Exam Strategy
Readiness Check
You are ready when you can:
- Spot a periodic story and sketch one cycle.
- Extend a cycle to a longer graph.
- Find the smallest period from a graph, table, or description.
- Transfer features from one period to another.
On the AP Exam
- MCQ: choose period; identify which graph matches a verbal cycle; pick a repeating feature.
- FRQ: construct a graph from a description; estimate period; describe characteristics (skills 2.B, 3.A).
- Later Unit 3 topics build sinusoids on this foundation.
Tactics
1. Underline the repeat interval in the story. 2. Draw one clear cycle with scale. 3. Copy the cycle; check endpoints match for continuity of the pattern. 4. Verify smallest $k$: check $k/2$ fails if relevant. 5. Name at least one repeating feature (max, min, increase interval).
Common Traps
- Reporting a multiple of the period.
- Changing the shape when extending cycles.
- Missing equal-length requirement.
- Over-focusing on sine formulas too early.
Quick Checklist
- [ ] Periodic criterion stated
- [ ] One cycle accurate
- [ ] Extension matches
- [ ] Smallest $k$ justified
- [ ] Feature recurrence noted