Course Description:
AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC focus on students’ understanding of calculus concepts and provide experience with methods and applications. Through the use of big ideas of calculus (e.g., modeling change, approximation and limits, and analysis of functions), each course becomes a cohesive whole, rather than a collection of unrelated topics. Both courses require students to use definitions and theorems to build arguments and justify conclusions.
Prerequisite:
Before studying calculus, all students should complete the study of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry, and elementary functions. Before studying calculus, students must be familiar with the properties of functions, the composition of functions, the algebra of functions, and the graphs of functions. Students who take AP Calculus BC should have basic familiarity with sequences and series, as well as some exposure to parametric and polar equations. Precalculus is recommended for AP Calculus AB and Accelerated Precalculus is recommended for AP Calculus BC. Teacher recommendation from a honors-level math teacher is recommended.
Relevant Careers:
The class itself serves to prepare students to pursue careers in a variety of fields including physics, engineering, economics, statistics, animation, software development, actuary, astronomer, insurance underwriter and medicine.