What Are the Best Resources for Self-Studying AP Calculus BC?

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SUMMARY

The best resources for self-studying AP Calculus BC include "Calculus, 4th Ed. by James Stewart" and the Larson/Hostetler/Edwards text, which can be found used at a low cost. Online resources such as Todd Fadoir's lecture website (http://www.toddfadoir.com) and free calculus texts from MIT (http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/resources/Strang/strangtext.htm) and the University of Wisconsin (http://www.math.wisc.edu/~keisler/calc.html) are highly recommended. For test preparation, Shmoop offers extensive practice exercises and test-taking strategies, making it a valuable tool for students aiming for high scores.

PREREQUISITES
  • Familiarity with AP Calculus BC curriculum
  • Basic understanding of calculus concepts
  • Access to online resources and textbooks
  • Ability to utilize practice exams and worksheets
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore "Calculus, 4th Ed. by James Stewart" for comprehensive coverage of calculus topics
  • Investigate the Larson/Hostetler/Edwards text for a test-oriented approach
  • Utilize Shmoop for online AP Exam preparation and practice exercises
  • Review free calculus texts from MIT and the University of Wisconsin for additional learning materials
USEFUL FOR

Students preparing for the AP Calculus BC exam, self-learners seeking structured resources, and educators looking for effective teaching materials.

flyingpig
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I am self-studying ap calculus bc. I need someone to recommand me a good prep book. I will also get a tutor.

If possible also give me a link with good worksheets and solutions.

please give me the link of the picture of the prep book you recommand

I hear PR and Barron are pretty bad.
 
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flyingpig said:
I am self-studying ap calculus bc. I need someone to recommand me a good prep book. I will also get a tutor.

If possible also give me a link with good worksheets and solutions.

please give me the link of the picture of the prep book you recommand

I hear PR and Barron are pretty bad.

I took AP Calculus BC last year and had a great teacher. He recorded all of his lectures and posted them on his website http://www.toddfadoir.com" . I encourage you to give it a look. It is well organized and very thurough. We used the book "Calculus, 4th Ed. by James Stewart". It was a fine book and you can also get a worked out answer booklet if you would like.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There are several free intro calculus texts available online. Here are some links:
http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/resources/Strang/strangtext.htm
http://www.math.wisc.edu/~keisler/calc.html

Note that these are high-quality texts aimed more at teaching calculus than teaching to the test. For a more test-oriented approach, I would recommend an edition of the Larson/Hostetler/Edwards text (old is fine). You can probably pick one up used for cheap.
 
I think Barron is the best one out there; it definitely worked for me. I suggest you also look at Shmoop; it provides online AP Exam prep and I used it when I was studying for http://www.shmoop.com/ap-calculus/" . It has tons of practice exercises and tests, explains concepts in a simple, relatable manner and has test-taking tips and tricks too. I got a perfect score without any tutors which is a big deal considering how scary Calculus is for me.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
^^ Did you check the dates of this thread before posting? This thread is about 2 years old. Furthermore, I believe that the OP is in college now, and so, your post wouldn't be particularly helpful to him/her.
 
eumyang said:
I believe that the OP is in college now

Yep. My first thought when seeing this thread at the top of the forum was, "why in the world is flyingpig self-studying AP calculus when he's already in university?"
 
His post is not necessarily useless though. It probably is for flyingpig but it's possible that somebody else might find it of use. Not the best reason but still, I've seen threads being "dug from their graves" for far less...
 
Mépris said:
His post is not necessarily useless though. It probably is for flyingpig but it's possible that somebody else might find it of use.
That's why I said:
eumyang said:
Furthermore, I believe that the OP is in college now, and so, your post wouldn't be particularly helpful to him/her.
him/her = flyingpig :wink:
 

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