Topical Review of All Past AP FRQs

AP* Calculus Free-response Question Type Analysis and Notes
Revised to include the 2013 Exam

By Lin McMullin
General note: AP Questions often test several diverse ideas or concepts in the same
question. The type names are meant only as a guide and may refer to the form of the
question, what it looks like at a glance. Within each type various ideas and concepts may
and often are tested.
Many (all) of these ideas may also be tested on multiple-choice questions
Tables listing type by years and question number follow Topic 9 (page 7)
Topic 1: Area – Volume Question

Given equations that define a region in the plane students are asked to find its area and
the volume of the solid formed when the region is revolved around a line or used as a
base of a solid with regular cross-sections. This standard application of the integral has
appeared every year since 1969 on the AB exam and all but one year on the BC exam.
If this appears on the calculator active section: It is expected that the definite integrals
will be evaluated on a calculator. Students should write the definite integral with limits
on their paper and put its value after it. It is not required to give the antiderivative and if
students give an incorrect antiderivative they will lose credit even if the final answer is
(somehow) correct.
There is a calculator program available that will give the set-up and not just the answer so
recently this question has been on the no calculator section. (The good news is that the
integrals will be easy or they will be set-up but do not integrate questions.)
What students should know how to do:
 Find the intersection(s) of the graphs and use them as limits of integration
(calculator equation solving). Write the equation followed by the solution;
showing work is not required. Usually no credit until the solution is used in
context.
 Find the area of the region between the graph and the x-axis or between two
graphs.
 Find the volume when the region is revolved around a line, not necessarily and
axis, by the disk/washer method. (Shell method is never necessary but is eligible
for full credit if properly used).
 Find the volume of a solid with regular cross-sections whose base is the region
between the curves. But see 2009 AB 4(b)
 Find the equation of a vertical line that divides the region in half (area or volume).
This involves setting up and solving an integral equation where the limit is the
variable for which the equation is solved.
© 2013 by Lin McMullin, All Rights Reserved, *AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of The College
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 For BC only – find the area of a region bounded by polar curves.
 r  
2
A  12 
2
d
1
Topic 2: Particle moving on a line
These questions may give the position equation, the velocity equation or the acceleration
equation along with an initial condition. Students may be asked about the motion of the
particle: its direction, when it changes direction, its maximum position in one direction
(farthest left or right) etc. Speed, the absolute value of velocity, is also a common topic.
The particle may be a “particle,” a person, car, etc. The position, velocity or acceleration
may be given as an equation, a graph or a table. There are a lot of different things
students may be asked to find. While particles don’t really move in this way, the question
is a versatile way to test a variety of calculus concepts.
What students should know how to do (AB and BC):
 Initial value differential equation problems: given the velocity or acceleration

with initial condition(s) find the position or velocity.
 Distinguish between position at some time (displacement) and the total distance
traveled during the time.
o The total distance traveled is the definite integral of the absolute value of
the rate of change (velocity):  v  t  dt
b
o The net distance (displacement) is the definite integral of the rate of

change (velocity):  v  t  dt
b
o The final position is the initial position plus the definite integral of the rate
of change from x = a to x = t: s  t   s  a    v  x  dx Notice that this is
t
an accumulation function equation.

 Find the speed at a particular time. The speed is the absolute value of the velocity.
 Find average speed, velocity, or acceleration
 Determine if the speed is increasing or decreasing.
o If at some time, the velocity and acceleration have the same sign then the
speed is increasing.
o If they have different signs the speed is decreasing.
o If the velocity graph is moving away from (towards) the t-axis the speed is
increasing (decreasing).
 Use a difference quotient to approximate derivative
 Riemann sum approximations
 Units of measure
 Interpret meaning of a definite integral in context of the problem
Topic 3: Particle moving on a plane for BC (parametric/vector question).
On the BC exam particles often move in the plane. Their position is defined by two
parametric equations x  x  t  and y  y  t  or the equivalent vector x  t  , y  t  . The
velocity is the vector  x  t  , y  t   and the acceleration is the vector  x  t  , y  t   . Any
of these three may be given with initial conditions(s) and student may be asked to find the
others.
 Initial value differential equation problems – given the velocity or acceleration

with initial conditions, find the position and/or velocity.
 x t     y t 
2 2
 Find the speed at time t: speed =
 Use the definite integral for arc length to find the distance
 x t    y t  dt
b
traveled. 
2 2
 Vectors are given in ordered pair form; answers may be in ordered pairs form or
i - j form using parentheses ( ) or pointed brackets < >.
Topic 4: Interpreting Graphs
There are a variety of question types here. Students may be given an equation of the
function or its derivative and asked for the location of extreme values, intervals where the
function is increasing or decreasing, concavity, etc. Students may be given the graph of
the derivative and asked the same kinds of things. They may be asked to find the value of
the integral given the graph but no equation.
This may be a particle motion problem where the velocity is given as a graph.
 Reading information about the function from the graph of the derivative. This
may be approached as a derivative techniques or antiderivative techniques.
 Find and justify extreme values (1st DT, 2nd DT, Closed interval test (aka.
Candidates’ test).
 Find and justify points of inflection.
 Write an equation of tangent line
 Evaluate Riemann sums from graphs only.
 FTC: Evaluate integral from area of regions on the graph.
FTC: Realize that if g  x   g  a   a f  t  dt , then g   x   f  x 
t

 “Family of functions”: functions with a parameter;
 Functions defined by other functions.
Topic 5: Accumulation & Rates
The integral of a rate of change gives the amount of change (FTC). The general form of
the equation is f  x   f  x0    f   t  dt , x  x0 is the initial time, and f  x0  is the
x
x0
initial value. Since this is one of the main interpretations of the definite integral the
concept may come up in a variety of situations.
What students should know how to do?
 Understand the question. It is often not necessary to as much computation as it

seems at first.
 The FTC may help differentiating F.
 Often these problems contain a lot of writing; be ready to read and apply;
recognize that rate = derivative.
 Recognize a rate from the units given without the words “rate” or “derivative.”
 Explain the meaning of a derivative or definite integral or its value in terms of the
context of the problem.
 In-out problems: 2 rates of change work together but in opposite directions.
 Max/min and inc/dec analysis.
 Explain the meaning of a definite integral in context. The explanation should
include (1) what the integral gives, (2) the units and (3) an accounting of the
limits of integration.
Topic 6: Problems from information given in tables
Tables may be used to test a variety of ideas in calculus including analysis of functions,
accumulation, position-velocity-acceleration, et al.
What students should be able to do:

 Approximate the derivative using a difference quotient.
 Use Riemann sums (left, right, midpoint) or a trapezoidal approximation to
approximate the value of a definite integral using values in the table (typically
with uneven subintervals). (Trapezoidal Rule, per se, is not required.
 Average value and the MVT may appear
 Questions about the Rolle’s theorem, MVT, IVT, etc.
Do not: Use a calculator to find a regression equation and then use that to answer parts of
the question. (While finding them ids perfectly good mathematics, regression equations
are not one of the four things students may do with their calculator and give only an
approximation of our function.)
Topic 7: Differential Equation Questions
Differential equations are tested every year. The actual solving of the differential
equation is usually the main part of the problem, but it is accompanied by a question
about its slope field or a tangent line approximation of some sort or something related.
BC students may also be asked to approximate using Euler’s Method. Large parts of the
BC questions are often suitable for AB students and contribute to the AB subscore of the
BC exam.
 Find the general solution of a differential equation using the method of separation
of variables (this is the only method tested).
 Find a particular solution using the initial condition to evaluate the constant of
integration – initial value problem (IVP)
 Understand that proposed solution of a differential equation is a function (not a
number) and if it and its derivative are substituted into the given differential
equation the resulting equation is true. This may be part of doing the problem
even if solving the differential equation is not required (see 2002 BC 5(c))
 Growth-decay problems.
 Draw a slope field by hand.
 Sketch a particular solution on a (given) slope field.
 Interpret a slope field.
 For BC only: Use Euler’s Method to approximate a solution.
 For BC only: use the method of partial fractions to find the antiderivative after
separating the variables.
 For BC only: understand the logistic growth model, its asymptotes, meaning, etc.
The exams have never asked students to actually solve a logistic equation IVP.
Topic 8: Power Series (BC only)
Since some graphing calculator can produce Taylor Polynomials, this question appears on
the no calculator allowed section. (Questions from 1995 – 1999 before the FR sections
was split do not have anything a calculator could do. They are interesting and clever and
worth looking at.)
 Find the Taylor (or Maclaurin) polynomial or series for a given function – usually
4 terms and the general term). This may be done by finding the various
derivatives, or any other method such as substitution into a known series, long
division, the formula for the sum of an infinite geometric series, integration,
differentiation, etc.
1
 Know from memory the Maclaurin series for sin  x  , cos  x  , e x , and .
1 x
 Find related series by substitution, differentiation, integration or by adapting one
of those above.
 Find the radius of convergence (usually by using the Ratio test, or from a
geometric series).
 Find the interval of convergence using the radius and checking the endpoints
separately.
 Work with geometric series.
 Use the convergence test separately and when checking the endpoints.
 Find a high-order derivative from the coefficient of a term.
 Estimate the error bound of a Taylor or Maclaurin polynomial by using
alternating series error bound or the Lagrange error bound.
 Do not claim that a function is equal to (=) its Taylor or Maclaurin polynomial; it
is only approximately equal (  ). This could cost a point.
Topic 9: Other Topics tested occasionally
Implicitly defined relations and implicit differentiation
These questions may ask students to find the first or second derivative of an implicitly
defined relation. Often the derivative is given and students are required to show that it is
correct. (This is because without the correct derivative the rest of the question cannot be
done.)
What students should know how to do?
 Know how to find the first derivative of an implicit relation using the product
rule, quotient rule, the chain rule, etc.
 Know how to find the second derivative, including substituting for the first
derivative.
 Know how to evaluate the first and second derivative by substituting both
coordinates of the point. (Note: the substitution is often easier if done befor
solving for dy/dx.
 Analyze the derivative to determine where the relation has horizontal and/or
vertical tangents.
 Work with lines tangent to the relation.
Related Rates
Derivatives are rates and when more than one variable is involved the relationships
among the rates can be found by differentiating with respect to time. The time variable
may not appear in the equations.
 Know how to differentiate using the product, quotient and chain rules.
 Set up and solve related rate problems.
 Interpret the answer.
A Guide to the Free-response Questions
 GCA = Graphing calculator allowed – yes or no; GCA indicates that the question is in
the graphing calculator allowed section of the exam; it does not indicate that a
graphing calculator should or must be used.
 Comments are highlights, not a complete description
 Since often several topics are tested in the same question, some questions are listed
under more than one topic.
Topic 1: Area, volume AB & BC

Year & Question GCA Comments
1998 AB1 Yes Line divides area or volume into equal parts
1998 BC1 Yes Line divides volume into equal parts. Suitable for AB
1998 AB2-BC2 Yes (c) find other lane with same volume
2000 AB1-BC1 Yes Find intersection, Regular cross-section
2001 AB1 Yes Find intersection; 2 integrals needed.
2002 AB1- BC1 Yes Includes max/min
2002 AB1 B Yes Volume of revolution and regular cross section
2002 BC3 B Yes Curve length Parts a and b suitable for AB
2003 AB1-BC1 Yes Regular cross-section
2003 BC3 Yes Area and polar graphs, polar area
2003 AB1 B Yes Also write tangent line equation
2003 BC2 B Yes Same area with dy and dx; also polar area
2004 AB2-BC2 Yes Regular cross-section
2004 AB1 B Yes Volume of revolution horizontal and vertical lines
2004 AB6-BC6 B No Area in terms of parameter.
2004 BC5 B No Average value (x2), Improper integral
2005 AB1-BC1 Yes Curves define 2 regions.
2005 AB1 B Yes Regular cross-section (semi-circles)
2005 BC6 B No Improper integrals
2006 AB1-BC1 Yes Rotations horizontal and vertical lines
2006 AB1-BC1 B Yes Area, volume rotation, area.
2007 AB1-BC1 Yes Area, volume rotation, no graph given
2007 AB1-BC1 B Yes Area, volume rotation
2008 AB1-BC1 Yes Area, volume, regular cross section, (d) variable height
2008 AB1 B Yes Area, volume, regular cross-section
2008 AB3-BC3 B Yes From table: Area, Trap rule, flow volume.
2008 BC 4 B No Area, volume perimeter
2009 AB 4 No Area, cross section square and area given
2009 AB 4 B No* Area, square cross section, revolve
2009 BC 1 B Yes Area, semi-circle cross section perimeter
2010 AB 4 – BC 4 No Area, revolve, square cross section
2010 AB 1–BC 1
Yes Area, volume of revolution, square cross section
B
Equation stem, analyze graph, max/min, asymptote
2010 BC 4 B No not mentioned but needs to be considered. Area with
improper integral.
2011 AB 3 No Tangent line, area, volume of rotation
2011 BC 3 No Perimeter, volume of revolution, related rate
Area, rectangular cross-section w/ variable height,
2011 AB 3 BC 3 B No
tangent line perpendicular to other graph.
Horizontal rectangles, square cross-section, divide
2012 AB 2 Yes
area in half with horizontal line.
Area, volume from rotation. Volume square cross-
2013 AB 4 No
section
Topic 2: Motion on a line for AB and BC
Given graph & table: difference quotient, Riemann
1998 AB3 Yes
sum
1999 AB 1 Yes Given v: analyze motion, find a, s and total distance
2000 AB2-BC2 Yes Given graph & equation
2001 AB3-BC3 Yes Given a graph: analyze v, max/min, FTC
2002 AB3 Yes Given v equation: Speed/velocity, Speed increasing?
2002 AB3 B Yes Given v equation: Sketch graph, analyze motion
2003 AB2 Yes Given v graph: Speed increasing? Analyze motion
2003 AB4 B No Given v graph: Speed increasing? Analyze motion
2004 AB3 Yes Given v graph: Speed increasing? Analyze motion
2004 AB3-BC3 B Yes Given table of v: explain integral, MVT, average v
2005 AB5-BC5 No Given v graph: distance, a, average rate of change
2005 AB3 B Yes Given v equation: analyze motion.
2006 AB4 No Table & equation, average, Riemann sum,
2006 AB6 B No From table, distance, FTC, analyze motion
2007 AB 4 No Also find and use x''
2007 AB 2 B Yes Acceleration, distance position
2008 AB2-BC2 B Yes Given “speed”: Accumulation, rate of change
2009 AB1 BC 1 Yes Graph of v, find distance, describe trip
2009 AB 6 B No Explain integral, Trap rule, acceleration.
2010 AB-4 BC-4 B No Analyze motion, distance, accumulation, graph stem
2010 AB 6 B No 2 particles, analyze motion, speeding up?
2011 AB 1 Yes Speed, average velocity, distance, turning point
Table of v, find acceleration, interpret integral, left
2011 AB 5 BC 5 B No
Riemann sum, MVT, related rate
Direction, total distance, acceleration and speed, final
2012 AB 6 No
position
Equation stem, speed inc/dec, find position, change
2013 AB 2 Yes
direction
Topic 3: Particle motion in the plane; parametric equation, vectors for BC
1998 BC6 Yes Rectangular and parametric together, position, speed.
1999 BC1 Yes Given position: graph, max/min, acceleration, speed
2000 BC4 No Given v: acceleration, position, slope, limit as t  
2001 BC1 No Given v: Distance, position by accumulation, speed
2002 BC3 Yes Slopes, distance, max/min
2002 BC1 B Yes Given position: draw graph, speed, distance
2003 BC2 Yes Given x' but not y': an atypical problem
2003 BC4 B No Given position: when moving horizontally and vertically
2004 BC3 Yes Given position: tangent lines, speed
2004 BC1 B Yes Given velocity vector
2005 BC1 B Yes Equation of tangent line; when is particle at rest?
2006 AB4-BC4 No Table & equation, average, Riemann sum,
Parametric velocity, tangent line, limits, improper
2006 BC3 Yes
integral
Tangent line, acceleration speed, distance traveled,
2006 BC2 B Yes
explain.
2007 BC 2 B Yes Speed, distance, position, tangent line, acceleration
2008 AB4-BC4 No From graph: Particle motion, inc/dec, speed
2008 BC 1 B Yes Given velocity: acceleration, position, speed distance
2009 BC 3 Yes Diver, max, total distance,
2010 BC 3 Yes Speed, distance, interpret slopes, accumulation (x2)
2010 BC 2 B Yes Vertical tangent, tangent line, speed, acceleration.
2011 BC 1 Yes Speed, slope, position, total distance traveled
2012 BC 2 Yes Slope, position, speed, acceleration, total distance
Topic 4: Information from graph or about the graph, family of functions, f , f , f 
1998 AB2- BC2 Yes Limits, max/min, “family”
From equation, 2-DT, function defined by other
1999 AB4 Yes
function
1999 AB5-BC5 Yes From graph: Max/min, inc/dec, tangent line,
2000 AB3 Yes From graph: f , f , f  , inc/dec, POI
2001 AB3-BC3 Yes Particle motion (q.v.) setting
From derivative equation: Max/min, tangent line,
2001 AB4-BC4 No
concavity
2002 AB1 BC1 (c) Yes From Equation; Includes max/min area/volume
2002 AB4-BC4 No Given f ' graph: inc/dec, concavity, draw graph f
2002 BC5 (d) No Slope filed w/ draw solution, Euler, max/min
2002 AB2 B Yes Given equation of f ': Max/min, accumulation
2002 AB4-BC4 B No Given graph f: values, inc/dec, concavity, Trap rule.
Given table and graph: Diff quotient, Riemann sum,
2003 AB3 Yes
max/min, average value, accumulation
2003 AB4-BC4 No Given graph f ': inc/dec, tangent line, FTC by area.
2003 AB5 B No Given graph f: values, average values, MVT, POI
2004 AB5 No Given graph f': values, FTC, max/min, POI
From equation; Accumulation setting, max/min,
2004 AB2 B Yes
inc/dec.
2004 AB4-BC4 B No Given graph f ':inc/dec, product rule
Tabular information about f , f , f  , FTC, max/min,
2005 AB4 No
draw graph, POI
2005 AB4-BC4 B No Given graph f ': values, FTC from graph area, inc/dec.
2006 AB3 Yes Periodic function, accumulation, tangent line
2006 AB 2 B Yes Concavity, max/min, tangent line
2006 AB4-BC4 B Yes From graph, derivative, area
2007 AB2-BC2 Yes Rate in/out from equations and graph
2007 BC4 No Tangent, concavity
2007 AB 4 B No Given graph of f ' ; max, concavity, POI, area
2007 AB 6 No Find f ' and f '' , max/ min, POI from equation
2008 AB4-BC4 No From graph: Particle motion, inc/dec, speed
2008 AB 6 N0 Write tangent line, critical points, POI, limit
2008 BC 5 N0 Given derivative: critical points, inc/dec, IVP
2008 AB5-BC5 B No POI, max/min, average rate of change, MVT
2009 AB1 BC1 Yes Particle motion
2009 AB 6 No Values, point of inflection max/min
2009 AB3 BC 3 B Yes Differentiability, roc, average roc, concavity, MVT
2009 AB5 BC 5 B No Tangent, max/min, average roc
2010 AB 3 Yes Accumulation, inc/dec max/min
2010 AB 5 No f– f „ – f‟‟, inflection points, max/min
f– f „ – f‟‟, horizontal tangent, concavity, tangent line
2010 AB 2 B Yes
from equation
2010 AB-4 BC-4 B No Analyze motion, distance, accumulation, graph stem
Equation stem, analyze graph, max/min, asymptote
2010 BC 4 B No not mentioned but needs to be considered. Area with
improper integral.
2011 AB 4 No Max/min, POI, average rate of change, MVT
2011 AB 4 B No Max,min, concavity, IVP or accumulation
2011 AB 6 No Accumulation, critical point, FTC
Given graph of f work with related graphs: Average
2011 AB 4 B No
value, FTC, concavity, inc/dec, arc lenght
2012 AB 3 – BC 3 No Graph stem, f – f ' – f '', extreme vaues, POI
2013 AB 4 – BC 4 No Graph stem, max/min, concavity, chain rule
Topic 5: Accumulation & Rates
1998 AB5-BC5 Yes Draw graph, average value, accumulation
From table: Riemann sum, Rolle‟s theorem – MVT,
1999 AB3-BC3 Yes
average value
2000 AB4 No 2 solution methods: accumulation, max/min.
“Amusement Park:” In-out, amounts, max/min,
2002 AB2-BC2 Yes
values
2002 AB2-BC2 B Yes Pollutants: max/min, amounts, accumulation
From graph and table: difference quotient, max/min,
2003 AB3 Yes
Riemann sum, interpret integrals.
2003 AB2 B Yes Heating oil: In-out, inc/dec, accumulation, max/min
Traffic flow: average value, average rate of change,
2004 AB1-BC1 Yes
accumulation, inc/dec.
Mosquitoes: values, inc/dec, accumulation,
2004 AB2 B Yes
max/min
2005 AB2 Yes “Sandy Beach:” In-out, amounts, max/min, FTC
2005 AB2- BC2 B Yes Water tank: In-out, amount, max/min, inc/dec
2006 AB2-BC2 Yes “Thomasville:” Average value and application
2007 AB2-BC2 Yes Water Tank; rate in/out
2007 AB3-BC3 B Yes Wind chill
“Concert tickets” from table. Derivative, Trap Rule,
2008 AB2-BC2 Yes
max/min, accumulation
2008 AB 3 Yes Related Rate, max/min, accumulation
Given “speed”: Accumulation, rate of change,
2008 AB2-BC2 B Yes
Related Rate
2009 AB 2 BC 2 Yes Rate and extensions
2009 AB 3 Yes Cost and profit
2009 AB 1 B Yes Rates, related rates
2009 AB 2 B Yes Distance, interpret derivative,
2010 AB 1 – BC 1 Yes Accumulation, in-out type, piecewise function
Difference quotient, Trap rule, explain, accumulation,
2010 AB 2 – BC 2 Yes
max/min
2010 AB 3 Yes Accumulation, from graph, graph analysis
2010 BC 3 Yes Speed, distance, interpret slopes, accumulation (x2)
2011 AB 2 BC 2 Yes Table, average value, Trap sum, accumulation
Accumulation, average rate of change, related rate,
2011 AB 1 BC 1 B Yes
IVT
2011 AB 2 B Yes Continuity, average rate of change, accumulation.
Table stem, average ROC, interpret integrals, left-
2012 AB 1 Yes Riemann sum, over/under estimate?, Accumulation
from equation.
2013 AB 1 – BC 1 Yes Equation stem, rate, amount, extreme value, inc/dec
2013 AB 3 (d) No Total amount
Topic 6: Table
Given graph & table: difference quotient, Riemann
1998 AB3 Yes
sum
From table: Riemann sum, Rolle – MVT, average
1999 AB3-BC3 Yes
value
2001 AB2-BC2 Yes Difference quotient, Trap rule, explain, average value
2002 AB6 No Definite integral, tangent line, MVT, interpret, limits
From graph and table: difference quotient, max/min,
2003 AB3 Yes
Riemann sum, interpret integrals.
2003 AB3 B Yes Average value, Riemann sum, explain, MVT
2004 AB3-BC3 B Yes Given table of v: explain integral, MVT, average v
2005 AB3-BC3 Yes Tabular information, FTC, max/min, draw graph, POI
Tabular information about f , f , f  , FTC, max/min,
2005 AB4 No
draw graph, POI
Table & equation, particle motion: average, Riemann
2006 AB4 No
sum,
2006 AB6 B No From table, distance, FTC, analyze motion
2007 AB 3 Yes IVT, MVT, FTC, tangent line to inverse
2007 AB5-BC5 No Relate rate, Riemann sum, rate of change,
Difference Quotient , Trap Rule, max/min,
2008 AB2-BC2 Yes
accumulation
2008 BC 3 Yes Taylor polynomial, LaGrange error
2008 AB 4 B No FTC, Chain rule (integral), tangent line, max/min
Derivative, integral, left Riemann sum, tangent line
2009 AB 5 BC 5 No
secant line and error analysis
Particle motion, explain integral, Trap rule,
2009 AB 6 B No
acceleration.
Difference quotient, Trap rule, explain, accumulation,
2010 AB 2 – BC 2 Yes
max/min
2010 AB-3 BC-3 B Yes Midpoint Riemann sum, accumulation, Related rate
2011 AB 2 BC 2 Yes Table, average value, Trap sum, accumulation
2011 AB 5/BC 5 B No
Table stem, average ROC, interpret integrals, left-
2012 AB 1 Yes Riemann sum, over/under estimate?, Accumulation
from equation.
4 Approximations: Linear, midpoint-Riemann sum,
2012 BC 4 No
Euler‟s method, Taylor polynomial
Approx. derivative, MVT, Midpoint sum, accumulation
2013 AB 3 – BC 3 No
from equation
Topic 7: Differential Equations

1998 AB4 Yes IVP, equation of tangent line
1998 BC4 Yes IVP field, Euler, solve
Tangent line with approximation, Euler, FTC with
1999 BC6 Yes
“impossible integrand” in (c)
2000 AB6 No IVP, find domain and range of solution.
2000 BC6 No Slope field with analysis, IVP, range
2001 AB6 No Second derivative by implicit differentiation of y', IVP
2001 BC5 No Improper integral, Euler, IVP
Draw solution on given slope filed, Euler, max/min,
2002 BC5 No
check solution, 2-DT,
2002 AB5-BC5 B No 2-DT, IVP
2003 AB5-BC5 No Related Rate, IVP
From power series check solution of differential
2003 BC6 (c) No
equation
2003 AB 6 B No Second derivative by implicit differentiation of y', IVP
2004 AB6 No Draw slope field, generalize, IVP
2004 BC5 No Logistics Diff Eq, limits from y' and y, interpret, IVP
2004 AB5 B No Draw slope field, generalize, IVP
2005 AB6 No Draw slope field, tangent line approximation, IVP
Draw slope field and sketch solution on it; max/min,
2005 BC4 No
Euler, implicit differentiation for y'' and analyze.
2005 AB6 B No Draw slope field, tangent line, solve
2006 AB 5 No Draw slope field, solve, domain
2006 BC 5 No Implicit y'', write Taylor Poly, Euler
2006 AB 5 B No Draw slope field, solve IVP
2006 BC5 B No Solve IVP, Analyze logistic DE w/o solving.
(2007 AB 4 part b) No Similar to some DE work.
2007 AB5 B No Slope field, no solution required, find coefficients,
2007 BC 5 B No Find coefficients, Euler,
2008 AB 5 No Slope field, solve IVP, limit
2008 BC 6 No Draw solution on slope field, IVP, Euler, Taylor, range
2008 BC 5 N0 Given derivative: critical points, inc/dec, IVP
2009 BC 4 No Solve, Euler, Taylor polynomial
2010 AB 6 No Tan line, tan line approximation, concavity, solve DEq
2010 BC 5 No Euler‟s method, L‟Hôpital‟s Rule, Solve DEq
2010 AB 5 B No Slope field, solve DEq
Ratio test, half-open interval, use to verify DEq
2010 BC 6 B No
solution
2011 AB 5 BC 5 No Tangent line approx., solve (NB: Median score = 0)
2011 AB 4 No IVP in part (d)
Interpret derivative at point, second derivative
2012 AB 5 No
(implicit) and discuss graph, solve separable IVP
2013 AB 6 No Tangent line approximation. Solve separable IVP
2013 BC 5 No L‟Hôpital‟s Rule, Euler‟s Method, solve separable IVP
Topic 8: Power Series BC only
Write Taylor, new series by substitution, and by
1998 BC3 Yes
integration, analyze. CAS no help
Write Taylor series, Lagrange error bound, max/min
1999 BC4 Yes
CAS no help
Write series, radius of convergence, Alternating
2000 BC3 No
series error bound
Interval of convergence, limit, integrate, Geometric
2001 BC6 No
series sum
2002 BC6 No Interval of convergence, differentiate.
2002 BC6 No Substitute, series convergence
Max/min 2-DT, Alternating series error; check
2003 BC6 No
solution of differential equation
Write series, radius of convergence, interval of
2003 BC6 B No
convergence
Write series, Find high-order coefficient, Lagrange
2004 BC6 No
error bound, integrate
2004 BC2 B Yes Find derivatives, analyze, Lagrange error bound
Write series, find general coefficient, interval of
2005 BC6 No
convergence
2005 BC3 B Yes Given f ( n ) , max/min 2-DT, write series, find radius
of convergence.
Interval w/ endpoints, y' and y'' from coefficients
2006 BC 6 No
max/min
Differentiate, integrate, alternating series error
2006 BC6 B No
bound.
Write terms, find limit using series, estimate using
2007 BC 6 No
series, alternating series test
Find terms, integrate, find coefficients, recognize
2007 BC 6 B No
know series.
2008 BC 3 Yes From Table: Taylor polynomial, LaGrange error
Draw solution on slope field, IVP, Euler, Taylor,
2008 BC 6 No
range
2008 BC 6 B No Maclaurin series, integrate, error
2009 BC 6 No Taylor, Ratio test, points of inflection
2009 BC 6 B No Geometric, sum, integral, substitute.
Write series (x2) max/min, Alternating series erro
2010 BC 6 N0
bound.
Ratio test, half-open interval, use to verify DEq
2010 BC 6 B No
solution
Sin(x) and cos(x) series, Lagrange error bound from
2011 BC 6 N0
graph.
Write general term, interval of convergence given
2011 BC 6 No radius, approximation, alternating series error
bound.
Table stem: 4 Approximations: Linear, midpoint-
2012 BC 4 No
Riemann sum, Euler‟s method, Taylor polynomial
Find interval of convergence (ratio test and
2012 BC 6 No endpoints), Alternating series error bound, write
terms
Find derivatives, coefficients, Taylor polynomial
2013 No
from composition.
Topic 9 Miscellaneous
1998 AB6 Yes Implicit diff, analyze implicit relation, tangent lines
1999 AB6 Yes Related Rate
2000 AB5-BC5 No Implicit diff, analyze implicit relation, tangent lines
2001 AB5 No Unique graph problem, FTC
2002 AB5 No Related Rate, units of measure
2002 AB6 B No Related Rate
2003 AB5-BC5 No Related Rate w/ solve differential equation IVP
2003 AB6 No Continuity, average value, parameters
2003 BC3 Yes Area and polar graphs, polar area
B 2003 BC3 Yes Includes polar area
2004 AB4-BC4 No Implicit diff, analyze, second derivative
2004 AB6-BC6 B No Use integral with parameter
2005 BC2 Yes Polar Graph, max/min, interpret dr / d
2005 AB5-BC5 B No Implicit diff, analyze implicit relation
2006 AB6 No Differentiation without functions.
Parametric velocity, tangent line, limits, improper
2006 BC3 Yes
integral
2006 AB3-BC3 B Yes Graph investigation
2007 BC 3 Yes Polar Equation, area, interpret derivatives
2007 AB 3 Yes IVT, MVT, FTC, tangent line to inverse
2007 AB 6 B No IVP, MVT, POI from generic function
2008 AB2 Yes Related Rate, max/min, accumulation
2008 AB5-BC5 B No POI, max/min, average rate of change, MVT
2008 AB 2 B Yes Accumulation, Related Rate
2008 AB 6 B No Implicit differentiation, tangent, analyze
2009 AB 1 B Yes Related rate
2009 BC 4 B No Polar, area, derivative, tangent line
Midpoint Riemann sum, accumulation, Related
2010 AB-3 BC-3 B Yes
rate
Equation stem, analyze graph, max/min,
2010 BC 4 B No asymptote not mentioned but needs to be
considered. Area with improper integral.
2011 AB 6 No Continuity, piecewise function, average value.
2011 BC 3 No Perimeter, volume of revolution, related rate
Accumulation, average rate of change, related
2011 AB 1 BC 1 B Yes rate,
IVT
2011 AB 2 B Yes Continuity, average rate of change, accumulation.
2011 AB 5 BC 5 B No
2011 BC 2 B Yes Area, graph, find and interpret dy/dt
Tangent line, continuity of piecewise function, u-
2012 AB 4 No
sub integration by hand,
Polar: area, analyze motion, find position and
2013 BC 2 Yes
velocity vectors
MVT:1999 AB3, 2002 AB6, 2003B AB3, 2004B AB3, 2005 AB3, 2006B AB6, 2007B AB6, 2007 AB3, 2008
AB2, 2009B AB3/BC3, 2013 AB3/BC3 (b)

Topical Review of All Past AP FRQs

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AP* Calculus Free-response Question Type Analysis and Notes

Revised to include the 2013 Exam

Many (all) of these ideas may also be tested on multiple-choice questions

Topic 1: Area – Volume Question

What students should know how to do:

Topic 2: Particle moving on a line

What students should know how to do (AB and BC):

 Initial value differential equation problems: given the velocity or acceleration

o The net distance (displacement) is the definite integral of the rate of

an accumulation function equation.

What students should know how to do:

 Initial value differential equation problems – given the velocity or acceleration

Topic 4: Interpreting Graphs

What students should know how to do:

What students should know how to do?

 Understand the question. It is often not necessary to as much computation as it

Topic 6: Problems from information given in tables

What students should be able to do:

What students should be able to do:

Topic 8: Power Series (BC only)

What students should be able to do:

Topic 9: Other Topics tested occasionally

Implicitly defined relations and implicit differentiation

What students should know how to do?

A Guide to the Free-response Questions

Topic 1: Area, volume AB & BC

Topic 7: Differential Equations

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