their arithmetic. (It matches! Yay - I must have done it right!) On the AP test, the people who write the questions and answers are required to justify all the wrong answers. In other words, they have to show how a student could come up with each of the choices provided. <em>The wrong answers include common student errors.</em> Double check your math even if it matches an answer exactly.</p>
<p>Its gonna be mostly theory/concepts. You might have to understand what definitions are. They'll give u a reaction and ask what is the coefficient of this or which is the conjugate acid of this.. or something like that..</p>