AP Calculus AB
Unit Review Guides & Unit Review Videos coming August 2024.
Unit Review Guides & Unit Review Videos coming August 2024.
Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB is an introductory calculus course equivalent to a first-semester college calculus class. It is commonly taught in the junior or senior year of high school. Prospective AP Calculus AB students should have a strong understanding of algebra and algebraic manipulation, trigonometry, analytical geometry, and function types.
The AP Calculus AB curriculum focuses on differential and integral calculus. AP Calculus AB contains eight units: Limits and Continuity (Unit 1), Differentiation: Definition and Fundamental Properties (Unit 2), Differentiation: Composite, Implicit, and Inverse Functions (Unit 3), Contextual Applications of Differentiation (Unit 4), Analytical Applications of Differentiation (Unit 5), Integration and Accumulation of Change (Unit 6), Differential Equations (Unit 7), and Applications of Integration (Unit 8). Review videos and notes for all units can be found below.
A video and explanation of the exam format can be located at the bottom of this page. It is essential to know and understand the Calculus AB curriculum, but students should also prepare for the exam by completing practice questions that will be structured alike those found on the AP. Our playlist of practice questions can also be found below.
Topics discussed include:
Limit Notation & Limit Values
Algebraic Properties of Limits
Determining Limits using Squeeze Theorem
Determining Continuity
Exploring Discontinuities
Limits at Infinity & Infinite Limits
Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT)
Topics discussed include:
Derivative Definitions
Differentiability
Constant, Sum, Difference, Constant Multiple Rules
Power, Product, Quotient Rules
Trigonometric Derivatives
Derivatives of eˣ and ln x
Topics discussed include:
Chain Rule
Implicit Differentiation
Differentiation of Inverse Functions
Inverse Trigonometric Derivatives
Higher-Order Derivatives
Topics discussed include:
Position, Velocity, Acceleration
Contextual Derivatives
Related Rates
L'Hôpital's Rule
Topics discussed include:
Mean Value Theorem
Extreme Value Theorem
Global vs. Local Extrema
Critical Points
First Derivative Test
Second Derivative Test
Candidates Test
Concavity & Increasing/Decreasing with Derivatives
Graph Sketching
Optimization
Implicit Relations
Topics discussed include:
Exploring the Integral
Riemann Sums
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
Accumulation Functions
Properties of Definite and Indefinite Integrals
Integration with Substitution
Polynomial Long Division & Completing the Square with Integration
Topics discussed include:
Modeling Situations
Slope Fields
General & Particular Solutions with Differential Equations
Exponential Models with Differential Equations
Topics discussed include:
Average Value
Kinematics & Integration
Accumulation Functions in Context
Area Between Curves
Disks & Washers
Volumes of Cross-Sections (Triangles, Semicircles, Squares, Rectangles)
Topics discussed include:
AP Calculus AB Exam Structure
Practice problems