Is there a penalty for guessing on AP Precalculus multiple choice?

No. Multiple choice is scored on raw correct answers only, with no deduction for wrong answers. Answer every question even when you must guess.

Do I need a graphing calculator for AP Precalculus?

Yes, for part of the exam. A graphing calculator is required for Part B of the multiple choice and Part A of the free response, and it should be in radian mode. The other two parts are completed without a calculator.

AP Precalculus Score Calculator

Q: How is the AP Precalculus exam scored?

Section I is 42 multiple choice questions worth 62.5 percent: Part A is 29 questions with no calculator and Part B is 13 questions requiring a graphing calculator. Section II is four free response questions worth 6 points each, worth 37.5 percent, split into a calculator part and a no-calculator part. Free response content comes from Units 1, 2, and 3.

Enter your multiple choice raw score (out of 42) and your free response points (out of 24) to estimate a predicted AP Precalculus score from 1 to 5. The exam is Section I, 42 multiple choice questions worth 62.5% of the score, and Section II, four 6-point free response questions worth 37.5%.

These score bands are an estimate, not official. College Board has not released official score cutoffs for AP Precalculus. The 1 to 5 ranges below are approximated from composite percentages that are typical across AP exams, and are provided for planning only. Your actual score depends on the curve College Board sets each year. Treat a result here as a rough target to clear with room to spare, never as a guarantee.

Your scores

42 multiple choice + 24 free response points

Multiple choice Section I / 42

FRQ 1 calc / 6

FRQ 2 calc / 6

FRQ 3 no calc / 6

FRQ 4 no calc / 6

How this calculator works

Method

Weighted by section

Your multiple choice percentage counts for 62.5% of the composite and your free response percentage for 37.5%, matching the two sections' shares of the exam score.

The point totals

Section I is 42 multiple choice questions, 1 point each. Section II is four free response questions worth 6 points each, for 24 points. Each section is converted to a percentage before weighting.

Estimated bands only

College Board has not published official cut scores for AP Precalculus. The band thresholds here are approximated from composite ranges typical across AP exams and will not match the official curve exactly.

Aim above the line

Because the real curve is unknown, treat the estimate as a floor. A composite that just clears a threshold here could land a tier lower once the official cutoffs are set.

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Common questions

FAQ

Are these AP Precalculus cut scores official?

No. College Board has not released official score cutoffs for the AP Precalculus exam. The 1 to 5 bands in this calculator are estimates based on composite percentages that are typical across AP exams, and the real curve is set by College Board each year. Use this to gauge relative progress on practice exams, not to predict an exact score.

How is the AP Precalculus exam scored?

Section I is 42 multiple choice questions and counts for 62.5% of the exam score: Part A has 29 questions with no calculator (65 minutes) and Part B has 13 questions requiring a graphing calculator (40 minutes). Section II is four free response questions worth 6 points each, counting for 37.5%: Part A has 2 calculator questions (35 minutes) and Part B has 2 no-calculator questions (35 minutes). Free response content comes from Units 1, 2, and 3.

Is there a penalty for guessing on the multiple choice?

No. Multiple choice is scored on raw correct answers only, with no deduction for wrong ones. Answer every question, even when you have to guess.

Do I need a graphing calculator?

Yes, for part of the exam. A graphing calculator is required for Part B of the multiple choice and Part A of the free response. Set your calculator to radian mode for the AP Precalculus exam. The other two parts are completed without a calculator.

How accurate is this calculator?

The composite arithmetic is exact given the 62.5 and 37.5 percent section weights. The 1 to 5 estimate is approximate because official cut scores for this exam have not been published. Track your composite over several practice exams rather than fixating on the predicted number.