identified. You will have to be sensitive not only to when it is necessary to use the calculator but also
to when it is efficient to do so.
The calculator is a marvelous tool, capable of illustrating complicated concepts with detailed
pictures and of performing tasks that would otherwise be excessively time-consuming—or even
impossible. But the completion of calculations and the displaying of graphs on the calculator can be
slow. Sometimes it is faster to find an answer using arithmetic, algebra, and analysis without recourse
to the calculator. Before you start pushing buttons, take a few seconds to decide on the best way to
attack a problem.
GRADING THE EXAMINATIONS
Each completed AP examination paper receives a grade according to the following five-point scale:
- Extremely well qualified
- Well qualified
- Qualified
- Possibly qualified
- No recommendation
SCORING CHANGE
In 2011 The College Board changed how the AP Calculus exams are scored. There is no penalty
for wrong answers in the multiple-choice section.
Many colleges and universities accept a grade of 3 or better for credit or advanced placement or
both; some also consider a grade of 2, while others require a grade of 4. (Students may check AP
credit policies at individual colleges’ websites.) More than 59 percent of the candidates who took the
2012 Calculus AB Examination earned grades of 3, 4, or 5. More than 82 percent of the 2012 BC
candidates earned 3 or better. More than 356,000 students altogether took the 2012 mathematics
examination.
The multiple-choice questions in Section I are scored by machine. Students should note that the
score will be the number of questions answered correctly. Since no points can be earned if answers
are left blank and there is no deduction for wrong answers, students should answer every question.
For questions they cannot do, students should try to eliminate as many of the choices as possible and
then pick the best remaining answer.
The problems in Section II are graded by college and high-school teachers called “readers.” The
answers in any one examination booklet are evaluated by different readers, and for each reader all
scores given by preceding readers are concealed, as are the student’s name and school. Readers are
provided sample solutions for each problem, with detailed scoring scales and point distributions that
allow partial credit for correct portions of a student’s answer. Problems in Section II are all counted
equally.
In the determination of the overall grade for each examination, the two sections are given equal
weight. The total raw score is then converted into one of the five grades listed above. Students should
not think of these raw scores as percents in the usual sense of testing and grading. A student who
averages 6 out of 9 points on the Section II questions and performs similarly well on Section I’s
multiple-choice questions will typically earn a 5. Many colleges offer credit for a score of 3,