AP exams, 4 units
AP Precalculus exam guide
Three assessed units plus a fourth studied but not tested, covering polynomial, exponential, trigonometric, and polar functions.
Follows the fall 2026 course and exam description, from 11 May 2027
Overview
What AP Precalculus covers.
AP Precalculus is built around function families and the modeling they support. The Course and Exam Description organizes the content into four units: polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric and polar functions, and functions involving parameters, vectors, and matrices.
One structural detail matters for planning. Unit 4 is part of the course but is not assessed on the AP Exam; College Board's stated position is that Units 1 through 3 cover the content colleges expect for credit or placement, while Unit 4 gives teachers room to extend the course. Students should still learn Unit 4 material when their teacher covers it, but exam preparation time belongs to the first three units.
Arcade Academy is an independent study workspace. Use the official Course and Exam Description as the authoritative content list and the official exam page for current format details, and use the unit pages below to organize practice.
At a glance
- Total time
- 2 hours 55 minutes
- Section I
- 42 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 45 minutes, 62.5% of the exam score
- Section I detail
- Part A is 29 questions in 65 minutes with no calculator; Part B is 13 questions in 40 minutes with a graphing calculator required
- Section II
- 4 free-response questions in 1 hour 10 minutes, 37.5% of the exam score
- Section II detail
- Part A is 2 questions in 35 minutes with a graphing calculator required; Part B is 2 questions in 35 minutes with no calculator
- Format update
- The multiple-choice count, two of the free-response questions, and the section timing changed beginning with the May 2027 exam; confirm the current numbers on the official exam page
- Content assessed
- Units 1 through 3 only; Unit 4 is part of the course but is not assessed on the exam
- Delivery
- Hybrid digital: multiple-choice questions are answered and free-response prompts are read in College Board's Bluebook app, and free-response answers are handwritten in a paper booklet
- Score scale
- 1 to 5
- Governing body
- College Board
- Who takes it
- High school students taking precalculus who want college credit or placement and a structured on-ramp to AP Calculus.
Scoring
The multiple-choice section contributes 62.5% and the free-response section 37.5% of a composite score, which College Board converts to the reported 1 to 5 scale using cut points set for that year's exam. Because AP Precalculus is a newer course, credit and placement policies vary widely by institution, so check each college directly.
Exam structure
Units
AP Precalculus covers 4 units. Open one for its topics, published weighting, and section-specific study tips.
Unit 1: Polynomial and Rational Functions
30–40%Unit 1 establishes the analytical vocabulary of the course: how quantities change in tandem, average rates of change, and the…
6 topics
Unit 2: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
25–40%Unit 2 develops proportional growth. Arithmetic and geometric sequences lead into linear and exponential models, composition and…
6 topics
Unit 3: Trigonometric and Polar Functions
30–35%Unit 3 covers periodic phenomena through the trigonometric functions and extends into polar coordinates. Sinusoidal modeling…
6 topics
Unit 4: Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, and Matrices
Unit 4 extends the course into parametric functions, implicitly defined relations, conic sections, vectors, and matrices. It is…
6 topics
Study strategies
How to work through this exam.
These strategies follow from the exam's own structure. Adapt them to the time you actually have each week.
- Concentrate exam preparation on Units 1 through 3, since Unit 4 is part of the course but is not assessed.
- Practice writing verbal descriptions of function behavior, because the free-response section scores explanation as well as computation.
- Work deliberately without a calculator, since the larger part of each section prohibits one and unit-circle and algebraic fluency carry that work.
- Rehearse translating between representations: table, graph, symbolic form, and verbal description of the same function.
- Build model-selection judgment by fitting linear, quadratic, and exponential models to the same data and arguing for one.
- Take at least one full timed exam so pacing across the four separately timed parts is settled before test day.
Common questions
AP Precalculus questions students ask.
How is the AP Precalculus Exam structured?
The exam runs 2 hours 55 minutes. Section I is 42 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 45 minutes for 62.5% of the score, split into a 29-question no-calculator part and a 13-question calculator part. Section II is 4 free-response questions in 1 hour 10 minutes for 37.5%, split into a 2-question calculator part and a 2-question no-calculator part. Confirm current numbers on the official exam page, since the format changed beginning with the May 2027 exam.
Is Unit 4 on the exam?
No. Unit 4, covering functions involving parameters, vectors, and matrices, is part of the course framework but is not assessed on the AP Exam. The exam assesses Units 1 through 3, which College Board describes as the content colleges typically expect for credit or placement.
Which units do students find most challenging?
College Board does not rank difficulty. Students most often report that the trigonometric and polar unit requires the most practice, particularly identities and describing polar behavior in words. Practice results are a better guide than any general ranking.
How is the exam scored?
The two sections combine in a 62.5 to 37.5 ratio into a composite score that is converted to the reported 1 to 5 scale using cut points set each year. Because AP Precalculus is a newer course, credit and placement policies vary considerably, so verify with the specific college.
When should students start exam-focused review?
A common approach is to review each unit as the class finishes it and to begin timed mixed practice roughly two months before the May exam, with extra attention to no-calculator fluency since it carries the larger part of each section.
Is Arcade Academy affiliated with College Board?
No. AP® is a registered trademark of College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this site. Arcade Academy is an independent educational resource.
Before you build the schedule
Exam structures change. Confirm the current format, eligibility, and policies with College Board before you commit to a study plan.
Official exam information opens in a new tabGuide structure last checked against official sources on August 30, 2026.
Markdown version of this guide for citation, offline reading, and language models.
Study AP Precalculus with a plan you can keep.
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