CLEP Calculus

[desuu]

I'm planning on taking the CLEP calculus in about two months. What are the best places online and best books to prepare me? What AP test is similar to the calc CLEP? AB or BC?

EDIT:

This thread actually turned into a knowledge base for the CLEP calculus/precalculus exam. There is helpful information throughout.

[desuu]

Bumping for help! I really need some info on this! Thanks in advance!

[brothermike]

Although I.C. has proved TREMENDOUSLY helpful, not many (if any) that are still active on this board have taken clep calculus. If you are a paying member of instantcert you can view the "specific feedback" section but there is little to no feedback on this particular exam to be found as again, very, very few have actually taken it.

There were a couple of people asking about it but they never came back to give feedback. Try using the google search feature on the entire website, that is about the best feedback you will find for this particular exam on these boards.


I am in the same predicament that you are, I need to take this clep by this summer. I am using a combination of ALEKS/Straighterline for algebra and precalc. Then getting a couple of self teaching books from amazon like the dummies books and spending everyday at the tutoring center at my local community college(free help for registered students).

Sorry I couldn't be more help

[Lindagerr]

I have Gone out and bought several REA and Cliff books second hand and I am just starting to really study. This does not seem to be a popular exam (:confused: I don't know why not). We will have to be the guinia pigs on this one and help build the information available for future testers.

[irnbru]

Hi guys,

Okie, let's get the bad news out of the way first :confused:

Calculus (and maths in general) is one of those subjects where prerequisite knowledge and experience of solving 'easier' problems is necessary. This means, that the syllabus for precalculus has to be fairly well known to you.

Including, but not limited to; Algebra, Trigonometry, Complex numbers, Graphs and functions.

The study of the calculus I itself also (normally) follows a progressive route which is roughly; Limits, then Differentiation, then Integration.

Studying limits and answering problems on them is often harder than differentiating functions or evaluating integrals. Limits are a big part of real and complex Analysis (which is happily, very limited here). However, after hammering at limits, most (harder) limit problems in calculus I can be solved by differentiating the numerator and denominator until the answer appears, i.e. L'hopital's rule.

Manipulation of trig functions and identities is very much required, especially when dealing with integration by parts or trigonometric substitution.

Recognising graphs and being able to read properties such as potential degree or choosing which graph might be the differentiated/original/integrated is worth points.

de Moivre's theorem is in there, too; so you need those complex numbers.

Okie, enough battering us about the head with this nonsense.

Any book suited for a first class in calculus is suitable provided you have roughly the prerequisite knowledge. Whether this means the 'Teach yourself ...' or the '...for Dummies' is up to you. I used both of these titles and others to supplment my 'recommended' text when i did the maths several years ago.

You cannot pass calculus with flashcards. :eek: You must work up to and through the problems in a systematic manner so that you get enough practice.

If you can work through a calculus chapter or section, answer the questions, go back a day later and -recognise- the type of questions and answer them, you are doing the right thing.

Notice someone asking here has already passed Chemistry. Good job, this is a comparably tough subject in terms of progressive knowledge and problem-solving, so it's good to see you have form

Good luck guys.

[Levi]

As someone mentioned before, maybe if you search in the specific exam feedback section, you can find people who have taken clep calculus. However, many of them probably are no longer active on the forum. But maybe after you find them, you could email or PM them. They should be happy to help.

This is what I had to do for clep Precal. All the best!

[desuu]

Thanks for the responses everybody.

Notice someone asking here has already passed Chemistry. Good job, this is a comparably tough subject in terms of progressive knowledge and problem-solving, so it's good to see you have form

Yeah. This is my motivation for taking the calculus exam. I've heard that chemistry was supposed to be difficult, but I made a decent score with a relatively light effort.

I'm using these resources right now:

Amazon.com: CLEP Calculus w/ CD-ROM (REA): Gregory Hill: Books

Conquer Calculus

After I finish the REA book, I'll look into some AP clep books and see how those compare. I should get in about 150-200 hours of study before the test (I haven't had math outside of calculations made in lab in a long while). I'll try and keep this thread updated with my progress and hope that somebody who's taken the exam will see this on the front page.

Thanks again!

EDIT: Oh, and just to be sure about something: instantcert doesn't offer anything on calculus, right? I don't see anything on their website pertaining to calculus or the exam. Am I overlooking something?

[Lindagerr]

Please keep us up to date on your progress. I have taken the slow, but steady method. I took Algebra and Trig. at CC a long time ago. I have also used lots of math in the lab and helped my 3 children with homework.

I have Cliffs quick review,REA essentials and a Pro 1 CD I also have REA's Problem solvers for calculus and a husband that is a math genius. I am going back and reviewing Algebra and precalc and teaching Algebra(subbing) to help get me ready to start on the Calculus. I know I am putting this off to long, but I am hoping by slowly sliding into it I can overcome my irratioal fear of Calculus.

[candanceunique]

i think this books will help you out a whole lot.
BOOKS:
-Teach yourself visually calculus

this book is color coded, it helps

-Calculus for dummies

-Calculus workbooks for dummies

you can find this books on amazon.com


Note: you need the workbook.

[desuu]

Just bumping this thread to see if anybody new finds it.

The studying is going well. I'm almost done with the math tutor DVDs I posted above, and they're pretty helpful. I plan on going through REA's clep book next and then starting tests. If my scores are decent, I'll just keep testing, but if I need more work, I think I'll find an AP calculus book.