AP Statistics Quarter 1 Exam Study Guide
The Qtr 1 Exam will be Friday October 16 at 10:15 to 11:45. The actual AP Exam on Thursday May 13, 2021 at 12 noon has two sections: Multiple Choice (50%) and Free Response (50%). Section I is 40 multiple choice questions designed to be answered in 90 minutes. Section II part A is 5 questions designed to be answered in 65 minutes, and part B, a single question designed to be answered in 25 minutes.
The content of the Quarter 1 Exam includes everything from Chapter 4 to "Big Bird's Big Book of Numbers" (see the list of topics below). There will be 21 multiple choice questions (designed to be answered in 40 minutes), and 5 Free response questions (designed to be answered in 50 minutes).
You are provided a Formula Sheet that also has tables for the Normal, T, and Chi-Square distributions.
The College Board that administers the AP exam has this helpful passage about what should be included in a free response question:
Show all your work. Indicate clearly the methods you use, because you will be scored on the correctness of your methods as well as on the accuracy and completeness of your results and explanations.
Here is a check list of some major topics from the first few chapters:
- Chapter 1: Individuals, Categorical and Quatitive variables, distribution, center, spread, normal distribution, geometric distribution, histogram, stem plots, time plot, box plot symetric skewed outlier center spread and shape of a distribution, 5 number summary, mean, standard deviation, median, Q1, Q3, IQR (2016-1, 2015-1, 2013-6 2012-3a)
- Chapter 2: Density Curves and the
Normal Distribution
Inflection Points, percentile, z-score, transforming data, 68-95-99.7 Rule, Standard Normal N[0,1], z-scores (again), Calculations, Assessing Normality of a Distribution. (2009-2, 2013-3, 2011-1)
- Chapter 3: Scatterplots, Correlation, Regression Line (LSRL), r, r2, Residuals, Residual Plots, , Std Dev of the residual, Influential Observations, Lurking Variables (2016-6, 2015-5, 2014-6)
- Chapter 4: Experimental Units, confounding, random assignment and selection, double-blinding, block design, placebo effect, scope of inference, informed consent, confidentiality. (2016-3, 2015-6, 2014-4, 2013-2, 2011-3)
- Observational Studies topics including: The evil "Convenience Sample", The Statistical four-letter-word: bias, The wicked "Voluntary response Sample,"
The Golden "SRS" ( the vaccine against bias),
The use of the random digit table,
Stratified Random sample,
Cluster Sample, the bane of undercoverage and nonresponse (221-2) and the loathsome "Wording Bias"
- Experimental Design topics including Lurking Variables and Confounding,
Treatment Experimental Units and Subjects,
Random Assignment (rather than selection),
Completely Randomized Design,
Control, Random Assignment and Replication,
Double Blind and Statistical Significance,
Blocking,
Matched Pairs Design.
Review your work and note what you did well, correct your mistakes, and practice the topics you feel you haven't mastered.
Helpful Practice
I recommend going over old quizzes and tests to remind yourself of the questions you mastered and to master those you need to understand better.
Additionally, the following links have helpful review practice:
- Old Free Response Questions from Past Exams (and scoring guidelines)
- Chapter 1 Links
- Chapter 2 Links
- Chapter 3 Links
- Chapter 4 Links
- Google Classroom has solutions to all the study packets
- Khan Academy's AP Statistics Web site (Join QTXDRKT3 for Fr Chris' class)
- myAP.collegeboard.org AP Classroom XRZPVD
- Rossman Applets
- online practice from StatTrek
- Sample questions from DS Marketing
- Links from Mrs Daniels's AP Course
The exam is graded on a curve and represents 20% of your grade. Bring a calculator, a number 2 pencil and good eraser Finally, remember to go to bed at a descent hour so you are rested enough to think clearly, and have a healthy breakfast. Good luck!