How to Succeed at AP Calculus…

·        KEEP UP WITH THE ASSIGNMENTS! Many time the best indicator of a student's success is whether they keep up with their assignments. Students who keep up, do well - students who don't, don't.

·        REMEMBER THAT THE GOAL OF AN ASSIGNMENT IS TO UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL - NOT JUST GET THE PROBLEMS DONE! You understand the material when you can do the problems - and get them right - BY YOURSELF. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions or seeking help from your fellow students or me. Everyone will need help sooner or later in this course. However, you must have the integrity to realize that the goal of the assignment is NOT just to get the assigned problems finished and turned in! Problems selected for an assignment (the entire assignment; not just the graded problems) should provide adequate practice for the "average" student.  There will be times when you will need more practice than this, and you must have the courage and integrity to realize it.

·        TREAT ASSIGNMENTS AS "PRACTICE TESTS." Fifty percent of your score on the AP test  will be determined from your solutions to free-response questions. For these problems, the correct answer counts for as little as twenty-five percent of the total score. The rest of the points are awarded on the quality of your solution to the problem. This means that if you have correct answers for all problems - with no (or disorganized, or incomplete, or unreadable) supporting work - you will fail miserably. If you have a few incorrect answers, but well-organized, complete solutions that use proper mathematical vocabulary and symbolism - you will generally do well. Use your assignments as an opportunity to practice presenting well-organized mathematical solutions to problems.

·        NEVER ERASE. If you hit a "dead end" and want to start over, cross out the work you don't want with a big "X" - do NOT erase it. It might turn out later to be correct! Also, if you come to me for help, the first thing that I will say is, "Let me see what you have done so far." If you tell me that you erased it, you will just have to go back and reproduce it from memory. Erasing can be a big time-waster on tests (where time is very valuable). Material that is "X"'d out will not be graded on tests - including the AP test.

·        READ THE BOOK. This is important in every class, but in this class the text serves as a valuable supplement to what happens in class. It is not just a place to find the homework problems. Read the book slowly, line-by-line, with a pencil and paper nearby. Pay particular attention to the illustrations and examples. Study the examples carefully.

·        LEARN THE VOCABULARY AND SYMBOLS. It is vitally important that we can communicate in the language of mathematics. As you read or participate in class, pay particular attention to the meaning of each new term and symbol.

·        UNDERSTAND THE USAGE OF AND MEMORIZE EACH NEW FORMULA. It is crucial to your success at just about everything that we will do this year. Of course, I don't mean that you need to memorize every line of the book, but when I say, "You need to know this." - I mean it! Having a calculator does not mean that you don't need to know any mathematics.

·        REVIEW CONSTANTLY. While a lot of the work we will do in class will be cumulative, don't hesitate to go back to review or seek help on algebra, geometry, and trigonometry skills that you may not have mastered sufficiently in earlier courses. A lot of the errors that students make are not calculus mistakes - they are algebra, geometry, and trigonometry mistakes.

·        TAKE GOOD NOTES DURING EACH CLASS. Good notes are essential for success in any technical field. They are essential for review - not only for tests, but also for the assignment problems you will be doing later. Class notes can be a valuable reference.

·        EVERY MINUTE OF CLASS TIME IS VALUABLE! Use the time at the beginning of class to get ready for calculus. Socializing may be more pleasant than math, but the goal is to make math more pleasant, and socializing gets in the way. 

·        ORGANIZE. Your success depends on your ability to recall (or find, relearn, and then remember) concepts and techniques which were introduced earlier. If your notes and assignments are scattered about, folded inside the covers of your book, papering the bottom of your locker or the floor of your car, you're sunk.

·        BE READY FOR ASSESSMENT. We will have a major test every 2-3 weeks.  Additionally, we will have a quiz most weeks. Some will not be announced.  Each test covers everything from the first day onward.

·        BECOME AS SELF-SUFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. There are many students, and just one teacher, and time is too valuable for you to just wait - stuck in neutral - for help. Look in your text and your notes for sample problems that might shed some light on your difficulty. Learn tenacity - don't just "fold" at the first sign of difficulty! Is there another way to approach the problem? You can do it! 

·        SEEK HELP AGGRESSIVELY. Almost everyone, no matter how smart or proficient in math, will get "stuck" sometime this year. Perhaps there is a new concept or technique that just won't fit into place in your brain, or maybe you realize a year too late that Mr. Molstad and I were right when we said "You're going to need this for Calculus!" Tenacity and self-sufficiency are great attributes but sometimes you will need help anyway.  Ask questions in class. Get the help you need to succeed.

·        BECOME PROFICIENT AT USING A GRAPHING CALCULATOR. Your calculator is a valuable tool for visualizing and solving problems of all sorts. On parts of the AP exam, as well as on tests and quizzes during the year, you will be required to demonstrate your mastery of the graphing calculator as a mathematical tool. Learn to use it well. Become familiar with ALL of the ways that your calculator can be used to solve a problem.

·        BECOME PROFICIENT AT NOT USING YOUR GRAPHING CALCULATOR. Be aware that you may not use your calculator for all parts of the AP exam (over half is non-calculator), and that some quizzes and tests will contain "No Calculator" problems. In all cases, you will be required to demonstrate your understanding of calculus. You will be required to provide symbolic (often exact) solutions for many problems, and you must be able to explain your solutions using correct mathematical symbolism and vocabulary.

·        COMMUNICATE. If you have a concern of any kind let me know. I can't fix it if I don't know about it. Remember that just because a problem - or a solution - seems obvious to you, it may not be obvious to everyone. Speak up!

adapted from How to Succeed in Calculus, by Dave Slomer