CDRP: AP Calculus BC

Enduring Understandings

1. At a basic level, the student will become conversant in the language and
notation of math. The student will be able to translate mathematical concepts into
“normal” language and vice versa.

2. The student will be able to reason logically through a problem.

3. The student will begin to see the underlying structure of the mathematical
system so as to recognize the assumptions, flaws, and logical conclusions. The
student may begin to see alternatives to the system. Ideally, the student will
recognize this systemic approach in other fields and apply the same analysis to
them.

4. The student will hopefully go beyond the utilitarian mode of learning

(“When are we going to use this?” or “Is this going to be on the test?”) and begin
to learn new things for the sake of learning them. Ultimately, the student might
begin to appreciate the power and the intrinsic beauty people find in the material.

5. The student will begin to develop a meta-cognitive approach to learning.

That is, the student will begin to think about his or her thinking process and how
that affects his or her learning.

6. The student will develop a confidence and tenacity when approaching

lengthy and intricate math problems. By breaking down a problem into its
component parts, analyzing and resolving each part, and then reassembling the
whole, the student will develop a sense that no problem is beyond his or her grasp.

7. The student will develop the ability to manage large amounts of information
by learning to prioritize time, tasks, and goals.

Essential Questions

1. What does this “math stuff” mean?

2. Where should this problem start and where does it end? How can I connect
those?
3. How do all the problems relate to one another?
4. Why do some people find this interesting? Can it interest me?
5. What are learning preferences? What are my learning preferences? How
might other approaches (that I do not prefer) help me learn?
6. How can I make this problem more manageable? What are the pieces of a
particular problem and how do they fit together?
7. What information or techniques require details? When can I just know
generalities? When should I skip a problem and move on?

Key Assessments

1. The achievement of the learning outcomes for each unit will be assessed by
a Chapter Test which will be half multiple choice and half free response.
These tests will be graded on the AP scale.
2. There will be a Fall Midterm Exam.
3. There will be a Final exam each semester that will be designed after the AP
exam.
4. Weekly review homework packets will be assigned in the Spring semester.

Performance Expectations (Course Objectives)

Unit I. Derivatives

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Use the Power Rule and Exponential Rules to find Derivatives.

• Find the Derivative of Composite Functions.
• Find Derivatives involving Trig, Trig Inverse, and Logarithmic Functions.
• Use the equation of a tangent line to approximate function values.
• Use Euler’s Method to approximate a numerical solution to a differential
equation at a given point.
• Find the Derivative of a product or quotient of two functions.
• Find higher order derivatives.
• Take derivatives of relations implicitly.
• Use implicit differentiation to find higher order derivatives.
• Determine when it is appropriate to use logarithmic differentiation.
• Use logarithmic differentiation to take the derivatives of complicated
functions.
• Solve related rates problems.
Unit II Anti-Derivatives

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Find the anti-derivative of a polynomial.
• Integrate functions involving Transcendental operations.
• Use Integration to solve rectilinear motion problems.
• Use the integration by substitution to integrate composite expressions.
• Use the Integration by Substitution to integrate integrands involving
• Sine and Cosine.
• Use the Integration by Substitution to integrate integrands involving
• Secant and Tangent or Cosecant and Cotangent.
• Given a separable differential equation, find the general solution.
• Given a separable differential equation and an initial condition, find a
particular solution.
• Given a differential equation, sketch its slope field.
• Given a slope field, sketch a particular solution curve.
• Given a slope field, determine the family of functions to which the solution
curves belong.
• Given a slope field, determine the differential equation that it represents.

Unit III Integrals

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Find approximations of integrals using different rectangles.

• Use proper notation when dealing with integral approximation.
• Differentiate integral expressions with the variable in the boundary
• Evaluate Definite Integrals
• Find the average value of a continuous function over a given interval
• Evaluate definite integrals using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
• Evaluate definite integrals applying the Substitution Rule, when appropriate.
• Use proper notation when evaluating these integrals.
• Relate definite integrals to area under a curve.
• Understand the difference between displacement and total distance.
 • Extend that idea to understanding the difference between the two concepts in
other contexts.
• Analyze the interplay between rates and accumulation in context.

Unit IV Limits

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Evaluate one-sided limits graphically, numerically, and algebraically.

• Evaluate two-sided limits in terms of one-sided limits.
• Prove continuity or discontinuity of a given function.
• Interpret Vertical Asymptotes in terms of one-sided limits.
• Determine if a function is differentiable or not.
• Demonstrate understanding of the connections and differences between
differentiability and continuity.
• Evaluate Limits algebraically.
• Evaluate Limits using L’Hopital’s Rule.
• Recognize and evaluate Limits which are derivatives.
• Use the nDeriv function on the calculator to find numerical derivatives.
• Evaluate Limits at infinity.
• Interpret Limits at infinity in terms of end behavior of the graph.
• Evaluate Type I Improper Integrals.
• Determine convergence or divergence of a Type II Improper Integral.

Unit V Numerical Sequences and Series

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Identify Sequences and Series

• Find Partial Sums of a given Series.
• Find the terms, partial sums, infinite sums, or n in a geometric sequence.
• Determine the convergence or divergence of a sequence.
• Determine the divergence of a series.
• Use the Comparison Tests to check for convergence or divergence.
• Use the Integral Test to check for convergence or divergence.
• Use the Ratio and Nth Root Tests to check for convergence or divergence.
• Use the Alternating Series Test to check for convergence or divergence.
Unit VI Applications of the Derivative

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Find critical values and extreme values for functions.

• Use the 1st and 2nd derivative tests to identify maxima vs. minima.
• Find Points of Inflection and Intervals of Concavity.
• Sketch the graph of a function using information from its first and/or second
• derivatives.
• Sketch the graph of a first and/or second derivative from the graph of a
function.
• Solve optimization problems.
• Use the derivative to make conclusions about motion.
• Relate the position, velocity, and acceleration functions.
• Sketch the graphs of parametric equations.
• Eliminate the parameter of parametric equations.
• Interpret information in the graph of a derivative in terms of the graph of the
“original” function.
• Use the graph of a function to answer questions concerning maximums,
minimums, and intervals of increasing and decreasing
• Use the graph of a function to answer questions concerning points of
inflection and intervals of concavity.
• Use the graph of a function to answer questions concerning the area under a
curve.

Unit VII Applications of the Integral

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Find the area of the region between two curves.

• Find the volume of a solid rotated when a region is rotated about a given
axis
• Find the volume of a solid rotated when a region is rotated about a given line
• Find the volume of a solid with given cross sections.
• Find the arc length of a function in Cartesian mode between to points.
Unit VIII Techniques of Integration

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Identify integrals where Integration by Parts is appropriate.

• Apply the Integration by Parts method.
• Integrate radical integrands using trig substitution.
• Determine the appropriate technique to apply to a rational integral.
• Determine the appropriate technique to apply to a rational integral.
• Apply the Partial Fractions technique.
• Recognize the carrying capacity in a logistic growth setting.
• Determine when the maximum growth rate in a logistic growth setting.
• Know the solution to a logistic differential equation.
• Apply Partial Fractions to the proper type of integral.
• Apply Partial Fractions to integrals with Quadratic factors.
• Determine the correct technique to use and perform the integration.

Unit IX Parametric and Polar

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Graph relations in parametric mode.

• Eliminate the parameter to identify the function form of a parametric.
• Find the slope of a tangent line to a curve in parametric mode.
• Find the concavity of a curve in parametric mode.
• Find the arc length of a curve in parametric mode.
• Find the position of an object in motion in two dimensions from its velocity.
• Find the arc length of a curve expressed in parametric mode.
• Graph curves in polar form.
• Recognize certain polar equations as having particular graphs.
• Determine and interpret intervals of increasing or decreasing of a polar
curve.
• Find slopes of lines tangent to polar curves.
• Find the arc length of a shape describe in polar coordinates.
• Find the area of a shape described in polar coordinates.
Unit X Power Series

By the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Create a Taylor polynomial from give numerical derivatives.

• Identify numerical derivatives from a given Taylor or Maclaurin polynomial.
• Use a Taylor or Maclaurin polynomial to approximate function values.
• Create new series from a Taylor or Maclaurin polynomial.
• Show that the error involved in an approximation of a function value is
below a given amount.
• Create a new series from a known series.
• Find whether a given numerical series converges or diverges.
• Find the Radius of Convergence for a given series.
• Find the Interval of Convergence for a given series.