AP®︎ Calculus BC Unit 5: Notes & Study Guide

Prepare for your quiz, test, or the AP exam with a comprehensive review on Unit 5 of AP Calculus BC – Analytical Applications of Differentiation.

Exam weight: 8%–11%
12 Topics

Unit 5: Analytical Applications of Differentiation

Analyze functions using derivatives and solve optimization and graph-analysis problems.

Begin with Topic 5.1: Using the Mean Value Theo...

To review Unit 5, go through each of the 12 topics below.

Everything you actually need to know for your Unit 5 test, pulled directly from the AP® Calculus BC curriculum.

Topic 5.1
~5 min
Review
Using the Mean Value Theorem
Using the Mean Value Theorem
  • 1 Using the Mean Value Theorem
  • The Mean Value Theorem
  • What the Conditions Actually Mean
Review
Topic 5.2
~6 min
Review
Extreme Value Theorem, Global Versus Local Extrema, and Critical Points
Extreme Value Theorem, Global Versus Local Extrema, and Critical Points
  • The Extreme Value Theorem
  • Global vs Local Extrema
  • Critical Points
Review
Topic 5.3
~6 min
Review
Determining Intervals on Which a Function Is Increasing or Decreasing
Determining Intervals on Which a Function Is Increasing or Decreasing
  • How the First Derivative Controls Increasing and Decreasing
  • Critical Numbers and Where Behavior Can Change
  • The Sign Chart Method
Review
Topic 5.4
~5 min
Review
Using the First Derivative Test to Determine Relative (Local) Extrema
Using the First Derivative Test to Determine Relative (Local) Extrema
  • What the First Derivative Test Says
  • The Process in Action
  • Multiplicity and Factored Derivatives
Review
Topic 5.5
~5 min
Review
Using the Candidates Test to Determine Absolute (Global) Extrema
Using the Candidates Test to Determine Absolute (Global) Extrema
  • What Absolute Extrema Are
  • The Candidates Test
  • Why Only Critical Points or Endpoints?
Review
Topic 5.6
~6 min
Review
Determining Concavity of Functions over Their Domains
Determining Concavity of Functions over Their Domains
  • Concavity and the Behavior of the First Derivative
  • Using the Second Derivative to Find Intervals of Concavity
  • Concavity at a Specific Point
Review
Topic 5.7
~5 min
Review
Using the Second Derivative Test to Determine Extrema
Using the Second Derivative Test to Determine Extrema
  • What the Second Derivative Test Says
  • How to Use the Second Derivative Test
  • When the Test Is Inconclusive
Review
Topic 5.8
~6 min
Review
Sketching Graphs of Functions and Their Derivatives
Sketching Graphs of Functions and Their Derivatives
  • How derivatives determine the shape of a graph
  • The full graph sketching process
  • Moving between \( f \), \( f' \), and \( f'' \)
Review
Topic 5.9
~5 min
Review
Connecting a Function, Its First Derivative, and Its Second Derivative
Connecting a Function, Its First Derivative, and Its Second Derivative
  • How f, f′, and f″ Are Connected
  • What Each Derivative Tells You About the Graph
  • The Big Structural Connections
Review
Topic 5.10
~6 min
Review
Introduction to Optimization Problems
Introduction to Optimization Problems
  • What an Optimization Problem Is
  • The Optimization Strategy
  • Common Optimization Types
Review
Topic 5.11
~6 min
Review
Solving Optimization Problems
Solving Optimization Problems
  • What an Optimization Problem Is
  • The Full Optimization Strategy
  • Common Structures of Optimization Problems
Review
Topic 5.12
~5 min
Review
Exploring Behaviors of Implicit Relations
Exploring Behaviors of Implicit Relations
  • What an Implicit Relation Is and How We Differentiate It
  • Critical Points of an Implicit Relation
  • Classifying Critical Points Using the First Derivative
Review

Notes

1 credit used · 5/5 remaining