AP Calculus BC (NCAA Approved)

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Course Description

Description

This AP Calculus BC course covers topics in single variable differential and integral calculus typically found in a first-year college Calculus I and Calculus II two semester course sequence. Students who have successfully completed AP Calculus AB should enroll in Calculus C. While taking the Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC exam is not required, this course prepares students to succeed on the AP Calculus BC exam and subsequent courses that draw on material from this course.

Exams contain both multiple choice and free response questions modeled after the AP Calculus AB exam. 

Online course materials, such as videos, notes, interactive webpages, and practice problems with solutions, are provided for the student. Students are expected to watch videos and review notes regularly. Each student is assigned to a CTY instructor to help them during their course. Videos in the course are provided by Thinkwell.

In this course, participation in forums and synchronous online virtual sessions are required as part of the final grade. Discussion forums are located within the course where students will be required to respond to a given prompt and then comment on responses by other students. Online sessions, led by a CTY instructor, are held in Adobe Connect, which allows for video, voice, text, screen sharing, and whiteboard interaction. 

Students can contact their instructors via email with questions or concerns at any time. Live one-on-one online review sessions can be scheduled as well, to prepare for the graded assessments, which include homework, chapter exams, and a cumulative midterm and final.

This course has been reviewed and approved by the College Board to use the "AP" designation.

Topics include:

• Precalculus review
• Limits and continuity
• Derivatives & applications
• Curve sketching
• Related rates
• Techniques of integration & applications
• Applications of integration
• L’Hôpital’s rule and improper integrals
• Applications of integral calculus
• Parametric equations and polar coordinates
• Differential equations
• Sequences and series
• Applications of series

For a detailed list of topics, click the List of Topics tab.

Materials Needed

A textbook is not required for this course.
A graphing calculator is required, such as:

• TI-83 PLUS
• TI-84 PLUS
• TI-85
• TI-86
• TI-89*

*Recommended

To see a full list of allowable calculators, visit the College Board website to view the AP Calculus calculator policy.

Full List of Topics

List of Topics

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate mastery over the following topics:

• Precalculus Review
• Limits
• Derivatives
• Applications of the Derivative
• Integration
• Techniques of Integration
• Applications of Integration
• Differential Equations
• Parametric Equations and Polar Coordinates
• Sequences and Series

Precalculus Review

• Overview
• Functions and Graphing
• Exponential Functions
• Inverse Functions
• Inverse Trigonometric Functions
• Evaluating Logarithmic Functions

Limits

• The Concept of the Limit
• Calculating Limits
• The Squeeze Theorem
• Continuity and Discontinuity
• Infinite Limits and Indeterminate Forms

Derivatives

• Understanding the Derivative
• Using the Derivative
• Some Special Derivatives
• The Power Rule
• The Product and Quotient Rules
• The Chain Rule
• Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
• Derivatives of the Exponential Function and the Natural Logarithm
• Implicit Differentiation
• Differentiating Logarithms
• Logarithmic Differentiation
• Derivatives of Inverse Functions

Applications of the Derivative

• Position and Velocity
• Linear Approximation and Newton's Method
• Optimization
• Related Rates
• An Introduction to Curve Sketching
• Critical Points
• Concavity and Inflection Points
• Graphing Using the Derivative
• Graphing Functions with Asymptotes
• Indeterminate Quotients and L'Hospital's Rule
• Other Indeterminate Forms

Integration

• Antiderivatives
• Integration by Substitution
• Illustrating Integration by Substitution
• The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
• Numerical Integration and Tables of Integrals
• Trigonometric Substitution

Techniques of Integration

• Integrals Involving Powers of Sine and Cosine
• Integrals Involving Powers of Other Trigonometric Functions
• An Introduction to Integration by Partial Fractions
• Integration by Partial Fractions with Repeated Factors
• Integration by Parts
• An Introduction to Trigonometric Substitution
• Trigonometric Substitution Strategy
• Improper Integrals

Applications of Integration

• Motion
• Finding the Area between Two Curves
• Integrating with Respect to y
• The Average Value of a Function
• Finding Volumes Using Cross-Sections
• Disks and Washers
• Shells
• Work
• Moments and Centers of Mass
• Arc Lengths and Functions

Differential Equations

• Separable Differential Equations
• Direction Fields
• Growth and Decay Problems
• Euler's Method

Parametric Equations and Polar Coordinates

•  Understanding Parametric Equations
• Derivatives and Arc Length of Parametric Equations
• Understanding Polar Coordinates
• Polar Functions and Slope
• Polar Functions and Area

Sequences and Series

• Sequences
• Infinite Series
• Convergence and Divergence
• The Integral Test and p-Series
• The Comparison and Limit Comparison Test
• The Alternating Series Test, Absolute and Conditional Convergence
• The Ratio and Root Test
• Polynomial Approximations of Elementary Functions
• Taylor and Maclaurin Polynomials
• Taylor and Maclaurin Series
• Power Series
• Power Series Representations of Functions

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Sample Video

Video Lecture

Click on the image below to view the online demo.

Technical Requirements

This course requires a properly maintained computer with high-speed internet access and an up-to-date web browser (such as Chrome or Firefox). The student must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

This course uses an online virtual classroom for discussions with the instructor. The classroom works on standard computers with the Adobe Connect Add-in or Adobe Flash plugin, and also tablets or handhelds that support the Adobe Connect Mobile app. Students who are unable to attend live sessions will need a computer with the Adobe Connect Add-in or Adobe Flash plugin installed to watch recorded meetings. The Adobe Connect Add-in, Adobe Flash plugin, and Adobe Connect Mobile app are available for free download. Students who do not have the Flash plug-in installed or enabled on their browsers will be prompted to download and install the Adobe Connect add-in when accessing the virtual classroom.