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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Charge to the Content Panels from the Parent Committee." National Research Council. 2002. Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10380.
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Such students typically have considerable difficulty later on as they proceed further into the subject matter.

MAA and NCTM recommend that all students taking calculus in secondary school who are performing satisfactorily in the course should expect to place out of the comparable college calculus course. Therefore, to verify appropriate placement upon entrance to college, students should either take one of the Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus Examinations of the College Board, or take a locally-administered college placement examination in calculus. Satisfactory performance on an AP examination carries with it college credit at most universities.

The second problem concerns preparation for the calculus course. MAA and NCTM recommend that students who enroll in a calculus course in secondary school should have demonstrated mastery of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and coordinate geometry. This means that students should have at least four full years of mathematical preparation beginning with the first course in algebra. The advanced topics in algebra, trigonometry, analytic geometry, complex numbers, and elementary functions studied in depth during the fourth year of preparation are critically important for students' latter courses in mathematics.

It is important to note that at present many well prepared students take calculus in the 12th grade, place out of the comparable course in college, and do well in succeeding college courses. Currently, the two most common methods for preparing students for a college-level calculus course in the 12th grade are to begin the first algebra course in the 8th grade or to require students to take second year algebra and geometry concurrently. Students beginning with algebra in the 9th grade, who take only one mathematics course each year in secondary school, should not expect to take calculus in the 12th grade. Instead, they should use the 12th grade to prepare themselves fully for calculus as freshmen in college.

We offer these recommendations in an attempt to strengthen the calculus program in secondary schools. They are not meant to discourage the teaching of college-level calculus in the 12th grade to strongly prepared students.

LYNN ARTHUR STEEN

President, Mathematical Association of America

JOHN A. DOSSEY

President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Charge to the Content Panels from the Parent Committee." National Research Council. 2002. Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10380.
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References

American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (1999). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.


Burton, N.W., Bruschi, B., Kindig, L., & Courtney, R. (2000). Draft interim report of Advanced Placement research project entitled: “Documentation and Evaluation of Advanced Placement Summer Institutes”: Advanced placementnew teacher needs study. New York: College Entrance Examination Board.


Campbell, P. (2000). International Baccalaureate Program. Presentation by Paul Campbell to the Committee on Programs for Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in American High Schools, March 26, Irvine, CA.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1987). Advanced Placement Course Description: Mathematics: Calculus AB, Calculus BC – May 1988 [acorn book]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1989). The Entire 1988 AP Calculus AB Examination and Key [released exam]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1992). Advanced Placement Course Description: Mathematics: Calculus AB, Calculus BC – May 1993, May 1994 [acorn book]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1993). 1993 AP Calculus AB: Free-Response Scoring Guide with Multiple-Choice Section [released exam]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1994). College and University Guide to the Advanced Placement Program. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1995). AP Mathematics: Calculus AB & BC -- Free-Response Questions 1995. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1996a). AP Calculus 1995 Free Response Questions. New York: Author

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Charge to the Content Panels from the Parent Committee." National Research Council. 2002. Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10380.
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College Entrance Examination Board. (1996b). Advanced Placement Course Description: Mathematics: Calculus AB, Calculus BC – May 1997 [acorn book]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1997a). AP Calculus 1996 Free Response Questions. New York: Author

College Entrance Examination Board. (1997b). Advanced Placement Course Description: Calculus: Calculus AB, Calculus BC – May 1998, May 1999 [acorn book]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1998a). Released Exams: 1997 AP Calculus AB and Calculus BC. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1998b). Released Exam: 1997 AP Statistics. New York: author.

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College Entrance Examination Board. (1999b). 1998 Released Exams: AP Calculus AB and Calculus BC. New York: Author

College Entrance Examination Board. (1999c). Advanced Placement Program Course Description: Statistics – May 1999, May 2000 [acorn book]. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1999d). 5-Year Set of Free-Response Questions, Calculus AB, Calculus BC: 1995-1999. New York: author.

College Entrance Examination Board. (1999e). Released Exams: 1998 AP Calculus AB and Calculus BC. New York: author.

Council of Chief State School Officers. (1999f). State Indicators of ssscience and mathematics 1999: State trends and new indicators from the 1997-1998 school year. Washington, DC: Author

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (1993). Group 5 Mathematics Guide – For examination from May 1995 onwards – Edition 1.2. Geneva, Switzerland: author.

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (1997). Mathematical Methods Standard Level. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (1998). IB Mathematics HL Diploma Programme Guide 1998. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (1998a). Teacher Support Material: Further Mathematics SL – The Portfolio. Geneva, Switzerland: author.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Charge to the Content Panels from the Parent Committee." National Research Council. 2002. Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10380.
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Page 51
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Charge to the Content Panels from the Parent Committee." National Research Council. 2002. Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10380.
×
Page 52
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Charge to the Content Panels from the Parent Committee." National Research Council. 2002. Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Mathematics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10380.
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