The AP Precalculus exam consists of two main sections that contribute equally to your final composite score of 100 points. Understanding the weighting can help you focus your study efforts effectively.
1. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
The MCQ section contains 40 questions. This accounts for 50% of your total score. Each correct answer is multiplied by 1.25 to calculate your weighted MCQ score (Max 50 points).
Part A: 30 questions (60 minutes, no calculator).
Part B: 10 questions (30 minutes, graphing calculator required).
2. Free Response Questions (FRQ)
The FRQ section consists of 4 questions, each worth 6 raw points. This section accounts for the remaining 50% of your score. The total raw FRQ score (out of 24) is multiplied by approximately 2.0833 to reach the 50-point weighting.
Score Boundaries (Estimated)
While the College Board adjusts the "curve" every year, the following distribution is a typical estimate for AP Precalculus:
AP Score
Composite Range (0-100)
Performance
5
72 – 100
Extremely Well Qualified
4
58 – 71
Well Qualified
3
43 – 57
Qualified
2
28 – 42
Possibly Qualified
1
0 – 27
No Recommendation
Real-World Example Calculation
Let's say a student performs as follows:
MCQ: 30 correct out of 40. (30 x 1.25 = 37.5)
FRQs: Scores 4, 3, 5, and 2. Total raw = 14. (14 x 2.0833 = 29.17)
Composite Score: 37.5 + 29.17 = 66.67
Predicted AP Grade:4
function calculateAPScore() {
// Get values
var mcqRaw = parseFloat(document.getElementById('mcq_score').value) || 0;
var f1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq1').value) || 0;
var f2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq2').value) || 0;
var f3 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq3').value) || 0;
var f4 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq4').value) || 0;
// Validate ranges
if (mcqRaw > 40) mcqRaw = 40;
if (f1 > 6) f1 = 6;
if (f2 > 6) f2 = 6;
if (f3 > 6) f3 = 6;
if (f4 > 6) f4 = 6;
// Calculation logic
// Each section is 50% of the grade.
// Total points 100.
// MCQ Weight: 40 * 1.25 = 50
// FRQ Weight: 24 * 2.0833 = 50
var mcqWeighted = mcqRaw * 1.25;
var frqTotalRaw = f1 + f2 + f3 + f4;
var frqWeighted = frqTotalRaw * 2.08333333333;
var compositeScore = Math.round(mcqWeighted + frqWeighted);
// Boundary checks
var grade = 1;
var msg = "";
if (compositeScore >= 72) {
grade = 5;
msg = "Excellent work! You are on track for a 5.";
} else if (compositeScore >= 58) {
grade = 4;
msg = "Great job! This score typically earns college credit.";
} else if (compositeScore >= 43) {
grade = 3;
msg = "You've passed! Most colleges accept a score of 3 or higher.";
} else if (compositeScore >= 28) {
grade = 2;
msg = "Close! Review your weak areas in the FRQs to reach a 3.";
} else {
grade = 1;
msg = "Keep studying! Focus on the fundamental functions and trigonometry.";
}
// Update UI
document.getElementById('ap_grade_display').innerHTML = grade;
document.getElementById('composite_score_display').innerHTML = compositeScore;
document.getElementById('score_message').innerHTML = msg;
document.getElementById('results_box').style.display = 'block';
// Scroll to results
document.getElementById('results_box').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}