From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: AP CALCULUS              
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 92 13:23:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Ed,

Thank you for your advice about the AP exam. It was exactly the kind of
response I was hoping for.

-> I'm not an expert but have taught the AB course for a couple of
-> years.

That qualifies you as more of an expert than me.

-> Make sure it is the May 1993 - May 1994 AP Course Description.  There
-> have been some changes from previous years!  The most interesting is
-> that starting in May 1993 the exam will contain questions a
-> scientific calculator (nongraphing, nonprogrammable) is necessary
-> for.  It'll mean that some areas will have to be taught using a
-> slightly different emphasis.

Yes, I am not certain if the Course Description I had was for 1992 or
1993 (maybe the 1993 ones weren't available yet). But I had seen
examples of the "scientific calculator" questions. To me, they seemed
pathetic excuses inserted into the exam expressly for the purpose of
saying "the exam now requires a scientific calculator".

-> Although I hate saying this (Multiple choice questions and I don't
-> get along) give your students as much exposure as possible to the AP
-> multiple choice questions.

Thanks for the tip.

-> AND get some good reference texts.  I use Roland E. Larson's (R.P.
-> Hostetler and B.H. Edwards, Calculus with Analytic Geometry, 4th ed.,
-> D.C. Heath & Co. ... ISBN 0-669-16406-2) text basically because of
-> the great number and quality of worked examples.  The students have
-> been very positive about it!

Yes, I really like the Hostetler/Larson text. Last summer I took a
course in multiple variable calculus, and we used that text. As a
student, I found it an excellent book. (we covered chaps 11-15). I wish
I could use that as the text this year, but we already have another book
for text, so it will simply be a resource. Maybe in a year or two I
might have some pull towards changing texts.

-> One final thing ... find out from your regional College Board office
-> (I believe you're in California ... Linda Daters, Director, Suite
-> 480, 2099 Gateway Place, San Jose, California 95110-1017,
-> (408)452-1400) when the next AP conference will be in your area.
-> They are (usually) a one day session in the course of your choice and
-> are well worth your time.  The sessions are presented by teachers who
-> have good experience in the courses.

Good idea. I met Linda Daters at a one-day teleconference for AP
Calculus late last year (I think it was in April). Did you attend the
teleconference last year about the use of graphing caculators in the AP
class, and the possible requirement starting with (I think 1995) that
students will need a graphing calculator for the exam? At my school
right now all the teachers seem to think that requiring students to buy
a graphing calculator is an extravagance, and something that many of our
students can't afford. As a matter of fact, many of the teachers don't
think we should require students in second year algebra to purchase a
scientific calculator, despite the fact that they are available for
under $20!

Thanks again for the advice,
Sheila
coming to you from Diamond Bar, CA (in Los Angeles County)
                                                                                             

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