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How do I turn my AP Calculus notes into FRQ practice?

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Section II of AP Calculus is six free-response questions in 90 minutes, each scored out of 9 points, half the exam. Released FRQs are public and you should do them all; the problem is they come once a year and never on only the unit you are stuck on. ExamTeX writes new FRQ-style questions from your notes or the College Board units, typeset in LaTeX, with solutions that show the work and the justification language readers award points for.

Short answer

How can I make AP Calculus free-response practice from my notes?

Upload your AP Calculus notes at examtex.com/create, or pick AP Calculus and tick the units you are revising, ask for calculation questions in several parts, write "AP free-response style, 9 points each" in the instructions, and generate. ExamTeX writes multi-part questions in the FRQ genres (particle motion, area and volume, accumulation, differential equations, tables and graphs) with solutions that show the setup, the work and the justification. Print it and sit it at 15 minutes per question.

How it works

1. Upload your notes or tick the units

Class notes, a review packet, or units 1 to 8 (AB) and 9 to 10 (BC) ticked. The AP Calculus style covers both AB and BC.

2. Ask for FRQ-shaped questions

Choose calculation questions and write "free-response style: multi-part questions worth 9 points, with calculator and non-calculator parts marked" in the instructions. Set the time limit to 15 minutes per question.

3. Sit it, then grade it like a reader

Points go to the setup (the integral or derivative written correctly), the answer, and the justification. Grade each part against the solution and note where you had the number without the reason.

What to know

What the solutions show

The integral or equation set up before it is evaluated, the work, the answer with units, and the justification sentence: "f has a relative maximum at x = 2 because f' changes from positive to negative there." That sentence is what readers award, and what students most often leave out.

AB or BC

Tick units 9 and 10 and say BC for parametric, polar and vector questions and series. Say AB to stay within units 1 to 8. The free AB and BC exams show the two levels.

Calculator parts

Part A of Section II allows a graphing calculator (2 questions, 30 minutes), Part B does not (4 questions, 60 minutes). Say which you want in the instructions; a calculator question can ask for a numerical integral to three decimals, a non-calculator one must resolve by hand.

The paper you are practising for

Section I: multiple choice

Part A: 30 questions, no calculator (60 min). Part B: 15 questions, graphing calculator (45 min).

Marks: 45 questionsTime: 1h 45mWeight: 50% of score

Section II: free response

Part A: 2 questions with calculator (30 min). Part B: 4 questions without (60 min). Each scored out of 9 points with partial credit for setup and justification.

Marks: 6 × 9 pointsTime: 1h 30mWeight: 50% of score

The FRQ genres

Tables and graphs of a function and its derivative, particle motion, accumulation (rate in, rate out), area and volume of a region, differential equations with a slope field, and for BC parametric or polar motion and a Taylor series question.

Common mistakes

  • A correct number with no justification: "the graph goes down" instead of "v(t) < 0 and a(t) > 0, so speed is decreasing".
  • Simplifying a correct integral by hand and making an arithmetic error; an unevaluated correct setup earns most of the points.
  • Dropping units on a contextual answer, or giving a position when total distance was asked.
  • Rounding intermediate values on calculator questions; keep three decimals only in the final answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ExamTeX typeset the calculus correctly?

Yes. Questions and solutions are typeset in LaTeX, so integrals, limits, fractions and derivatives print as they do on the AP exam, and the PDF is print-ready.

Can it make multi-part questions?

Yes. Calculation questions can have parts (a), (b), (c) and (d), each with its own marks and answer space, which is the FRQ shape. Ask for it in the instructions and set the marks to 9 in the editor if the generated split differs.

Does it do multiple choice too?

Yes. Add multiple-choice questions for Section I practice, up to 35 per test; say "no calculator" or "calculator allowed" in the instructions for Part A or Part B style.

How does this compare with released FRQs?

Released FRQs and their scoring guidelines are the gold standard and show exactly how points are awarded. Generated FRQs add unlimited practice on the unit you choose, in the same shape, once you have worked through the released ones.

Is it free?

You can try it free, without a card. The free plan includes 2 practice exams a month, with a watermark on the PDF, and generating from the built-in sample notes does not use one of them. Pro costs €9.99 a month for unlimited practice exams without the watermark; the Exam Pass gives you the same for 30 days for a one-time €4.99 (exam-season price until 15 December; normally €9.99) and does not renew.

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