AP Calculus BC Syllabus

Course Overview
AP Calculus BC is the study of the topics covered in college-level Calculus I and Calculus II. This
course includes instruction and student assignments on all of the topics as listed in the AP
Course Description: “Topic Outline for Calculus AB”. AP Calculus BC is primarily concerned with
developing the students’ understanding of the concepts of Calculus and providing experience
with its methods and applications. The course is to help students see and interpret the world
through the lens of integral and differential calculus. To that end, a focus is placed on providing
a strong conceptual foundation including the concepts of a limit, a derivative and an integral.
With a strong foundation and extensive practice with applications and problems, students
become prepared for the AP Calculus Exam as well as additional coursework in Calculus.

Rule of Four
The course emphasizes an approach to Calculus, with concepts, results, and problems being
expressed geometrically, numerically, analytically, and verbally. This course gives equal
emphasis to all four methods of representing functions and their rates of change. Students are
encouraged to be open-minded when approaching problems and to keep the “Rule of Four” in
mind. Whenever possible, concepts are developed and applied using all of these
representations. Additionally, emphasis is placed upon the connections among the
representations. Technology is used regularly by students to reinforce the relationships among
the multiple representations of functions, to confirm written work, to implement
experimentation, and to assist in interpreting results. Through the use of the unifying themes of
derivatives, integrals, limits, approximations and applications and modeling, the course
becomes a cohesive whole, rather than a collection of unrelated topics.

Assessment
With each lesson, problems and exercises are assigned from WebWork (homework system) as
well as the textbook. Released AP questions are used throughout the course as assessment
items, homework and launching points for discussion. Students solve both calculator active and
non-calculator problems, and they are required to provide appropriate written presentation of
solutions, similar to the requirements of the Free Response section of the AP Calculus Exam.
Written justification of calculator solutions are taught and learned so that there is a clear and
logical link leading from the mathematics to the technology and then supporting the result.
Explaining the “why” is stressed as much as the “how.” Examinations are designed to be
experiences that allow students to make connections beyond merely learning procedures.
Students are required to maintain a Calculus notebook to summarize their learning and provide
a valuable resource for preparing for the AP exam.

AP Calculus BC Syllabus Page 1

Calculus Classroom Team
In order to facilitate student learning and ownership of content, the students are placed into
teams. The typical class begins each day with students articulating previously covered topics
and discussing homework assignments within their respective team and in whole-class
discussion. Homework assignments are designed to reinforce new topics covered. The
emphasis for the class is discussion among team partners and fellow teams as opposed to a
more traditional direct-lesson approach. Students are expected to take an active part in daily
discussions and activities.

Technology
Instruction will be given using primarily the TI-83/84. This graphing calculator will be used daily
in the class. The chapter tests are divided in two parts: one without the use of any calculator
and the other part requiring the use of a graphing calculator. The graphing calculator allows the
student to support their work graphically, and to make conjectures regarding the behavior of
functions, limits, and other topics. This allows students to view problems in a variety of ways.
The most basic skills on the calculator: graphing a function with an appropriate window, finding
roots and points of intersection, finding numerical derivatives and approximating definite
integrals, are mastered by all students. Students have their own calculator and programs, such
as Riemann sums, slope fields, and Newton’s method, to name a few. The homework delivery
system of WebWork will provide a bulk of the practice and grading of the daily exercises. This
system provides instant feedback on correctness. Key Curriculum’s SketchPad program
“Calculus in Motion”, web based “Visual Calculus”, and “Winplot” graphing utility (for student
presentations) are also incorporated.

Principle Classroom Text

Ron Larson & Bruce Edwards; Calculus with Early Transcendental Functions 6E. Cengage
Learning

AP Calculus BC Syllabus Page 2

Course Outline

1st Semester
Unit 1 • Functions as models of change
A Library of o Representing functions using the “Rule of Four”
Functions o Domain & range, increasing & decreasing, even & odd,
(13 days) concavity of graphs, zeros, end behavior, asymptotic
behavior graphically and in terms of limits involving
(Unit tests for all infinity
units are included • Linear functions
in days indicated.) o Slope as a rate of change
• Exponential functions
o Applications
• Logarithmic functions
• Trigonometric functions
• Power functions, polynomials and rational functions
• Transformation of functions (calculator activity)
o Inverse functions
o Composition of functions
o Shifts, stretches, compressions
• Working with functions in verbal, graphical, algebraic and
tabular depictions
• Comparing behavior of functions and dominance (calculator
activity)
o Local and global behavior of functions
o Comparing relative magnitudes and their rates of
change
• Introduction to the concept of continuity
o Intuitive meaning
o Graphical interpretation
o Numerical interpretation
o Intermediate Value Theorem
• Calculator Refresher (activity)
o Plotting graphs, finding roots, window manipulation,
finding values of functions, using tables, “lies my
calculator told me,” dangers of intermediate rounding

Unit 2 • Development of the derivative of a function at a point

The Derivative using the derivation of instantaneous speed from average
(10 days) speed
o Introduction of the concept of instantaneous rate
of change of a function at a point as the slope of
the curve of the graph of the function at that point
• Introduction to limits

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 o Intuitive concept of the limiting process
o Calculating limits from numerical data
o Calculating limits using algebra
o Calculating limits from graphs of functions
o Formal definition of limit
o Properties of limits
o One- and two-sided limits
o Proving limits exist
o Limits at infinity and end behavior
• Concept of the derivative
o Instantaneous rate of change from average rate of
change
o Definition of the derivative as the limit of the
difference quotient – analytical depiction
o Graphical depiction of limiting process – secant line
to tangent line
o Determining the derivative of a function
numerically
o Left- and right-hand derivatives and proving
differentiability
• Derivative of a function at a point
o Slope of tangent line to graph of a function at a
point including cases where there are vertical or
infinitely many tangents
o Slope of curve at a point
o Approximating rates of change of functions from
graphs and tables of data
o Finding derivatives of a function at a point using
calculators
• The derivative function
o Definition of first and second derivative functions
o What derivatives tells us graphically
▪ Increasing/decreasing behavior, concavity
(signs of f’ and f”), inflection points
o What derivatives tell us about rates of change
o Working with derivative functions graphically,
analytically, verbally and numerically
▪ Understanding the corresponding
characteristics between the graphs of f, f’
and f”
• Interpreting the derivative
o Leibniz notation
o Dimension analysis
o Equations of motion
o As rates of change in various applications
o Interpreting equations involving derivatives
AP Calculus BC Syllabus Page 4
 verbally and vice versa
• Continuity
o Definition of continuity (limits)
o Proving continuity
o Continuity of sums, products, and quotients of
functions
o Continuity of composite functions
o Recognizing continuous functions (graphically,
algebraically, numerically)
o Differentiability implies continuity

Unit 3 • Finding derivatives for basic functions – power,

Differentiation exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and inverse
Techniques trigonometric functions
(14 days) • Finding derivatives of sums, products, and quotients of
functions
o Product and quotient rules
• Finding derivatives of composite functions using the chain
rule
• Finding derivatives of implicitly defined functions
o Using implicit differentiation to find the derivative
of an inverse function
• Linear approximation
o Tangent line approximation
o Differentiability and local linearity
o Using local linearity to find limits
▪ L’Hopital’s Rule
▪ Indeterminate forms
▪ Demonstrating dominance of functions with
L’Hopital’s Rule
Unit 4 • Analysis of curves of functions
Using the Derivative o Monotonicity and concavity/inflection points
(11 days) • Local extrema
o Critical points
o First derivative test
o Second derivative test
• Global extrema and upper and lower bounds of functions
• Optimization and modeling rates of change
o Applications to marginality
o Related rate problems (student project)
• Theorems about continuous and differentiable functions
and their geometric consequences
o Extreme Value Theorem
o Mean Value Theorem
o Rolle’s Theorem

AP Calculus BC Syllabus Page 5

 o Increasing Function Theorem
o The Racetrack Principle
Unit 5 • Development of the definite integral as the total
The Definite Integral accumulated change of a function on an interval using
(6 days) velocity to find distance traveled
• Graphical development of the definite integral as a limit of
Riemann sums
o Left- and right-hand sums and limits
o Calculating Riemann Sums
• Interpretation of the definite integral of the rate of change
of a quantity over an interval as the change in quantity
over the interval:
b

a
f ' ( x)dx = f (b) − f (a)
• Interpretation of the definite integral as an area
• Average value of a function on an interval
• The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
• Computing definite integrals using the Fundamental
Theorem, graphically, and numerically
• Properties of definite integrals
o Even and odd functions
o Additivity, linearity, multiplying by a constant
• Comparing definite integrals
• Using the calculator to evaluate a definite integral

Unit 6 • Families of antiderivatives

Constructing o Visualizing antiderivatives using slopes – the graph of f
Antiderivatives from the graph of f’
(8 days) • Constructing antiderivatives analytically
o Properties of antiderivatives: sums and constant
multiples
o Antiderivatives of power functions
• Second Fundamental Theorem
o Finding a particular antiderivative with the Fundamental
Theorem and analyzing it analytically and graphically
• Finding specific antiderivatives using initial conditions
o Various applications including rectilinear motion
Unit 7 • Integration following from derivatives of basic functions
Integration • Integration by substitution
Techniques o Change of limits for definite integrals
(13 days) • Integration by parts
• Integration using partial fractions
• Using tables of integrals
• Approximating definite integrals represented algebraically,
graphically, and by tables of values

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 o Riemann sums (left, right, midpoint)
o Trapezoidal sums
o Simpson’s Rule
o Errors in approximations including graphical
interpretation
• Improper integrals
o Convergence and divergence
o Graphical interpretation
o Evaluating improper integrals as limits of definite
integrals
o Comparing improper integrals – comparison tests
Unit 8 • Integrals are used to model various real-world phenomena.
Using the Definite Emphasis is placed on visualizing models as Riemann sums and
Integral representing them with its limit as a definite integral.
(8 days) Applications include:
o Areas of regions
o Volumes
o Arc length, distance traveled, average value of a
function on an interval
o Volumes of solids of revolution
o Volumes of regions of known cross-section
o Density and center of mass
o Other various applications

6 additional days allotted for 6-week reviews, midterm examinations and semester final
examination.

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 2nd Semester
Unit 9 • Sequences
Series • Series defined as a sequence of partial sums
(10 days) • Concept of convergence of a series as the limit of the sequence
of partial sums.
• Use of graphic calculator to demonstrate
convergence/divergence of sequences and series
• Examples of applications of series: decimal expansion, etc.
• Geometric series and computation of sums
• Applications of geometric series
• Alternating series, the alternating series test and the
alternating series remainder (error bound)
• Terms of series as areas of rectangles and their relationship to
improper integrals (calculator exploration)
• Development of behavior of p-series.
(convergence/divergence) using improper integrals
• Harmonic series
• Development of the Integral test
• Comparison tests (Direct Comparison & Limit Comparison)
• n-th Term test for divergence
• Absolute and conditional convergence
• Ratio & Root tests
• Telescoping series and partial fractions
• Functions defined by power series
• Radius and interval of convergence of power series (includes
calculator exploration)
• Interpretation of radius and interval of convergence
Unit 10 • Development of the concept of the Taylor polynomial from
Approximating linear approximation (includes calculator exploration using ex
Functions and sine x) through higher order polynomials
(8 days) • Application of Taylor polynomial approximations
• Development of Maclaurin series and the Taylor series
centered at x = a from the Taylor polynomial
• Derivation of Maclaurin series for ex, sin x, cos x, 1/(1-x), etc.
• Manipulation of known Taylor series including substitution,
differentiation, antidifferentiation, multiplication, and division
• Formation of new series from known series
• Using the Ratio test for determination of radius and interval of
convergence
• Use of L’Hopital’s Rule in determining convergence behavior

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 • Lagrange error bound for Taylor polynomials
Unit 11 • The meaning of differential equations and their solutions
Differential o General solutions
Equations o Initial value problems, particular solutions
(8 days) • Solution of differential equations:
o Graphical/geometric interpretation using slope fields to
find solution curves given initial conditions
o Numerically (Euler’s Method)
o Analytically (Separation of Variables)
• Application of differential equations to model real-world
phenomenon
o Exponential (y’=ky) & Logistic models
o Models of population growth
o Newton’s Law of Heating & Cooling
o Mock murder trial activity applying Newton’s Law
• Calculator activities for slope fields and developing Euler’s
Method

Unit 12 • Review of parametric, polar and vector-valued functions

Parametric, Vector o Applications
& Polar Functions o Use of calculator to graph functions
(10 days) • Derivatives of parametric, polar and vector-valued functions
and their interpretations
o Includes velocity and acceleration
o Modeling projectile motion
• Integration of functions given in parametric, polar, vector-
valued form
o Distance traveled, arc length
o Areas of regions bounded by polar curves
AP Exam Review & • Students continue to work in teams using previous AP®exams
AP Exam and sample tests.
(25 days) • A plan, do, study, act (PDSA) approach is used to continually
assess progress during the review in order to adapt to students’
needs.
Post AP Exam • Introduction to Multivariable Calculus
Activities o Partial derivatives
(19 days) o Multiple integrals
o Applications
• A brief topical survey of post-Calculus mathematics with
examples of applications.

6 additional days allotted for 6-week reviews, midterm examinations and semester final
examination.

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