Transition to Calculus
This page is intended specifically for students that are making the transition from Math Analysis with Trigonometry to AP Calculus AB. Students that will be entering into ANY Calculus course will also find the below resources helpful. While the purpose of this webpage is to prepare you for the beginnings of AP Calculus AB, many of the below resources can be used throughout any Calculus course. Please note that these resources are NOT created/managed by myself
Resource List:
1) Korpisworld.com is website dedicated to AP Calculus AB and BC. While this website is an AWESOME resource for a student in Calculus AB (hint, hint ..for next school year), those students transitioning into Calculus should focus on the appendices (at the top of the page) as well as Chapters 1, 2, and 3 BEFORE classes resume in the FALL. You will also note that this site does review the same items provided below in resource #3.
Hear are some guidelines for the links in each section:
Notes = notes for the section (obviously- however these are "incomplete" when followed by V1, V2, etc..)
V1, V2, V3 = these are the videos to watch to complete the notes. The videos give step-by-step solutions and verbal/graphical explanations. I suggest to watch the videos, pause to try the problems on your own, play them to check your response, and rewind to watch a difficult problem again
WS = This is a worksheet to be completed as homework. This is an actual assignment for this teacher's student and other Calculus teachers are known use the same worksheets. For the most part (especially when you are working on Calculus topics) these are all past Calculus questions (either Free-response or multiple-choice) from the AP exam. I suggest you work all of the problems before going-on.
KEY = These are the solutions for the worksheet. If you did not know how to start the problem or you completed the problem incorrectly, re-do these problems from the start (without the help of the solutions). If you need to, re-do the problem five times!!!
http://www.korpisworld.com/Mathematics/Calculus%20Maximus/Calculus%20Maximus%20Splash.htm
2) This is essentially a YouTube playlist for Dr. Marchese. These are organized in the same sequence that AP Calculus AB is typically presented, so start with lesson 1 and then continue. Students transitioning from Pre-Calculus Honors know all the concepts presented in lessons 1-10 and have been presented with the topics from lessons 11-20. The more lessons you watch the better prepared you will be. The nice thing here is below each of her videos is a pdf file for the notes of the video. She presents the topics, gives the lesson, and then asks for you to do a problem (pause the video here), then watch her do it. This is another resource you can utilize throughout your Calculus AB class.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPaurYp0Zl_sIh8FoQlIdzilI0UR0cChh
3) CoolMath.com is a website dedicated to mathematical topics that students have explored BEFORE Calculus. The link below takes you directly to the Pre-Calculus section of the website. Progress through each of these links to review these topics. Each link will take you to a step-by-step review of the procedures and concepts. Unfortunately, the questions that are posed at the end of most of the sections DO NOT have solutions/answers. This site does a very good job of outlining all of the topics that you should know BEFORE entering into AP Calculus AB.
http://www.coolmath.com/precalculus-review-calculus-intro
4) GetAFive.com is a website created to help students with getting a 5 (get it?) on certain AP exams. I created an account (class) so that students may "enroll" in the course.I suggest you do all of the Algebraic and Trigonometric review, as well as all of the Introduction to Limit topics BEFORE classes begin in August. Now that you are enrolled.....you can use this site as a constant resource through your AP Calculus AB class for the coming school year.
Student instructions
1. Visit getafive.com and click on "I'm a student".
2. On the students page, choose "AP Calculus AB".
3. On the AP Calculus AB page, click on the "Enroll now" button.
4. Create an account or log in if you're already signed up.
5. You're now in your personal Study Room.
6. Click on the "Join a Class" tab on the left and enter this code: L649777
5) PatrickJMT.com is simply a collection of math videos. What makes this a great resource is that the videos are organized by area (Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, etc..) AND each video is focused on a specific concept/procedure. So, when you need to know how to do something....select your area and then select the type of problem. He also does a good job of getting to the point. While the first two resources will focus on the concepts and procedures equally, PatrickJMT tends to focus on the procedure and tends to use student "vocabulary". As a student entering into AP Calculus AB in the Fall, you should know everything in the Algebra and Trigonometry sections with a few exceptions (maybe?). While it would be valuable to know everything in those two sections, these topics will not be stressed(or even seen) in Calculus AB: systems of linear equations in 3-variables, matrices, sequences, and series. Entering Calculus AB students should also know everything in the first column of the Calculus section down to (and including) 'Tangent Line: finding the equation'. You may watch more to get a preview or as a resource for next year. Keep in mind that the Calculus section includes Calculus AB (Calculus I = Differential Calculus), Calculus BC (Calculus II = Integral Calculus), and Calculus D (Calculus III = Vector Calculus). Calculus AB topics (approx.) start from the top left of the 1st column (read down this column) up to and including the videos labeled 'areas between curves'. Calculus BC topics (approx.) include all of Calculus AB and some more topics, so start from the top left of the 1st column...all of the 1st column, all of the 2nd column, and then up to vectors in the 3rd column. Calculus D needs all the concepts/procedures (notably differentiation/integration procedures) from the previous Calculus courses, but is typically not overlapped with the first two. So, these videos extend from vectors until the bottom of the 3rd column.