Calculating the Area Under the Curve with AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) Peer Tutor Mason Chen

In this article, the Board of SASS interviews AP Calculus AB peer tutor Mason Chen. We hope that this article will help current and future AP Calculus AB students in their academic journey!

What did you enjoy about AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

Calculus in general is quite a different topic as compared to previous math courses I took such as Precalculus, Geometry, and Algebra. I really enjoyed learning this different side of math, and I enjoyed solving/interpreting problems using a different yet more powerful approach than previous ones.

What challenged you the most in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)? How did you overcome those challenges?

Continuing from the previous question, though the difference between Calculus and other maths can be interesting, it can also be quite challenging. I found the derivative concept to be quite hard to grasp at first, and the integral in the second semester also fairly hard. Though cliche, doing different types of problems really, really helped me understand them. It challenged me to use the same tool through different scenarios.

What tips do you have that could be useful to students taking AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

I recommend students who take AP Calculus AB to listen to the lectures first, and if they still don’t understand something, refer to the book. I feel like the book was a little more detailed than the lecture, so referring to the lecture first would be more efficient. I also recommend students to not rush through the WileyPLUS problems. There’s not that many problems in each assignment, so usually each subtopic is only tested in one or two of the ~10 problems, and it’s really important to understand them and work through each one.

About how much time did you spend a week working on assignments and preparing for discussion sessions in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

I spent around 4 hours in total - 1.5 hours for reading, 2 hours for WileyPLUS problems, and 0.5 hours for quizzes.

What did the typical week in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) look like?

Since I like to do things early, I typically did each class’s WileyPLUS HW right after it ended, followed by the reading for the next class. I also aimed to finish the quizzes on Friday.

What was your favorite topic covered in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

I think my favorite topics included applications of integration/differentiation as it really showed me how to apply calculus to real-life scenarios and problems.

Do you have any resources (i.e. study tips, useful websites) to share with students who want to take the course?

I would recommend making a document or a Quizlet containing a list of theorems throughout the course. Theorems can be hard to memorize, so referring back to this list continually as you learn Calculus AB can really help you do well especially on the exams. I would also include trigonometric integrals or derivatives that you find hard to memorize at first.

If you took the AP exam, how well did AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) prepare you for the AP exam? How would you recommend studying for the AP exam outside of class?

I think the AP Calculus AB course itself did not sufficiently prepare me for the exam. In addition to the class, I spent about an hour a week dedicated to preparing for the AP exam specifically. I recommend studying ahead of class using books such as Barron’s or Princeton Review. Then, around March, you can focus on doing past AP free response and multiple choice problems to better prepare you for the actual exam.

Mason Chen is a peer tutor for AP Calculus AB and can be found on the Writing and Tutoring Center.

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