Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

Section I
This section contains 45 multiple-choice questions and contains two parts: Part A and Part B.
Part A has 28 questions that must be solved without a calculator. Part B has 17 questions,
including some questions that require the use of a graphing calculator.

Part A Multiple-Choice
You may not use a calculator on this portion of the exam.
Directions: Solve each problem in the provided space. Then choose the best option from among
the choices given. Be efficient with the use of your time.
Throughout this exam:
(1) The domain of each function f is the set of all real numbers for which f ( x ) is defined. If
the domain of a particular function differs from this, it will be specified in the problem.
(2) For trigonometric functions, the inverse may be represented with 1 or arc. For example,
the inverse cosine function may be represented as cos 1 x or arccos x .
3
1. cos x dx =
4

(A+)

4
3
sin x + C
3
4

3
(B) sin x + C
4

(C)

3
3
sin x + C
4
4

3
3
(D) sin x + C
4
4

(E)

4
3
cos x + C
3
4

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

2. Find lim
x 2

x2 4
.
x2

(A) 2
(B) 1
(C) 0
(D+) 4
(E) Does not exist

k 2 x if x < 3
3. For what value(s) of k, if any, is f ( x) =
continuous on ( , ) ?
2k if x 3
(A) 1, 3
(B) 1
(C+) 1, 3
(D) 3
(E) Does not exist
4. If f ( x ) = 3 x 7 x 1, then f '( x ) is
(A) x 7 x 1
(B)

21
2 7x 1

(C) 3 7 x 1 + 3x
(D+) 3 7 x 1 +
(E) 3 +

21x
2 7x 1

7x
7x 1

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

5.

12

1 + 12 x dx =
(A+) ln 1 + 12x + C
(B) 12 x + ln12 x + C
(C) ln 12x + C
(D)

1
ln 1 + 12 x + C
12

(E)

1
ln 1 + 12 x + C
12

6. A particle moves along the x-axis so that at any time t 0 , its velocity is given by

v(t ) = cos(4t ) . If the position of the particle at time t =

position at time t = 0 ?
(A)

5
3

(B)

5
4

(C+)
(D) 0
(E)

3
2

4
3

is x = 2 , what is the particles

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

7. The function f is continuous on the closed interval [0,8] and has the values given in the table
below.
x
f(x)

0
8

2
4

4
k

6
5

8
6

The trapezoidal approximation for

f ( x)dx

found with four subintervals of equal length is

52. What is the value of k?

(A) 2
(B) 5
(C) 7
(D+) 10
(E) 17
8.

d
sin 2 ( 3x + 7 ) ) =
(
dx
(A) cos 2 ( 3 x + 7 )
(B) 2sin(3x + 7)
(C+) 6 cos ( 3 x + 7 ) sin ( 3 x + 7 )
(D) 3sin 2 ( 3 x + 7 )
(E) 3 cos x sin x

9. A colony of bacteria starts with 400 and grows at a rate proportional to its size. After 2 hours
there are 5000 bacteria. When will the population reach 20,000?
(A) 4.1235 hours
(B) 12.5000 hours
(C) 3.5355 hours
(D) 8 hours
(E+) 3.0977 hours

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

10. Given f ( x) =

2x
, for what values of x is the graph of f concave downwards?
x+4

(A) 0 < x < 4

(B) < x < 4
(C+) 4 < x <
(D) < x < 4 and 4 < x <
(E) x = 4
11. Let f be defined by f ( x) = x + 9 for all real numbers x. For what values of x is the function
increasing?
(A) ( , 9 )
(B) ( , 9 )
(C) [ 9, 0 )
(D) ( 0, 9 )
(E+) ( 9, )
12. Find an equation for the line tangent to the graph of f ( x ) = 2 x + 1 at the point where x = 4 .
(A) y = 2 x + 1
(B) y =

1
7
x+
6
3

(C) y = 4
(D+) y =

1
5
x+
3
3

1
(E) y = x + 5
2

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

13.

d
( sin ( 3x ) cos ( x ) ) =
dx
(A) 3cos(3x) cos( x) sin( x) sin(3 x)
(B+) 3cos( x) cos(3x) + sin( x) sin(3x)
(C) cos( x) cos(3x) + sin( x) sin(3x)
(D) 3cos ( 3 x ) sin ( x )
(E) 3cos( x) cos(3x) + 3sin( x) sin(3 x)

14. Find the function y = f ( x) if

(A)

dy
= 3 x 2 7 and f (3) = 5 .
dx

x3
7x + 5
3

(B) x 2 3x + 5
(C) x3 + 5
(D+) x3 7 x 1
(E) 6x
1

15.

x
4 xe dx =
2

(A) 4e
(B+) 0
(C) 16e
(D) 4 e
(E) 7

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

16. How many points of inflection does f ( x) = 6 x ( x + 2 ) .
4

(A) 0
(B+) 1
(C) 2
(D) 3
(E) 4
17. Find the area of the region bound by f ( x) = x3 x 2 and g ( x) = x3 + x .
(A+)

1
6

(B)

1
2

(C)

1
8

(D)

1
12

(E)

1
16
x 2 +1

18. If F ( x) =

(A) 4
(B+) 28
(C) 7
(D) 18
(E) 16

f (u )du and f (5) = 7, then F '(2) =

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

19. What is the equation of the line tangent to the curve y = x3 sin x at the point ( 0, 0 ) ?
(A) y = 2 x + 1
(B) y = 3 x + 4
(C) y = x
(D) y = 0
(E+) y = x
20. A particle moves along the x-axis so that its velocity at any time t 0 is given by
v(t ) = 3t 2 6t . Which of the following expressions could represent the position x(t ) of the
particle at any time t 0 ?
(A+) t 3 3t 2 + 7
(B) t 3 6
(C) t 2 2t
(D) 3t 3 6t 2 3
(E) 3t ( t 2 )
21. What is the slope of the tangent line to x3 2 xy y 2 = 12 that lies in the fourth quadrant at
the point where x = 2 ?
(A) 0
(B) 16
(C) 2
(D) 12
(E+) undefined

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

22. If f ( x) = ln x 3 then what is a derivative of the inverse of f ( x) at x = 5 ?
(A) e5
(B+) 3 e5
(C) 3e 4
(D) ln 2
(E) undefined

4 x3 7 x 2 + 21
has horizontal asymptote(s) at
23. The function f ( x) = 3
6 x + 5 x 2 + 17
(A) y =

2
7
,y=
3
5

(B) y =

7
5

(C+) y =

2
3

(D) y = 0
(E) no horizontal asymptotes

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

24. Find the derivative of f ( x) =

3x 5

( x2 9)

(A) 9 x 2 + 20 x 7
(B)

3
4x ( x2 9)

(C+)

(D)

(E)

9 x 2 + 20 x 7

(x

9)

15 x 2 20 x 7

(x

9)

2 ( x 9)
2

25. Evaluate

d
5t 4 9t + 6 ) dt for x 0 .
(

dx 0

(A) 20t 3 9
(B+) 5 x 4 9 x + 6
(C) 5t 4 9t
(D) 20 x3 9
(E) x5 4.5 x + 6 x

x3 27
26. Find lim
x 3 x 3
(A) does not exist
(B) 9
(C) 3
(D+) 27
(E)

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

27. Which of the following statements is true about f ( x) = 4 x3 12 x 2 + 7 ?
(A) f is decreasing on ( ,1)
(B+) f is increasing on ( 2, )
(C) f is increasing on ( 0, 2 )
(D) f is decreasing on ( 2, )
(E) f is increasing for all real values
28. For which points on the graph of f is f '( x) negative?

(A) A and E
(B) A only
(C) C only
(D+) C, D, and E
(E) B only

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

Part B Multiple-Choice
This portion of the exam requires a graphing calculator for some questions.

This part of the exam contains 17 questions.

Directions: Solve each problem in the provided space. Then choose the best option from among
the choices given. Be efficient with the use of your time.
Throughout this exam:
(1) Sometimes the exact numerical value of the solution is not given as a choice. In this event,
pick the best numerical approximation from the given choices.
(2) The domain of each function f is the set of all real numbers for which f ( x ) is defined. If

the domain of a particular function differs from this, it will be specified in the problem.
(3) For trigonometric functions, the inverse may be represented with 1 or arc. For example,
the inverse cosine function may be represented as cos 1 x or arccos x .
29. Find the position function, P(t ) , given a(t ) = 5 , v(3) = 4 , and P(2) = 0 where the
acceleration is given by a (t ) and the velocity is given by v(t ) .
(A) P(t ) = 2.5t 2 11t 12
(B) P(t ) = 4t 2 7t + 3
(C) P(t ) = 5t 2 + 4t
(D+) P(t ) = 2.5t 2 11t + 12
(E) P(t ) = t 2 + 7t + 3
30. Give a value of c that satisfies the conclusion of the Mean Value Theorem for Derivatives for
the function f ( x) = 3x 2 + 4 x 5 on the interval [1, 2] .
(A)

2
3

(B+)
(C)

3
2

4
5

(D) 5
(E)

5
4

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

31. The area of a circle with radius r is V = r 2 . At the time when the area and radius are
changing at the same numerical amount, what is the area?
(A) 3.14159
(B) 0.31831
(C) 1.61803
(D+) 0.78539
(E) 0.76126
1

32. Given f ( x) = ( 3x + 1) x find lim f ( x ) .

x0

(A+) 20.0855
(B) 1.0000
(C) 0.0498
(D) 20.0765
(E) 19.9955
33. Find the value of c on the interval [ 0, ] that satisfies the Mean Value Theorem for
Derivatives given f ( x ) = 2 x sin x .
(A) 0.7854
(B) 1.4297
(C) 2.0000
(D+) 1.5708
(E) 3.1415
34. If f '( x) = 2 x sin(2 x) for 0 < x < 4 then f has a local max at x
(A) 3.990
(B) 1.9293
(C) 1.782
(D) 6.345
(E+) 1.571

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

35. A rock is thrown upwards (vertically) from the ground with an initial velocity of 48 feet per
ft
second. If the acceleration due to gravity is 32 2 , how high will the rock go?
sec
(A) 48 feet
(B) 40 feet
(C+) 36 feet
(D) 80 feet
(E) 32 feet
36. What is the average value of the function f ( x) = sin 3 x + ln x on the interval [1, 5] ?
(A) 3.9704
(B+) 0.9926
(C) 2.1186
(D) 0.5297
(E) 1.5971
37. An object moves along the x-axis so that its velocity at any time t 0 is given by
v(t ) = t 3 16t . Find the total displacement of the particle from t = 0 to t = 6 .
(A) 164
(B) 81
(C) 120
(D+) 36
(E) 40
38. Estimate the area under the curve of f ( x) = cos 2 ( x) + 1 from x = 2 to x = 4 . Use four subintervals and right endpoints.
(A) 8.0993
(B) 6.9261
(C) 1.030
(D+) 3.4631
(E) 3.3361

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

39. The base of a solid is the region in the xy-plane enclosed by the curves
3
f ( x) = sin( x), g ( x) = cos( x) over the interval 0, . Cross sections of the solid
4
perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Determine the volume of the solid.
(A) 2.3562
(B+) 2.8562
(C) 1.4142
(D) 0.7071
(E) 1.8657
40. The first derivative of the function f is given by f '( x) = 5x 4 40 x 2 . How many points of
inflection does the graph of f have?
(A) one
(B) two
(C+) three
(D) four
(E) zero

41. Find the average value of f ( x) = cos 2 x + sin x on the interval 0, .
2

(A) 0.8660
(B) 0.7071
(C) 0.0000
(D+) 0.6366
(E) 1.0000

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

42. If f ( x) = 7 xe2 x , then the y-value of the horizontal tangent line is
(A) 0.5531
(B) 1.2807
(C) 9.5140
(D) 0.5000
(E+) 1.2876
43. Find the interval(s) on which the curve f ( x) = x3 sin x is concave up.
(A) ( 0.1247, )
(B+) ( 0, )
(C) ( , 0 )
(D) ( 0.0314, )
(E) ( 31.3742, 29.3371) and ( 0.0314, )
44. The velocity of a particle moving along a line is v(t ) = cos ( t ) meters per second. Find the
distance traveled in meters during the time interval 1 t 3 .
(A) 0
(B) 2
(C)
(D+) 4
(E) 5

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

x2 +4

45. If F ( x) =

(A) 30
(B) 6
(C) 5
(D+) 30
(E) 20

f (t )dt and f (13) = 5 then F '(3) =

Practice Questions for AP Calculus AB Exam: Section I Version 2

Consolidated Answers
1. A

16. B

31. D

2. D

17. A

32. A

3. C

18. B

33. D

4. D

19. E

34. E

5. A

20. A

35. C

6. C

21. E

36. B

7. D

22. B

37. D

8. C

23. C

38. D

9. E

24. C

39. B

10 . C

25. B

40. C

11 . E

26. D

41. D

12 . D

27. B

42. E

13 . B

28. D

43. B

14 . D

29. D

44. D

15 . B

30. B

45. D