United States · Credit by exam · College Board CLEP

CLEP Calculus prep and CLEP Precalculus prep

College Board offers two CLEP exams above college algebra: Calculus, which stands in for a one-semester college calculus course, and Precalculus, which tests readiness for one. Homeschool students use them to turn a strong senior year into credit, and adults use them to clear a math requirement they learned long ago. The two exams split their time between a calculator section and a no-calculator section, but in opposite orders. Here is what each one tests and how to prepare.

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In short

CLEP Calculus is a 44-question, roughly 90-minute College Board exam covering one semester of college calculus, about 60% limits and differential calculus and 40% integral calculus; ACE recommends 4 semester hours for a score of 50. CLEP Precalculus has about 48 questions in roughly 90 minutes, and ACE recommends 3 semester hours at 50. Modern Age Coders teaches both live online, 1-on-1 or in a 15 to 20 batch, through our AP Calculus course.

Credit-level calculus

Three courses for CLEP Calculus and Precalculus

The AP Calculus course carries the calculus content; AP Precalculus covers the other exam; the college course goes further.

AP Calculus AB & BC Exam Prep, Live Online, Score 5 Goal course thumbnail

CLE / 01

AP Calculus

Limits, derivatives and integrals: the CLEP Calculus content.

Open the syllabus →
AP Precalculus course thumbnail

CLE / 02

AP Precalculus

Functions, trigonometry and modeling for CLEP Precalculus.

Open the syllabus →
College Maths Course course thumbnail

CLE / 03

College math

Multivariable topics and linear algebra after Calculus I.

Open the syllabus →

CLEP Calculus

How many questions are on CLEP Calculus, and when can you use a calculator?

The content is "approximately 60% limits and differential calculus and 40% integral calculus", set as 44 questions over two sections in roughly an hour and a half. No calculator is allowed in the first section.

CLEP Calculus and CLEP Precalculus side by side (clep.collegeboard.org exam pages, read 31 October 2026)
FeatureCLEP CalculusCLEP Precalculus
LevelA one-semester college course in calculusReadiness for a first-semester calculus course
Questions44, in two sectionsApproximately 48, in two sections
TimeApproximately 90 minutesApproximately 90 minutes
Section 1About 27 questions, about 50 minutes, no calculator25 questions, about 50 minutes, graphing calculator allowed
Section 2About 17 questions, about 40 minutes, graphing calculator allowed23 questions, about 40 minutes, no calculator
CalculatorTI-84 Plus CE (non-CAS), built inTI-84 Plus CE (non-CAS), built in
Answer typesMultiple choiceMostly multiple choice, some numerical entry
ACE recommendationScore 50, 4 semester hoursScore 50, 3 semester hours (Introductory Precalculus)

Sources: CLEP Calculus and CLEP Precalculus, College Board.

How CLEP Calculus divides its questions by topic (from the College Board exam page)
TopicShareExamples from College Board's list
Limits10%Properties of limits; limits involving infinity; continuity
Differential calculus50%Definitions of the derivative; chain rule; implicit differentiation; derivatives of inverse functions including arcsin and arctan; Mean Value Theorem; L'Hospital's Rule; curve sketching; extreme values; related rates
Integral calculus40%Antiderivatives; substitution; y' = ky growth and decay; Riemann sums; the Fundamental Theorem; average value; area between curves

Intuition first

College Board says the exam "is primarily concerned with an intuitive understanding of calculus and experience with its methods and applications." About half the questions are routine technique; the other half test understanding of concepts and applications.

It also warns that "Knowledge of preparatory mathematics is assumed, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and analytic geometry." Weak trigonometry costs marks across the whole paper.

What the calculator is for

In Section 2 the built-in graphing calculator can numerically evaluate a definite integral, find zeros, intersections and extrema, and solve equations numerically. College Board adds that "Only some of the questions will require the use of the calculator."

Section 1 comes first and has no calculator, so derivatives, limits and antiderivatives by hand must be quick before test day.

CLEP Precalculus

What is on the CLEP Precalculus exam?

Functions, above all. College Board says "A large portion of the exam is devoted to testing a student's understanding of functions and their properties."

Weighting of CLEP Precalculus content areas, as College Board lists them (checked 31 October 2026)
TopicShare
Algebraic Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities20%
Functions: Concept, Properties, and Operations15%
Representations of Functions: Symbolic, Graphical, and Tabular30%
Analytic Geometry10%
Trigonometry and its Applications15%
Functions as Models10%

Trigonometry is bigger than it looks

The table gives trigonometry 15%, but College Board adds a note that it "permeates most of the major topics and accounts for more than 15% of the exam." By its estimate, roughly 30 to 40 percent of questions need right triangle trigonometry or the properties of the trigonometric functions.

For many adults returning to math, trigonometry is the most faded skill, so it deserves the biggest share of review time.

Which functions appear

College Board lists linear, quadratic, absolute value, square root, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric and piecewise-defined functions, presented "symbolically, graphically, verbally" and in tables.

Analytic geometry covers lines, circles, parabolas, ellipses and hyperbolas, which some Algebra 2 courses skip.

Note the reversed calculator order: on Precalculus the calculator section comes first, and the 23-question no-calculator section second. Students who sit both exams should rehearse each order separately.

Scores and credit

What CLEP Calculus score earns college credit?

ACE, the American Council on Education, suggests a 50 on either exam. Whether that earns credit, and how much, is up to your college.

The 20 to 80 scale

Each correct answer adds one raw point, and College Board turns the raw total into a reported score between 20 and 80. Blank and wrong answers score the same, zero, which means a guess never hurts.

For Calculus, ACE recommends 4 semester hours at a score of 50; for Introductory Precalculus, 3 semester hours at 50.

The college decides

Each exam page carries the same note: "Each institution reserves the right to set its own credit-granting policy, which may differ from the American Council on Education (ACE)."

Check whether your college gives Calculus I credit, elective credit or none, and whether a precalculus credit will count toward your degree at all.

  1. Pick the right exam. If your degree needs Calculus I, CLEP Calculus is the one that may replace it; CLEP Precalculus usually replaces a precalculus requirement.
  2. Read your college's CLEP policy. Note the score it requires and the course it maps the credit to.
  3. Take College Board's free sample questions untimed. Mark which topic each miss belongs to.
  4. Study by weight. For Calculus, differential calculus is half the exam; for Precalculus, representations of functions are 30%.
  5. Rehearse the section order. Calculus starts without a calculator; Precalculus starts with one.
  6. Book when ready. College Board says a candidate "may not retake an exam of the same title within three months of the test date."

Worked problems

Is the CLEP Calculus exam hard? Eight problems at its level

It is a full semester of calculus in 90 minutes, so fluency matters. These problems are ours, matched to College Board's topic list; they are not College Board sample questions.

Calculus, worked by us
TopicProblemReasoningResult
Limitslim as x goes to 2 of (x^2 - 4)/(x - 2)Factor: (x - 2)(x + 2)/(x - 2) = x + 2 near 24
Chain ruleDifferentiate sin(3x^2)Outer cos, times the inner derivative 6x6x cos(3x^2)
ImplicitSlope of x^2 + y^2 = 25 at (3, 4)2x + 2y y' = 0, so y' = -x/y-3/4
L'Hospitallim as x goes to 0 of (e^x - 1)/xForm 0/0; differentiate top and bottom: e^x / 11
Related ratesA circle's radius grows at 2 cm/s. How fast is the area growing when r = 5?dA/dt = 2 pi r dr/dt = 2 pi x 5 x 220 pi square cm per second
SubstitutionIntegral of 2x cos(x^2) dxLet u = x^2, du = 2x dxsin(x^2) + C
AreaArea between y = x and y = x^2 from 0 to 1Integral of (x - x^2) = 1/2 - 1/31/6
Growthy' = ky, y(0) = 100, and y doubles in 5 years. Find k.200 = 100e^(5k), so 5k = ln 2k = ln 2 / 5, about 0.139
Precalculus, worked by us
TopicProblemReasoningResult
Inverse functionsInverse of f(x) = 2 ln(x - 1)Swap and solve: x/2 = ln(y - 1), so y - 1 = e^(x/2)e^(x/2) + 1
Trig equationsSolve 2 sin x = 1 for 0 ≤ x < 2 pisin x = 1/2 in quadrants I and IIpi/6 and 5 pi/6
Analytic geometryDescribe x^2/9 + y^2/4 = 1Ellipse centered at the origin, a = 3 on the x-axis, b = 2Vertices (3, 0) and (-3, 0)
IdentitiesSimplify sin^2 x / (1 - cos x)sin^2 x = (1 - cos x)(1 + cos x)1 + cos x

College Board's notes for CLEP Calculus say that unless stated otherwise "all angles are measured in radians", and that ln x is the natural logarithm. Students who learned trigonometry in degrees should switch their practice to radians from the first week.

Practice and plans

Original CLEP Calculus and Precalculus practice, and two study plans

Twelve problems we wrote, eight for Calculus and four for Precalculus, then a plan for each exam.

Practice set written by us, answers in the last column
#ExamProblemAnswer
1Calculuslim as x goes to infinity of (3x^2 + 1)/(x^2 - 5)3
2CalculusDerivative of x^3 e^xe^x (x^3 + 3x^2)
3CalculusDerivative of arctan(2x)2/(1 + 4x^2)
4CalculusWhere is f(x) = x^3 - 3x decreasing?-1 < x < 1
5CalculusLinear approximation of the square root of 4.1 using x = 42.025
6CalculusIntegral of 1/x from 1 to e1
7CalculusAverage value of x^2 on [0, 3]3
8CalculusA particle has v(t) = 6t, s(0) = 2. Find s(t).3t^2 + 2
9PrecalculusDomain of g(x) = root(x - 4) / (x - 6)x ≥ 4, x not 6
10PrecalculusExact value of cos(2 pi / 3)-1/2
11PrecalculusSolve log base 3 of (x + 1) = 2x = 8
12PrecalculusCenter and radius of (x + 1)^2 + (y - 2)^2 = 16(-1, 2), radius 4
  1. CLEP Calculus, week 1: sample questions untimed, then limits, continuity and the limit definition of the derivative.
  2. Week 2: derivative rules, the chain rule, implicit differentiation and inverse trig derivatives, all without a calculator.
  3. Week 3: applications: curve sketching, extrema, the Mean Value Theorem, motion and related rates.
  4. Week 4: antiderivatives, substitution and y' = ky.
  5. Week 5: Riemann sums, the Fundamental Theorem, area and average value, plus TI-84 practice for numerical integrals.
  6. Week 6: two timed rehearsals: 27 questions in 50 minutes without a calculator, then 17 in 40 with one.
  1. CLEP Precalculus, week 1: algebra review and function concepts: domain, range, composition, inverses.
  2. Week 2: representations: reading and transforming graphs and tables of every listed function type.
  3. Week 3: trigonometry: the unit circle in radians, identities, equations and inverse trig functions.
  4. Week 4: analytic geometry and functions as models.
  5. Week 5: timed rehearsal in the exam's order: 25 questions with a calculator, then 23 without, including numerical-entry answers.

College Board's Calculus study-resources page points to free university courses and textbooks, with a caution that they were not written with CLEP in mind. Our plans track the exam's own topic weights, and the only official questions we use are College Board's free samples, untouched.

Which exam

Should you take CLEP Calculus or CLEP Precalculus?

It depends on the course your degree needs and what you already know. Our guide below; your college's policy has the final word.

Choosing between the two exams (our guidance)
Your situationUsually the better fit
Degree requires Calculus I; you finished a calculus courseCLEP Calculus
Degree requires precalculus or college algebra and trigonometryCLEP Precalculus
You finished precalculus but never studied calculusCLEP Precalculus now, Calculus later
You took AP Calculus but scored below your college's cutCheck whether the college accepts a CLEP Calculus score instead

For homeschool families

A full calculus year followed by six weeks of CLEP review is a realistic route. Check two or three target colleges' policies before the year starts.

Some colleges limit credit if a student has already attempted a similar college course, so plan the order.

For adult learners

Precalculus is often the safer first exam for adults away from math for years; it rebuilds trigonometry and functions that calculus assumes.

Remember the three-month wait before retaking the same exam title.

The catalogue

Math courses from precalculus to college calculus

Live courses for credit-by-exam candidates and for the math beyond.

I

Before calculus

Functions and trigonometry

CLE / P / 03

Placement and CLEP algebra

Including CLEP College Algebra.

Open the syllabus
II

Calculus

Credit level
III

After the credit

Applied math

How lessons run

Calculus lessons around a test date

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekdays

Daytime for homeschoolers, evening for adults.

Weekends

Timed section rehearsals.

1-on-1

Paced to your booked exam date.

By topic weight

Differential calculus gets half the time.

No-calculator speed

Hand techniques drilled first.

TI-84 fluency

Numerical integrals and zeros.

Radians always

As the exam assumes.

Concepts explained

For the nonroutine half.

Batch or private

Fifteen to twenty, or one learner.

Student work

Work from our students

Some learners model motion and growth in code after calculus. See student labs.

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Questions learners ask

CLEP Calculus and Precalculus: common questions

How many questions are on CLEP Calculus?

College Board says 44 questions in two sections, answered in approximately 90 minutes: about 27 questions in about 50 minutes without a calculator, then about 17 in about 40 minutes with a built-in graphing calculator.

Is the CLEP Calculus exam hard?

It packs a semester of college calculus into one sitting, with roughly equal routine and concept questions. Learners who have completed a calculus class and then review by topic usually cope; rusty trigonometry and algebra cause most trouble.

How many credits is CLEP Calculus worth?

The ACE guideline is 4 semester hours at a score of 50. Colleges are free to award more, fewer or none, and to set a different cut score, so read the CLEP page of yours.

How many credits is CLEP Precalculus worth?

Under the name Introductory Precalculus, ACE suggests 3 semester hours at 50. Whether those hours count toward your degree is a question for your college.

Is a calculator allowed on CLEP Precalculus?

Only in the first section. College Board says Section 1 has 25 questions with a TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator built in, and Section 2 has 23 questions with no calculator.

What topics are on CLEP Precalculus?

Algebraic expressions, equations and inequalities (20%), functions (15%), representations of functions (30%), analytic geometry (10%), trigonometry (15%) and functions as models (10%). College Board notes that trigonometry runs through most topics.

What is a passing score on CLEP Calculus?

CLEP does not pass or fail anyone. You get a reported score between 20 and 80, ACE treats 50 as the credit line, and your college may choose another number.

What is the best prep book for CLEP Calculus?

College Board sells an official CLEP Calculus Examination Guide and lists free study resources, while noting that none of those resources are designed specifically for CLEP. Our lessons follow the official content outline, using problems our teachers write.

When are your CLEP classes?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Are you connected with College Board?

No. Modern Age Coders is independent of College Board and CLEP. We teach the published content and direct you to College Board's own free sample questions.

Elsewhere on this site

Related pages

More pages for credit-by-exam candidates and calculus students.

CLEP College Algebra prep

The CLEP exam one step below.

Calculus tutoring

Ongoing calculus help.

Precalculus tutoring

Functions and trigonometry.

AP Calculus tutoring

The exam-based alternative.

Trigonometry tutoring

Radians and identities.

Homeschool math

Planning toward CLEP credit.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: US math placement and college readiness tests

College placement and credit

School placement and growth tests

High school math courses

PSAT and PreACT

More guides: US state math tests by state · US gifted and selective school tests · Homeschool and school math curricula guide · US math and coding competitions guide

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