AP Calculus AB
The complete AB course, unit by unit, following the official College Board framework. Start with the unit you are on; every unit links the guides and tools that teach its methods.
The 8 AB units
- Unit 1: Limits and Continuity10-15%
- Unit 2: Differentiation: Definition and Fundamental Properties10-15%
- Unit 3: Differentiation: Composite, Implicit, and Inverse Functions5-10%
- Unit 4: Contextual Applications of Differentiation10-15%
- Unit 5: Analytical Applications of Differentiation15-20%
- Unit 6: Integration and Accumulation of Change15-20%
- Unit 7: Differential Equations5-10%
- Unit 8: Applications of Integration10-15%
Weightings show each unit's share of the AB exam, from the current Course and Exam Description.
Most useful AB guides
- Chain Rule: Spot the Composition, Then Differentiate
- U-Substitution: How to Choose u and Integrate It
- U-Sub vs Integration by Parts vs Partial Fractions
- Related Rates: The 5-Step Method for Any Word Problem
- Optimization Word Problems: Setup, Constraint, Solve
- How to Find Limits: Every Method, in Order
- L'Hopital's Rule: When You Can and Cannot Use It
- Implicit Differentiation: Finding dy/dx Step by Step
- The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus: Part 1 vs Part 2
- Riemann Sums: Left, Right, Midpoint, and Trapezoidal
Taking BC instead?
BC covers all 8 AB units at a faster pace, plus parametrics, polar, and infinite series. See the BC course page.