Real-World Calculus Teacher Resources

Check out the handout from a presentation that contains a collection of high school algebra projects connecting a variety of mathematics to the real world. Activities range from simple probabilities to calculus. The activities can be...

It's nice to know that there are actual real-world uses of derivatives. Scholars review their knowledge of the applications of derivatives from the unit. They work on a set of practice problems to test their understanding.

The test is not all about skills. The six free-response questions contain two real-world application problems. Those items deal with populations and velocities. The other four questions ask pupils to show their knowledge of calculus...

Exponential models come with a shortcut. Pupils watch an example of how to determine if a differential equation is an exponential model. Learners realize the solution is in the same formula, allowing for a quick way to determine the...

So this is the real test? The resource provides the free-response questions from the 2011 AP Calculus AB exam. The six questions are split into two sections, calculator and non-calculator items. Several resources give teachers...

Get a better grasp of the intended content. The six free-response questions provide insight into the purpose of the AP® Calculus content. Two questions have real-world context while the remaining are void of context. The items range from...

Let's put it in context. Pupils use the AP® Calculus BC free-response questions to practice for the exam. Five of the six released items deal with mathematical problems, with one using a real-world situation. Learners use differentiation...

Put math in a real-life context to increase connections to the concept. Pupils view a short video that first reviews the connection between derivatives and rates of change. They learn how to interpret the derivative in contextual...

Half are real-world. The 2011 AP® Calculus AB free-response questions let pupils and teachers see how content appears on the exam. Half of the questions contain real-world context, and four items do not allow calculators. Real-world...

There is just a single real-world problem. Released free-response items from the 2007 AP® Calculus BC Form B contains only one real-world question. The question involves rate of change of wind chill scenario. The mathematical problems...

It seems like area and slope wouldn't have any connection. Here is a video that explains how to find the average value of a function over an interval. It connects the area under a curve to the slope of the antiderivative curve.

What do the questions look like? Six free-response questions provide pupils with knowledge of how calculus topics appear on the AP® Calculus exam. The questions involve calculator and non-calculator problems by providing mathematical and...

Going up? Wait, it might be going down! Learners watch a video to see how to use the derivative and critical points to find where a function is either increasing or decreasing. Individuals use the rate of change to solve real-world...

Real-world application of the finite geometric series. Sick? Need to take Ampicillin? How much is in the body at any given point in time as this medication is taken over the course of time. Use the formulas, make calculation, and graph...

Students read an article on how calculus is used in the real world. In this calculus lesson, students draw a correlation between the Battle of Trafalgar and calculus. The purpose of this article is the show everyday uses for calculus in...

A solution to a lack of resources on related rates awaits. Viewers of an educational video learn how to solve related rates problems. They build on their prior experience of related rates to write equations for contextual situations,...

Stay a while—and learn about rates of change. Scholars learn about rates of change not related to motion by watching an informative video. They see how to interpret derivatives in different contexts, paying particular attention to...

Sometimes close enough is just perfect. The last video in a series of 11 explores the Taylor series and its connection to derivatives. It shows the process for finding Taylor series approximations for y = sin x and for y = e^x.

Challenge your scholars to show what they know about the Law of Sines, Law of Cosines, and inverses. The six-question assessment is the last in a series of 16. Pupils find the area of triangles and show that the Law of Sines and Law of...

Differentiate between models. Pupils watch as the video works through three examples of creating a differential equation to model a situation. Scholars use their knowledge of proportional relationships to set up the equations and to...

In this derivative worksheet, learners relate the concept of the derivative to the "real world" model of seasons.  Students are then asked to discuss zeros, increasing values, decreasing values, and critical values of this model. ...

This activity presents a real-world problem about an epidemic of influenza spreading through a city. Learners refer to a graph that shows the number of individuals infected in relation to the number of weeks that have elapsed since the...