Calculus Placement Test

Calculus Placement Test

Overview

Calculus is an important course for many students, but it can be a very challenging course. It requires hard work and commitment for the entire semester. But hard work cannot make up for inadequate preparation.

Calculus, like most of mathematics, is a cumulative discipline; each new idea depends on a thorough understanding of the preceding material. This is true all through the Calculus sequence, including the very beginning: Students who do not have a solid background in algebra and trigonometry will have serious trouble in Calculus. The Placement Test is designed to identify such students, and it has proved to be quite accurate.

Students who do not pass this test are unlikely to succeed in Calculus. To ensure greater student success in the calculus classroom all students who want to take Math 220, Math 223 (Intro to Calculus), or Math 224 (Differential Calculus) are required to take the placement exam. Their score on the test will determine whether they are allowed to take these courses. If a student's score is not high enough to take Math 220, Math 223, or Math 224 then they encouraged to take our Precalculus course (Math 108) to improve their background in algebra and trigonometry. Students who do so have a much better chance of success in Math 220, Math 223, or Math 224.

Test format

There are two versions of the test, one for students registering for Business Calculus (Math 220) and one for students registering for Calculus (Math 223 or Math 224).

Please make sure to take the correct placement exam for the course you will be taking at your appointment. You have an hour to take the test. It is administered by computer, under supervision. The questions are all multiple choice. Students may use pencil and paper for scratch work, but may not use calculators of any kind. When the student completes the exam, the exam score will appear on the computer screen.

The test has 33 questions. Each correct answer on the test counts as one point. The passing grade is currently 26 for Math 220 and Math 224, and 23 for Math 223.

For all three courses, an adequate score on a Placement Test is an absolute requirement. You may register for a course before passing a Placement Test, but, at the end of the first week of classes, all students who have not fulfilled the Placement Test requirement will be disenrolled. In that case you are encouraged to take our Precalculus course (Math 108) to improve your background in algebra and trigonometry. Students who do so have a much better chance of success in Math 220, Math 223, or Math 224.

If you have a disability with documented accommodations from the Services for Students with Disabilities office and have contacted SSD and received permission for an alternate exam then select the 鈥淎ccommodated Students鈥 option when registering for your exam here. Only those students will be granted access to an extended time exam.

Test topics

The topics covered on the test are standard topics in precalculus mathematics, and, at a minimum, will include:

  • Algebraic operations with fractions, radicals, and exponents.
  • Manipulation, graphs, and solutions of linear and quadratic equations.
  • Simple geometry, including circles and triangles.
  • Basic trigonometry, including fundamental identities of trigonometric functions.
  • Inequalities, including those involving absolute value expressions.
  • Functions; including composite functions, piecewise functions, and graphs of transformations of functions.
  • Exponential and Logarithmic functions and their properties.
  • Factoring and division of polynomials.

Most standard precalculus texts cover this material in great detail, and students should find such a text and use it for review. Notice that calculators are not permitted during the test (and, indeed, calculators are prohibited in almost all mathematics tests at Binghamton). Therefore a precalculus text that places heavy emphasis on calculator use will not be a good review text for this test.

Schedule

You have up to two tries on the Placement Test during any three month period, and you can take at most 1 exam per day. We keep your highest score. If you took and passed the Calculus Placement Test when it was offered for the previous semester then you do not need to take it again.

  • The Placement Test Schedule

    For Enrollment in Calculus I
    The placement test will be given to students intending to take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 as indicated below:

    This test must be taken and passed by all students planning to take these courses. There are NO exceptions. A placement test taken and passed at Binghamton within the past year before your first day of class will still count. It does not have to be taken again.

    You can take the Placement Exam after you register for your course. However, you must pass the test to be allowed to actually take the course.

    The box below gives the next round of scheduling for the Placement Test for students intending to take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220.

    The Placement Exam is offered online for free May 18-29 and June 1-12. Registration to take it will be available online sometime mid April, just click on the link below to register yourself.

    There are two versions of the test: One, for students intending to take Math 220 and the other for students intending to take Math 223 or Math 224. Please make sure to take the test designated for the course you will be taking. You can inform the proctor at your appointment which exam you need to take.

    Click here to make an appointment to take the Placement Exam.

    DO NOT LEAVE THIS EXAM TO THE LAST MINUTE.

    You will receive your score as soon as you submit your answers. If you fail the test you can take it again on a different day. Since the test can be repeated, nothing is lost by taking it at the earliest possible time.

Questions and Answers

If you enroll in Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 and haven't taken Math 108, the Mathematics Needed for Calculus Workshop, nor scored at least a 3 on the Precalculus AP Exam, then yes, you must pass the calculus placement test. The placement test is not required for other math courses. You must have passed the test before the end of the first week of classes. There are no exceptions.

If you have other questions, see below.

  • The Calculus Placement Test FAQs

    Do I have to take it?
    Answer: Yes! You must take the placement test, and pass it, if you want to take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220. The only exceptions are if you already received a grade of a 鈥淐-鈥 or better in Math 223, have received credit for taking Math 224/220, or received a grade of a 鈥淐鈥 or better in Math 108 within the past year.

    I've never heard of the Placement Test before. Is it new?
    Answer: No. Similar tests are used at many schools across the country. The Binghamton Mathematics Department has been using this Placement Test for many years.

    I haven't taken (or I failed) the Placement Test. What will happen if I register online for Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220?
    Answer: The Banner system will accept your registration before the first week of classes. However, you will be dropped from the class list at the end of the first week of classes.

    I failed the Placement Test. Can I retake it?
    Answer: You can take the Placement Test up to two times in any three-month period, but no more than three times for any one semester. If you are having difficulty passing, we strongly recommend that you take Math 108 to improve your precalculus skills.

    How do I register to take the test?
    Answer: I link to register for the test will eventually be located on the Placement Test Schedule page when the schedule is ready. Click here to view the placement test schedule.

    When should I take a Placement Test?
    Answer: We encourage you to take the test early in the testing period before the semester in which you plan to take Calculus. This will let you know early whether you are prepared for the class. If you don't pass on your first try, or even if you pass but with a low passing score, you should consider taking a Precalculus course or getting other remediation before the semester starts.

    I have a score of X on the Self-evaluation Test. Do I need to take the Placement Test?
    Answer: All students who want to take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 must pass the Placement Test.

    I have a score of 4 on the AP Calculus AB exam. Do I need to take the Placement Test?
    Answer: No, you do not. We now accept a score of 4 or higher as a prerequisite to take calculus.

    If your AP score satisfies the University's requirements for Math 224/225 credit then you will be given credit for Math 224/225 and you may not take Math 224/225 for credit, so you do not need to take the Placement Test. The University policies for AP credit are different for the different schools of the University, so you should contact your school for the policies that apply to you.

    If you do not yet know your AP score then you need to make a decision: Either take the Placement Test during the summer or wait until the end of the summer and take the Placement Test only if your AP score does not meet the University's requirements for Math 224/225 credit. The advantage to taking the Placement Test during May/June or early summer is that you can register for Math 224 if you pass (it is easier to drop a course later than to add one) and you can retake the test at the end of the summer if you fail.

    I took Calculus I at another school. Do I need to take the Placement Test?
    Answer: All students who want to take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 must pass the Placement Test.

    Of course, if you receive transfer credit from the University for Math 224/225 then you may not take Math 224/225 for credit. In this case you do not need to take the Placement Test (unless you want to retake Math 224/225 for zero credit).

    The Mathematics Department is not involved in the determination of transfer credit; such decisions are made by the advising offices in the different schools of the University. Look here for details.

    If you do not yet know whether you will receive transfer credit for Math 224/225 then you need to make a decision: Either take the Placement Test during the summer or wait until the end of the summer and take the Placement Test only if you do not receive transfer credit for Math 224/225. The advantage to taking the Placement Test during early summer is that you can register for Math 224 if you pass (it is easier to drop a course later than to add one) and you can retake the test at the end of the summer if you fail.

    I have transfer credit for Math 108 for a course that I took at another school. Do I need to take the Placement Test?
    Answer: Yes, you need to take the Placement Test. All students who want to take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 must pass the Placement Test. If you took Math 108 at Binghamton University and received a grade of a 鈥淐鈥 or better, then you do not need to take the Placement Exam if you took our course within the past year.

    I have transfer credit for Math 108 for a course that I took in high school or at another school, but I failed the Placement Test. What should I do?
    Answer: There is wide variation in precalculus courses at other schools, and many such courses are not adequate preparation for our Calculus courses. The University cannot evaluate whether such courses are suitable as preparation for Calculus, and usually grants transfer credit for Math 108 based on very general criteria. You should talk to your academic advisor and ask to have the transfer credit for Math 108 converted to 鈥済eneral math鈥 transfer credit, so you can enroll in Math 108.

    I passed Math 108 but I failed the Placement Test. What should I do?
    You can't take Math 108 again for credit, so you should make an appointment with the Coordinator for Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 to discuss your options.
    Answer: If taking a Precalculus course is not an option, one online option for reviewing Precalculus is . This is an automated system to pinpoint your weaknesses and get appropriate review questions. Keep in mind that ALEKS is a tool for review, not a teacher. If you need help understanding the material, then you need a Precalculus class, or at least a tutor.

    Even if you pass a Placement Test with a low passing grade, you might want to consider strengthening your Precalculus skills before going into Calculus. Algebra, geometry, and trigonometry get used nonstop in Calculus, and getting thoroughly comfortable with these topics will pay off enormously.

    I failed the Placement Test. Will I be able to take Math 224, Math 223 or Math 220 in a later semester?
    Answer: We will give the Placement Test before each semester; you need to pass it before you can take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220. The best way to improve your score on the Placement Test is to take our Precalculus course, Math 108.

    I passed the Placement Test but I will not take Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 next semester. Do I have to take the Placement Test again if I want to take these courses in a later semester?
    Answer: Mathematical skills deteriorate rapidly with disuse. Your placement test score will be accepted as prerequisite for Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 for the semester of the test and for the following semester, but after that you must pass it again.

    More precisely: If you take and pass a placement test in the May-September period then that test is for the Fall semester, and it will also be valid for the following Spring. If you take and pass a placement test in the November-February period then that test is for the Spring semester, and it will also be valid for the following Fall.

    Is the Placement Test a prerequisite for Math 220?
    Answer: Yes.

    Is the Placement Test a prerequisite for Math 224, Math 223, or Math 220 in the Summer and Winter Session?
    Answer: Yes.

    I am retaking Math 220, Math 223, or Math 224 for a better grade. Do I need to retake the placement exam?
    Answer: If your grade was C- or better in Math 220, Math 223, or Math 224, you can skip the placement exam. Otherwise, you need to retake it.