Most Calculus multiple choice tests are timed and offer an accumulative time for each question. This makes it easy to see how much time you have left to complete the questions. Students can choose to spend the time reviewing the concepts they just learned, or review any problems that might be tricky for them to answer correctly. It is possible that some students will not have enough time to review all the topics and therefore will have to select answers that might be the wrong answers. Thus, knowing that problems can be solved quickly is extremely valuable.
Once a student has chosen his or her answer option, then the questions begin. Usually, the first few choices are the most common correct answers. However, there are other multiple choice options in the exam that require further research before a student can make a confident answer. This is especially true when a student needs to select the right answer option based on the difficulty of the problem.
Some Calculus multiple choice tests are timed so that the student will need to time their reactions to the different questions. Each type of question requires a quick calculation, so students should be prepared for a calculator question before even looking at the question. Typically, a calculator is used to perform more than one operation in a problem. Thus, students need to be sure that they know how to use all of their calculator choices for every question that they are given.
It is possible for a student to use all of their calculator choices for an answer. However, this is not always possible because sometimes a student will be faced with two option options. The student must use one of the options quickly, but he or she must do so without looking at the rest of the question.
Students should make sure that they do not use all of their calculators on multiple choice tests. In order to maximize their calculator usage, a student should only use their calculators for easy questions. A student who tries to use all of their calculators on difficult questions will likely find that they are throwing their opportunities away. Most test makers will penalize a student for using all of their calculators, regardless of the reasoning skills. Thus, a student must focus on answering easy questions with their calculators and then use their calculators for tougher questions.
It is also a good idea for a student to memorize the formula that they need to use for each area on the multiple choice section of the test. This will help them remember what the solution to an equation is, when they see it written down. The test maker may require that the student find the solution to an equation using one of their calculators. Therefore, a student should learn how to quickly find the answer to any equation in order to get as many answers correct as possible. Furthermore, if a student finds a mistake on a problem then it is often required that he or she go back and answer that problem exactly as it appears on the page.
Finally, a student should remember that multiple choices need to be viewed in order to gain insight into the answer choices. Some problems are fairly simple and the only answer lies within the sub-problem itself. Other problems are more complicated, and only require a quick look at the answer choices in order to find the correct answer. Thus, a student needs to pay attention to all of these different types of choices and use them wisely in order to score high marks on the multiple choice portion of the AP Calculus exam.
