AP Calculus AB FRQ six questions that decide half your score.
Section II of the AP Calculus AB exam is six free-response questions worth 50% of your score. Two allow a graphing calculator, four do not. Here is the exact format, how the nine-point rubric works, and where students leave points on the table.
The format at a glance
Section II of the AP Calculus AB exam is the free-response section: six questions in 90 minutes, worth half of your total score. It splits into two parts with different calculator rules.
What each question tests
The six questions sample the whole course rather than one unit. Expect rates of change and related rates, accumulation with definite integrals, area and volume, a separable differential equation, particle motion along a line, and at least one question built on a table or a graph instead of a clean formula. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus shows up constantly, often hidden inside another task.
How the rubric scores points
Each question is carved into point-earning pieces, usually nine in total. A reader awards them one at a time, so a single arithmetic slip rarely sinks a whole question. On the Part A calculator questions you still have to write the mathematical setup, such as the definite integral, before the numeric answer; a number with no expression behind it earns little. When a question asks you to justify, the rubric is looking for the sign of a derivative or a specific theorem named, not a sentence of intuition.
Where students lose points
How to practice
The best material is free: work through the College Board released Calculus AB free-response questions, then grade yourself against the official scoring guidelines so you see exactly where each point lives. Time Part A and Part B separately so the calculator habit and the no-calculator habit both feel normal. When you have a raw count, run it through the AP Calculus AB score calculator to see what it would mean as a 1–5.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers — written by humans, not a chatbot.
How many FRQs are on the AP Calculus AB exam?
Six. They make up Section II, run for 90 minutes total, and count for half of your overall score.
Can I use a calculator on the Calc AB FRQ?
On Part A only, which is two questions in 30 minutes with a graphing calculator required. Part B is four questions in 60 minutes with no calculator.
How many points is each Calc AB FRQ worth?
Most are scored out of 9 points, awarded part by part against a public rubric, so partial credit matters a lot.