AP Calculus AB vs AP Calculus BC Exams?

[icecubebeast]

Hello,
I was wondering if I should take the AP Calculus AB exam first or just take the AP Calculus BC exam. I am currently learning AP Calculus BC and my friends say that you have to take both in order to get college credit for both (I'm skeptical of this). Since AP Calculus BC covers the same exact topics in AP Calculus AB and some additional topics, would taking AP Calculus BC exam also give me credit for AP Calculus AB?

Thank you.

 

[IGU]

Your friends are wrong.

 

[icecubebeast]

Your friends are wrong.

So AP Calculus BC can cover college credit for AP Calculus AB?

 

[IGU]

Go look at the College Board website if you want to understand what the tests are about. If you go to Caltech you won't get any "credit" for either one. Other schools will want you to take a test of theirs and won't give you credit unless you actually understand the material (a completely different thing from getting some score on a test). And other places will give you credit for either.

If you know any colleges you are interested in, go look at their web sites and see what they say about math placement and credit.

 

[icecubebeast]

@IGU Do you know if the test has proving limits by epsilon-delta method? Because the topic outline only mentioned as "An intuitive understanding of the limiting process."

 

[IGU]

My memory is that AP calculus doesn't involve proving anything. But these things change, so you should check a current College Board study guide.

 

[icecubebeast]

My memory is that AP calculus doesn't involve proving anything. But these things change, so you should check a current College Board study guide.

Yes, that's what I asked. The topic outline for AP Calculus AB said there are limits but it didn't say anything about proving limits with epsilon-delta and my textbook has it.

 

[IGU]

A topic outline is not a study guide. Find something with details if you want to know this.

I know you're just asking about the test here, but I'll admit that I always advise actually learning the subject properly rather than just doing what's required for some test. You would be much better off learning calculus rather than "learning AP Calculus BC". Sure, there's no harm in knowing what the test covers so you can make sure you don't miss anything you need to know in order to do well, but don't let it set limits to what you learn.