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AP^* Calculus Notes

The College Board has announced that AP Calculus exams (along with several other subjects) will be administered with digital only access to both multiple choice and free response questions, beginning with the May 2025 exam. See collegeboard.org...digital-ap-exams for more information.

The current edition of Be Prepared for the AP Calculus Exam is the 3rd Edition.

Starting May 2017, multiple-choice questions will have four choices.  There is no penalty for incorrect answers (see below).

The multiple-choice section in both AB and BC exams will have 30 no-calculator questions (for 60 minutes) and 15 calculator questions (for 45 minutes).

Starting May 2011, the free-response section in both AB and BC exams will have two calculuator questions (for 30 minutes) and four no-calculator questions (for 60 minutes).

New MC questions grading policy.

Starting May 2011, points are no longer deducted for incorrect answers to MC questions.  From the Fall 2010 Course Description:

"Multiple-choice scores are based on the number of questions answered correctly.  Points are not deducted for incorrect answers, and no points are awarded for unanswered questions.  Because points are not deducted for incorrect answers, students are encouraged to answer all multiple-choice questions.  On any questions students do not know the answer to, students should eliminate as many choices as they can, and then select the best answer among the remaining choices."

The 2003 and 2008 Released Exams booklets are available at store.collegeboard.com.

Cut-off scores for grades (using the new no-penalty-for-wrong-answers MC grading system):

	2003 Max composite score 108		2008 Max composite score 108
	1.2*MC + 1.0*FR		1.2272*MC + 1.0*FR (#19 not graded)	1.2*MC + 1.0*FR
	AB	BC	AB	BC
5	69-108	67-108	68-108	69-108
4	51-68	57-66	52-67	59-68
3	35-50	41-56	39-51	44-58
2	23-34	31-40	27-38	36-43
1	0-22	0-30	0-26	0-35

Important documents on AP Central:

• Solving Separable Differential Equations: Antidifferentiation and Domain Are Both Needed
• On the Role of Sign Charts in AP Calculus Exams

2018 AP Calculus worldwide participation and grade distributions:

	AB	BC
Number of Students	308,538	139,376
5	59,733     19.4%	56,324     40.4%
4	53,255     17.3%	25,982     18.6%
3	64,768     21.0%	28,891     20.7%
2	68,980     22.4%	20,349     14.6%
1	61,802     20.0%	7,830     5.6%
3 or Higher	177,756     57.6%	111,197     79.8%

2017 AP Calculus worldwide participation and grade distributions:

	AB	BC
Number of Students	316,099	132,514
5	59,250     18.7%	56,422     42.6%
4	56,775     18.0%	23,987     18.1%
3	65,851     20.8%	26,341     19.9%
2	69,631     22.0%	18,694     14.1%
1	64,592     20.4%	7,070     5.3%
3 or Higher	181,876     57.5%	106,750     80.6%

2016 AP Calculus worldwide participation and grade distributions:

	AB	BC
Number of Students	308,215	124,931
5	76,486     24.8%	60,632     48.5%
4	53,467     17.3%	19,191     15.4%
3	53,533     17.4%	21,441     17.2%
2	30,017     9.7%	7,212     5.8%
1	94,712     30.7%	16,455     13.2%
3 or Higher	183,486     59.5%	101,264     81.1%

2015 AP Calculus worldwide participation and grade distributions:

	AB	BC
Number of Students	302,532	118,707
5	66,045     21.8%	53,836     45.4%
4	51,518     17.0%	19,431     16.4%
3	56,148     18.6%	21,338     18.0%
2	31,229     10.3%	6,487     5.5%
1	97,592     32.3%	17,615     14.8%
3 or Higher	173,711     57.4%	94,605     79.7%

2014 AP Calculus worldwide participation and grade distributions:

	AB	BC
Number of Students	294,072	112,113
5	72,332     24.6%	54,214     48.4%
4	48,873     16.6%	18,481     16.5%
3	51,950     17.7%	18,173     16.2%
2	31,340     10.7%	5,982     5.3%
1	89,577     30.5%	15,263     13.6%
3 or Higher	173,155     58.9%	90,868     81.1%

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