How hard is AP Calculus?

basilmarket.com forums : Chat | 15 posts archived

thread starter Reload Oct 21 2010 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I am taking Pre-Cal Honors right now, and I want to skip AB and head straight into AL Calculus BC? How difficult is the course, and do you think I will manage? If it helps, I got an 800 on the Math section of the SAT and I have a 99.5% in Pre-Cal Honors.

My Characters: ProSnype - 131 Scania Bow Master

Skitch 10/21/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Lols.

My Characters: PierKing - 22 Scania Beginner

maybeupthere 10/21/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Most of BC is founded in AB, so I'd advise against skipping it. It's really not that difficult, especially if you have a good teacher. It's just a lot to learn.

My Characters: 1ns0mn1ac - 103 Windia I/L Mage

XcoldshadowX 10/21/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Depends on how your highschool splits the courses up. If your BC calc starts with limits or the definition of a derivative, then take it without question. If BC calc starts with a more advanced topic then you might want to consider taking AB.

My Characters: delslayer - 28 Windia Archer

lumster45 10/21/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

AL Calculus? Dam, That must be on another level. Calc AB was pretty easy for me, and some friends said BC was pretty hard.

My Characters: BeastZepher - 51 Khaini Brawler

John11 10/21/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

[quote] maybeupthere : Most of BC is founded in AB, so I'd advise against skipping it. It's really not that difficult, especially if you have a good teacher. It's just a lot to learn. [/quote] This pretty much. I'm sure you'll do fine in AP calc in general, but you really need AB before you take BC. I suppose you could teach yourself AB and go straight into BC though if you're up for it.

My Characters: Dephlogiston - 163 Broa F/P Arch Mage

HolyMythos 10/21/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Not that hard. But wait for Calc 2.

My Characters: MythosTwin - 40 Windia Assassin

aznluster 11/02/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

No Calc III is when the crying begins.

My Characters: cure3 - 200 Broa Bishop

NapalmDe4th + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Terrible idea. Calc. BC doesn't spend time going over any basic concept of Calculus, rather, it expands what you learn on AB. BC problems are wholly more complex and require that you know all the tricks of AB.

My Characters: JoyDivision7 - 72 Scania White Knight

dafid1993 11/02/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Calculus is easy. Algebra is hard. At least in my calc bc class. That's what my teacher says and I think most of our class can agree with that. The speed of the class is also what kinda kills some people. Our school finishes all AB material before our winter break on dec. 20th and then resume only BC after the break... I had a 97%+ both semester in my pre-calc class, but i'm not doing so hot in bc. I have my 4th chapter test tomorrow!

My Characters: Dafid01993 - 103 Khaini Hermit

BabysAreFood 11/02/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

It depends on your teacher mostly. My teacher wastes a lot of time in BC, so I have to do a lot of self study. Calculus BC is basically Calc AB and a little more. The textbooks at my school have the exact same content in the first few chapters in the AB and BC books. You won't be immediately pushed into doing complex work that you would only be able to do with a foundation from AB. This is what you should know Derivatives (applying chain rule, trig functions, inverse trig functions, logarithmic functions, natural log functions, product rule, quotient rule, etc.) Limits and Continuity (knowing where the function's exists and where it is continuous...) Graphs (circles, parabolas..., the works) That is all you need to know in the beginning, besides basic math skills. If you have a high grade in Honors Pre Calculus currently, you shouldn't have a problem with BC.

My Characters: MagicNarwhal - 46 Broa Thunder Breaker

itznotduo 11/02/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I highly highly suggest taking Calculus AB first because just as the previous comments say, most of Calc BC elaborates on concepts learned in AB. On top of that, there are many people at my high school who have scored a 3-5 on the AP Calc BC exam (they only took a AP Calc AB Class). This should tell you how much Calc AB is in Calc BC.

My Characters: Tsuukyomii - 109 Windia Chief Bandit

DeepRuin 11/02/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

If you've taken physics (IE: You know how to integrate/derive simple exponential equations), you're set for the first month or so of calc. So I would say go for it. Otherwise, it may be a bit difficult.

My Characters: innascible - 85 Khaini Chief Bandit

seatoina2 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

well i thought it was a easy class as long as u hav a good teacher got A's and 5's on the AP test and the advantage is u get two AP scores if u take the AP test Edit: Skipped AP Calc AB

My Characters: 2yuki2 - 79 Broa Evan 6th Growth

bluesx517 11/02/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

It's easy don't worry too much about it. If you're doing fine in Pre Calculus, then you won't have a problem.

My Characters: justice4lif3 - 52 Khaini I/L Wizard