AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description Notes

  • Course Framework: Includes instructional sections, sample multiple-choice questions, sample free-response questions, and scoring guidelines for AP Precalculus, effective Fall 2023.
  • AP Stands for Clarity and Transparency: Teachers and students deserve clear expectations. Course frameworks and sample assessments are made public.
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  • AP Opposes Censorship: AP respects the intellectual freedom of teachers and students. Banning required topics results in removal of the AP designation.
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  • AP Resources and Supports:
    • AP Classroom: Online platform with tools and resources.
    • Unit Guides: Outlines course content and skills.
    • Progress Checks: Formative AP questions for feedback.
    • My Reports: Provides teachers with student results.
    • Question Bank: Searchable library of AP questions.
  • Instructional Model: Integrates AP resources throughout the course.
    • Plan: Review unit guides to identify essential questions and skills.
    • Teach: Use topic pages and AP Daily to build conceptual understanding.
    • Assess: Use AP Classroom for Topic Questions and Progress Checks.
  • About the AP Precalculus Course:
    • Centers on functions modeling dynamic phenomena.
    • Designed to prepare students for college-level calculus.
    • Covers a broad spectrum of function types.
    • Develops symbolic manipulation skills.
    • Uses graphical, numerical, analytical, and verbal representations.
    • Fosters deep conceptual understanding of functions.
  • College Course Equivalent: First semester college precalculus course.
  • Prerequisites: Proficiency in Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 topics.
  • Technology Needs: Use of technology for calculations, graphing, and data modeling is required.
  • Course Framework: Partitioned into four units. Units 1, 2, and 3 are required and assessed. Unit 4 is additional.
  • Mathematical Practices: Eight distinct skills associated with three mathematical practices.
    • Procedural and Symbolic Fluency: Algebraically manipulate functions, equations, and expressions.
    • Multiple Representations: Translate mathematical information between representations.
    • Communication and Reasoning: Communicate with precise language and provide rationales.
  • Course Content: Organized into units of study, with Units 1, 2, and 3 included on the AP Exam.
  • Exam Weighting:
    • Unit 1: Polynomial and Rational Functions: 30–40%
    • Unit 2: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions: 27–40%
    • Unit 3: Trigonometric and Polar Functions: 30–35%
    • Unit 4: Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, and Matrices: Not assessed on the AP Exam
  • Unit Guides: Provide helpful guidance and suggested sequences.
  • Unit 1: Polynomial and Rational Functions: Focuses on covariation and rates of change.
  • Unit 2: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions:
    • Communicate differences and similarities among arithmetic sequences, linear functions, geometric sequences, and exponential functions.
    • Delineate processes for solving equations and building function models.
    • Practice with exponential and logarithmic regressions.
  • Unit 3: Trigonometric and Polar Functions: Integrates trigonometry and polar functions.
  • Unit 1 Topics Overview: Topics include change in tandem, rates of change, complex zeros, end behavior, rational functions, transformations, and model selection.
  • AP Precalculus Exam Topics Summary (Units 1, 2, and 3): Listed for college calculus placement.
  • Unit 2 Progress Checks Reminder: Encourages use of online progress checks from AP Classroom.
  • Mathematical Practices Focus: Students should communicate mathematics and develop notational fluency, and clearly delineate processes when solving problems related to the topics in the unit.
  • Sample Activities Overview:
    • Variables and graphs analysis
    • Constructing graphs according to phrases
    • Matching rational functions
    • Classifying true/false statements for given graphs
    • Graphing transformations
  • ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE for functions including but not limited to description, function, increasing and decreasing
  • average rate of change. Also polynomial long division, rational representations and use of binomial theorum.
  • Unit 3 sample instruction activities are provided involving Trigonometric and Polar Functions
  • Summary of AP exam and scoring including section descriptions, exam weighting for skills and guidelines for free resposne questions etc.