( 6 reviews )
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( 0 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Sep 3 2007
The practice tests don't mimick the actual AP exam. After looking at some questions on their practice test, I had to turn back and look at the cover of the book--I thought that I was looking at some sort of pre-calculus book. For example, one multiple-choice question (on the practice exam) asks you to complete the double-angle formula for sine(2x). How ridiculous! Such a question would never be on the AP exam. Another multiple-choice question asks for the interval over which ln(x+3) is nonnegative; Again, another question which is highly unlikely to appear on the AP exam because it's a simple pre-calculus question.
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Posted: Jul 14 2007
basically what most of the other reviewers said. this calc prep book is too easy for the ap tests that are now being administered. there are quite a few typos which makes everything a little more confusing. the lessons are okay, but only if you want to review or clear up a fuzzy area. i dont think you can learn calc from this book. what's helpful though is that in the back there are these english-to-calculus translations that are great to memorize and help tremendously for the test. but other than that, look elsewhere for an outstanding calc book.
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Posted: Jun 22 2007
Let me preface this by saying that I spent the last year helping my daughter self-study for the AP Calculus Exam given in May 2007. I bought 4 AP Calculus review guides, 2 textbooks, and looked up the openly available free response questions from the actual tests for the last 7 years. Unfortunately, I agree with the more recent reviews that this guide is inadequate. My overall impression was that Cliffs wanted to expand into other "study" areas besides their well-known CLiffs Notes in literature booklets and put this book together for such a purpose. The book is filled with typographical errors which are annoying. More over, the book is just too easy. Anyone who has looked at the actual free response questions given on either the AB or BC tests will quickly realize the inadequacy of this book. The AP test is no longer one in which simple differentiation and integration will carry the day. You need to know how to use your calculator to solve problems, clearly understand the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and its applications, be able to read graphs and determine their properties as they relate to calculus, and be able to use data tables in solving problems. This book does none of these adequately.
