Multiple Choice Tips & Tricks

AP Calculus · Axiom Academy

LESSON Multiple Choice Tips & Tricks Strategies to maximize your score on 30 MC questions 30 multiple choice questions worth 45 points total. You have 75 minutes (Part A: 30 min for 15 questions, Part B: 45 min for 15 questions). That's roughly 2-3 minutes per question. Unlike FRQs where you show work, MC questions test your ability to identify the correct answer among four plausible options. This is a different skill. Don't skim. The answer choices are designed to catch careless readers. Watch for negatives ("not", "except"), absolute values, and domain restrictions. Part A has 15 questions in 30 min (2 min each). If you're stuck after 90 seconds, guess and move on. Don't let one hard question tank your time. Scan all questions. Do the ones you're confident about first. This builds momentum and confidence. You don't need exact answers. Often you can estimate or rule out obviously wrong options. This narrows down choices quickly. Eliminate Clearly Wrong Answers If you're unsure, cross out answers that can't be right. Wrong sign? Wrong magnitude? Impossible domain? Eliminate it. Use Your Calculator Strategically In Part B, use your calculator to verify answers or test values. Don't do it for every question; that wastes time. ❌ Trap 1: The "Antiderivative Confusion" A question asks for F'(x), and one answer is the antiderivative instead of the derivative. Always double-check what you're finding.

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