2018
AP Calculus BC
Scoring Guidelines
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AP® CALCULUS AB/CALCULUS BC
2018 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 1
(a)
300
∫0 r ( t ) dt = 270
 1 : integral
2:
 1 : answer
According to the model, 270 people enter the line for the escalator
during the time interval 0 ≤ t ≤ 300.
(b) 20 + ∫
300
0
( r ( t ) − 0.7 ) dt = 20 + ∫
300
0
r ( t ) dt − 0.7 ⋅ 300 = 80
 1 : considers rate out
2:
 1 : answer
According to the model, 80 people are in line at time t = 300.
(c) Based on part (b), the number of people in line at time t = 300 is 80.
1 : answer
The first time t that there are no people in line is
80
300 +
=
414.286 (or 414.285) seconds.
0.7
(d) The total number of people in line at time t, 0 ≤ t ≤ 300, is modeled by
t
20 + ∫ r ( x ) dx − 0.7t.
0
r ( t ) − 0.7 = 0 ⇒ t1 = 33.013298, t2 =166.574719
t
0
t1
t2
300
0
 1 : considers r ( t ) − 0.7 =

 1 : identifies t = 33.013
4: 
 1 : answers

 1 : justification
People in line for escalator
20
3.803
158.070
80
The number of people in line is a minimum at time t = 33.013 seconds,
when there are 4 people in line.
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AP® CALCULUS BC
2018 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 2
(a) p′( 25 ) = −1.179
2:
{
1 : answer
1 : meaning with units
2:
{
1 : integrand
1 : answer
At a depth of 25 meters, the density of plankton cells is changing at a
rate of −1.179 million cells per cubic meter per meter.
30
(b) ∫ 3 p( h ) dh = 1675.414936
0
There are 1675 million plankton cells in the column of water between
h = 0 and h = 30 meters.
(c)
K
∫30 3 f ( h ) dh represents the number of plankton cells, in millions, in
the column of water from a depth of 30 meters to a depth of K meters.
The number of plankton cells, in millions, in the entire column of
30
K
0
30
 1 : integral expression

3 :  1 : compares improper integral

 1 : explanation
water is given by ∫ 3 p( h ) dh + ∫ 3 f ( h ) dh.
Because 0 ≤ f ( h ) ≤ u ( h ) for all h ≥ 30,
K
K
∞
30
30
30
3∫ f ( h ) dh ≤ 3∫ u ( h ) dh ≤ 3∫ u ( h ) dh =
3 ⋅ 105 =
315.
The total number of plankton cells in the column of water is bounded
by 1675.415 + 315
= 1990.415 ≤ 2000 million.
1
2
2
757.455862
(d) ∫ ( x′ ( t ) ) + ( y ′ ( t ) ) dt =
0
 1 : integrand
2:
 1 : total distance
The total distance traveled by the boat over the time interval 0 ≤ t ≤ 1
is 757.456 (or 757.455) meters.
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AP® CALCULUS AB/CALCULUS BC
2018 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 3
(a) f ( −5=
)
f (1) + ∫
−5
1
(
= 3 − −9 −
6
∫1
3
g ( x ) dx=
)
1
f (1) − ∫ g ( x ) dx
( )
3
19
25
+1 = 3− −
=
2
2
2
6
∫1 g ( x ) dx + ∫3 g ( x ) dx
3
6
= ∫ 2 dx + ∫ 2 ( x − 4 )2 dx
1
3
(b) =
g ( x ) dx
−5
( )
x =6
2
16
2
= 4 +  ( x − 4 )3 
= 4+
− −
= 10
 3
 x = 3
3
3
(c) The graph of f is increasing and concave up on 0 < x < 1 and
′( x ) g ( x ) > 0 and f ′( x ) = g ( x ) is
4 < x < 6 because f=
increasing on those intervals.
(d) The graph of f has a point of inflection at x = 4 because
f ′( x ) = g ( x ) changes from decreasing to increasing at x = 4.
2:
{
1 : integral
1 : answer
 1 : split at x = 3

3 :  1 : antiderivative of 2 ( x − 4 )2
 1 : answer

2:
{
1 : intervals
1 : reason
2:
{
1 : answer
1 : reason
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AP® CALCULUS AB/CALCULUS BC
2018 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 4
(a) H ′( 6 ) ≈
H ( 7 ) − H ( 5 ) 11 − 6 5
==
7−5
2
2
{
2:
1 : estimate
1 : interpretation with units
H ′( 6 ) is the rate at which the height of the tree is changing, in meters
per year, at time t = 6 years.
(b)
H ( 5 ) − H ( 3)
=
5−3
6−2
= 2
2
Because H is differentiable on 3 ≤ t ≤ 5, H is continuous on 3 ≤ t ≤ 5.
 1 : H ( 5 ) − H ( 3)

5−3
2: 
1 : conclusion using

Mean Value Theorem

By the Mean Value Theorem, there exists a value c, 3 < c < 5, such that
H ′( c ) = 2.
(c) The average height of the tree over the time interval 2 ≤ t ≤ 10 is given
10
1
by
H ( t ) dt.
10 − 2 ∫2
(
1 10
1 1.5 + 2
2+6
6 + 11
11 + 15
H ( t ) dt ≈
⋅1 +
⋅2 +
⋅2 +
⋅3
8 ∫2
8
2
2
2
2
1
263
= =
( 65.75 )
8
32
2:
{
1 : trapezoidal sum
1 : approximation
)
The average height of the tree over the time interval 2 ≤ t ≤ 10 is
263
meters.
32
(d) G ( x ) = 50 ⇒ x = 1
d
x ))
( G (=
dt
d
dx (1 + x )100 − 100 x ⋅ 1 dx
dx
100
⋅=
⋅
( G ( x ) ) ⋅=
2
2 dt
dx
dt
dt
(1 + x )
(1 + x )
d
( G( x )) =
dt
x =1
100
⋅ 0.03
=
(1 + 1)2
3
4
 2 : d ( G ( x ) )
3: 
dt
 1 : answer
Note: max 1 3 [1-0] if
no chain rule
According to the model, the rate of change of the height of the tree with
3
meter per year.
respect to time when the tree is 50 meters tall is
4
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AP® CALCULUS BC
2018 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 5
(
)
1 5π 3 2
(a)=
Area
4 − ( 3 + 2cos θ )2 dθ
2 π 3
∫
(b)
3:
dr
dr
=
−2sin θ ⇒
=
−2
dθ
dθ θ = π 2
r
π
3 + 2cos ( ) =
3
( π2 ) =
2
dy
dr
=
sin θ + r cos θ
dθ
dθ
dx
dr
x= r cos θ ⇒ =
cos θ − r sin θ
dθ
dθ
π
π
−2sin
+ 3cos
dy dθ
dy
2
2
= =
=
π
π
dx θ =π 2
dx dθ θ =π 2
−2cos
− 3sin
2
2
y= r sin θ ⇒
( )
( )
{
1 : constant and limits
2 : integrand
dy
dr
=
1:
sin θ + r cos θ

dθ
dθ

dx
dr
or
cos θ − r sin θ
 =
θ
θ
d
d

3: 
dr
sin θ + r cos θ
dy

dθ
1
:
=

dx
dr
cos θ − r sin θ

dθ

 1 : answer
( ) 2
( ) 3
The slope of the line tangent to the graph of r= 3 + 2cos θ
2
π
at θ =
is .
2
3
— OR —
dy
= 3cos θ + 2 cos 2 θ − 2sin 2 θ
dθ
dx
=
−3sin θ − 4sin θ cos θ
x=
r cos θ =
( 3 + 2cos θ ) cos θ ⇒
dθ
π
π
π
+ 2 cos 2
− 2sin 2
3cos
dy dθ
dy
2
2
2
2
= =
=
π
π
π
dx θ =π 2 dx dθ θ =π 2
3
−3sin
− 4sin
cos
2
2
2
y= r sin θ= ( 3 + 2cos θ ) sin θ ⇒
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
The slope of the line tangent to the graph of r= 3 + 2cos θ
π
2
at θ =
is .
2
3
dr dθ
dθ
dθ
dr
1
(c) dr =
⋅
=
−2sin θ ⋅
⇒
=⋅
dt
dθ dt
dt
dt
dt −2sin θ
dθ
1
3
3⋅
=
=
=
− 3 radians per second
dt θ =π 3
π
3
−
−2sin
3
( )
dr dθ
 1 : dr
=
⋅

dt
dθ dt

θ dr
1
3 :  1 : d=
⋅
dt
dt −2sin θ

 1 : answer with units

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AP® CALCULUS BC
2018 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 6
2
3
4
5
(a) The first four nonzero terms are x − x + x − x .
3
2 ⋅ 32 3 ⋅ 33 4 ⋅ 34
The general term is ( −1)n +1
(b)
lim
n →∞
( −1)n + 2 x n + 2
( n + 1) ( 3n +1 )
( −1)
n +1 n +1
x
2:
{
1 : first four terms
1 : general term
x n +1
.
n ⋅ 3n
= lim
n →∞
−x
n
⋅
=
3 ( n + 1)
x
3
n ⋅ 3n
x
< 1 for x < 3
3
Therefore, the radius of convergence of the Maclaurin series for f is 3.
— OR —
 1 : sets up ratio
 1 : computes limit of ratio

 1 : radius of convergence
5: 
 1 : considers both endpoints
 1 : analysis and interval of

convergence

— OR —
The radius of convergence of the Maclaurin series for ln (1 + x ) is 1,
x
x
f ( x ) x ln 1 +
< 1.
converges absolutely for
so the series for =
3
3
x
<1 ⇒ x < 3
3
Therefore, the radius of convergence of the Maclaurin series for f is 3.
( )
∞
∞
( −3)n +1
3
=
, which
∑
n
n
n⋅3
=
n 1=
n 1
When x = −3, the series is ∑ ( −1)n +1
 1 : radius for ln (1 + x ) series

x
 1 : substitutes
3

1
:
radius
of
convergence
5: 
 1 : considers both endpoints

 1 : analysis and interval of

convergence
diverges by comparison to the harmonic series.
∞
∞
3n +1
3
=
( −1)n +1 , which
∑
n
n
n⋅3
=
n 1=
n 1
converges by the alternating series test.
When x = 3, the series is ∑ ( −1)n +1
The interval of convergence of the Maclaurin series for f is
−3 < x ≤ 3.
(c) By the alternating series error bound, an upper bound for
P4 ( 2 ) − f ( 2 ) is the magnitude of the next term of the alternating
series.
P4 ( 2 ) − f ( 2 ) < −
 1 : uses fifth-degree term

2: 
as error bound
 1 : answer
25
8
=
4
81
4⋅3
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