AP CALCULUS BC/IB MATH SL 2 PREREQUISITE TOPICS
khanacademy.com is a good resource for videos on many topics that you may need to review.
purplemath.com is a good resource for written examples and explanations of topics you may need to review.
In the pages that follow there are some examples and links to resources on the 11 topics that I listed on your
summer assignment.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Topic #1: GRAPHING CALCULATOR SKILLS
Topic #2: SOLVING EQUATIONS
Topic #3: WRITING EQUATIONS OF LINES
Topic #4: GRAPHS OF PARENT FUNCTIONS
Topic #5: SIMPLIFYING COMPLEX FRACTIONS
Topic #6: FUNCTION COMPOSITION & INVERSES
Topic #7: LOGARITHMS
Topic #8: EXPONENTIALS and Topic #9: TRIGONOMETRY (Additional info on Unit Circle)
Topic #10: SOLVING TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS and Topic #11: TRIGONOMETRIC INVERSES
Topic #1: GRAPHING CALCULATOR SKILLS
All students are required to have a graphing calculator (GC) for use with our course. Our course is taught with the Texas
Instrument TI-83/84 series. This includes the TI-83, TI-83 Plus, TI-84, and TI-84 Plus (including Silver Edition of these).
Other makes and models are permitted, but the series listed will be used during instruction – TI Inspire and TI-89 are not
allowed in most testing. (If you have questions about whether your graphing calculator is OK, then please email me or
come see me BEFORE you purchase a different calculator.)
Students are expected to begin the course with the knowledge of “intermediate” GC skills. These include:
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Graphing an equation
Finding a suitable viewing Window
Finding the Intersection of two curves
Finding the Roots (Zeros, x-intercepts) of a curve
Finding the Max/Min point on a curve
Evaluating equations for a specified x-value
All of these are built-in features that you should be adept at using upon joining us in the fall. If your GC skills do not
include these items, it would be in your best interest to learn them over the summer. Knowledge of these skills is assumed
for entering AP Calculus/Math SL2.
To assist you with any skill-building that might be necessary, here are several websites that should be of help:
1)Using the TI-83/84 Graphing Calculator www.prenhall.com/divisions/esm/app/graphing/ti83/
2)Using the TI-89 Graphing Calculator www.prenhall.com/divisions/esm/app/graphing/ti89/
3)TI-83/84 Tutorials by topic http://calculator.mga.edu/
4)Graphing Calculator Help www.prenhall.com/divisions/esm/app/calc_v2/%20
5)TI-83/84 Trouble Shooting http://oakroadsystems.com/math/ti83oops.htm
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Topic #2: SOLVING EQUATIONS
Should you need a refresher, check out the following websites (NOTE: You do NOT need to click on any of the ads.):
SOS Math – good resource for notes http://www.sosmath.com/algebra/solve/solve0/solve0.html
Algebra–Class.com http://www.algebra-class.com/algebra-equations.html
Solving Equations http://www.solving-equations.com/solving-multistep-equations.html
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Topic #3: WRITING EQUATIONS OF LINES
This will be a very important topic throughout the entire year. You should be able to write the equation of a line given a
point and the slope. If you need a brief reminder, then pp. 4 – 5 of your Calculus textbook has a some of examples.
You may also want to look back at the Precalculus textbook written by our publisher for some more examples. The
website is the same as for our Calculus textbook ( phschool.com ) but for the Precalculus book the webcode is azk–1005.
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Topic #4: GRAPHS OF PARENT FUNCTIONS
The functions on this page are the basic “parent” functions that you should know instantly. Actual points should be
plotted (at least three) in the creation of these graphs. You should be able to produce these “on demand” and
know them (including domains and ranges) “in your head” without having to graph them on your GC.
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Topic #5: SIMPLIFYING COMPLEX FRACTIONS
Websites for notes and examples
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/compfrac2.htm
http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/int_algebra/int_alg_tut34_complex.htm
There is a short practice worksheet at http://www.lavc.edu/math/math125/Worksheets/simplifycomplexfract.pdf
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Topic #6: FUNCTION COMPOSITION & INVERSES
Topic #7: LOGARITHMS
Topic #8: EXPONENTIALS
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/expofcns3.htm
Topic #9: TRIGONOMETRY
Refer to the bottom of the Purple Math index page http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm
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additional information on the Unit Circle
Just Math
Tutoring
www.justmathtutoring.com
and click on “Free Trigonometry Videos” on left.
Topic #10:
SOLVING
TRIGONOMETRIC
EQUATIONS
From
Univ.
of Houston
http://online.math.uh.edu/Math1330/ch4/s43/index.html
Additional
web
references
– besides
Purple Math
http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/CalcI/TrigEquations.aspx
http://www.intmath.com/analytic-trigonometry/5-trigonometric-equations.php
Link to pdf slides about Solving Trig Equations
Topic #11: TRIGONOMETRIC INVERSES
http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/extras/algebratrigreview/InverseTrig.aspx
Link to pdf slides covering Inverse Trig Functions
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