Course Overview
AP Precalculus prepares students for college-level calculus and other STEM coursework. The course is built around four big ideas: change, functions, analytical & multi-representational thinking, and communication & reasoning.
Students develop fluency in polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, polar, vector, and matrix functions — while practicing the AP-style precision skills that show up on the exam.
- Round decimal answers to three places (unless told otherwise). Carry full precision through your work; round only at the end.
- Justify with sentence stems. Examples: "Because…" · "The function is increasing on the interval… because…" · "Using the average rate of change formula…" · "Since f(a) and f(b) have opposite signs, by the Intermediate Value Theorem…"
Units
Click into a unit to see daily notes, worksheets, and review materials.
Polynomial & Rational Functions
Rates of change, polynomial end behavior, zeros and multiplicities, rational function asymptotes, and equivalent representations.
- Notes — Average & instantaneous rates of change (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Polynomial end behavior (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Rational functions: holes, asymptotes, slants (coming soon)
- Unit review & AP-style FRQ practice (coming soon)
Exponential & Logarithmic Functions
Sequences, exponential models, logarithmic functions and equations, semi-log plots, and modeling data.
- Notes — Geometric sequences & exponential growth (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Solving exponential & log equations (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Modeling with regression (round to 3 decimal places) (coming soon)
- Unit review & AP-style FRQ practice (coming soon)
Trigonometric & Polar Functions
Periodic phenomena, the unit circle, sinusoidal modeling, trig identities and equations, polar functions and graphs.
- Notes — Unit circle & sinusoidal functions (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Sinusoidal modeling with sentence-stem justifications (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Polar graphs: rose curves, limaçons (coming soon)
- Unit review & AP-style FRQ practice (coming soon)
Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, & Matrices
Parametric functions, vectors, matrices and linear transformations, modeling with linear systems. (AP exam coverage varies — we cover this for a complete preparation.)
- Notes — Parametric functions (coming soon)
- Notes — Vectors & matrix operations (coming soon)
- Worksheet — Modeling with parametrics (coming soon)
Assessments & Grading
| Category | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unit assessments | 50% | AP-style multiple-choice & FRQ |
| Quizzes | 20% | Short, frequent, formative |
| Daily work / practice | 20% | Notes, classwork, sentence-stem journal |
| AP Mock exams | 10% | Spring semester |
Weights are placeholders — update before the school year begins.
AP Exam Information
The AP Precalculus exam is administered each May. The exam includes multiple-choice and free-response sections, with a graphing calculator required on portions. Students should be familiar with rounding decimal answers to three places and justifying answers with complete, mathematically grounded sentences.
For the most current exam information, visit the College Board AP Central page for AP Precalculus.