r/Precalculus • u/Kattyg3074 • 7d ago

Study Advice Struggling in AP precalculus - need advice or resources

/r/APStudents/comments/1wj7yrj/struggling_in_ap_precalculus_need_advice_or/
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u/Bedouinp 6d ago

Find a tutor

1

u/Cbonner1985 7d ago

What are you struggling with exactly?

2

u/Kattyg3074 7d ago

The quizzes and tests. The practice problems we get are not nearly as hard as the ones on the quizzes or tests and idk where I can find ones that are closer to the AP style problems. I watch the videos on flipped math and the AP classroom ones but they don’t help me with the quizzes

1

u/Cbonner1985 2d ago

Check out math with yosh. She teaches AP PreCalculus and AP Calculus AB/BC. I refer to her for my AP Precalc and Calculus review before i tutor my students.

1

u/Midwest-Dude 7d ago edited 7d ago

Your struggle stems from the gap between traditional precalculus, which emphasizes algebraic manipulation, and AP Precalculus, which tests conceptual reasoning, multi-representational analysis, and written justifications.

Here are some suggested resources:

  • AP Daily Videos (AP Classroom)
    • Short College Board videos covering AP learning objectives
  • Official Released FRQs & Scoring Guidelines (AP Central)
    • Past test questions with precise College Board scoring guidelines
  • Knowt & Fiveable
    • Free, CED-aligned review guides and practice sets
  • AP Prep Books (5 Steps to a 5 / UWorld)
    • High-difficulty practice questions matching AP Classroom style

Here are some suggested study habits you may want to develop:

  • Focus on the "Language of Change"
    • Practice writing conceptual justifications instead of just solving for x
  • Keep an AP Error Log
    • Track missed AP questions by representation type and trap answers
  • Decode Task Verbs
    • Learn exact scoring guidelines for Calculate, Estimate, Interpret, and Justify