• Students who took the Calculus BC exam receive credit for
  • MATH 1311 Calculus I and MATH 1312 Calculus II if they received a BC score of 4 or 5;
  • MATH 1311 Calculus I if they received a BC score of 3 or less and an AB sub-score of 4 or 5.
• Students who took the Calculus AB exam receive credit for
  • MATH 1311 Calculus I if they received a score of 4 or 5.

The Mathematics Assessment is a timed (30 minutes), multiple choice test of basic arithmetic, algebra and pre-calculus skills. It consists of 25 questions related to the basic concept of function and to the most essential examples of them: polynomials, exponential and logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. The email you received earlier this summer from our University’s Office of Academic Affairs included a file with examples of questions like those on the assessment.

Here is what you need to do to take the assessment (feel free to print this page in case you want to refer to it later):

Our department’s online assessment system has been optimized for use with Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher. Once you are ready, proceed as follows:

• Step 1: to login to our assessment system, click on the link at the bottom of this page
• Step 2: your username is your last name (alphabetical characters only - no apostrophes or dashes)
• Step 3: your password is your 7-digit Trinity ID (it was included in the email from Trinity’s office of Academic Affairs)

Upon successful login, the main page of our assessment system will load. It should have your name near the top and two buttons near the bottom, one labeled “Mathematics Assessment” the other “Calculus Placement.”

• Step 4: Click on the button labeled “Mathematics Assessment” (This will open the assessment page. IMPORTANT: The clock begins to run immediately, so do not click on this button until you are ready to devote the next 30 minutes to completion of the test. There is a timer at the top of the assessment page)

On the right half of that page you will see a virtual Scantron form similar to the paper ones you have seen before during standardized tests like the SAT. As in those exams, you will provide your answers on that form. To see the statement of a problem, please click on the number for that problem on the Scantron form. The problem will appear on the left side of the screen. When you have answered all questions, please make sure you click on the button labeled “Finish” at the end of the Scantron form. (Please answer all questions; when unsure, guess.) You may find it useful to do scratch work as you complete the assessment. To that purpose, please make sure before you start that you have pencils and an adequate supply of blank paper.

IMPORTANT: You can take this test only once. After you have completed it, the system will no longer allow you to take it again.

If you encounter any problems, please email us at math@trinity.edu. Moreover, if you have a disability and will need accommodations for the Mathematics Assessment, please contact the Coordinator of Disabilities at 210-999-7411 as soon as possible for instructions. More information can be found at www.trinity.edu/dss.

Have fun! And don’t worry---the assessment serves only as a tool for us to match you to the course best suited to you. Your advisors will inform you of the results of the assessment during orientation.

Note to students who do not have AP Calculus credit but who have taken high school Calculus and are hoping to skip our Calculus I course and go directly to our Calculus II course: After completing the Mathematics Assessment you have the opportunity to take our Calculus Placement exam. The results of this exam enable our department to place you at the appropriate level in our Calculus sequence. This Calculus Placement is a timed (30-minute), 15 multiple-choice question test of your understanding of the fundamental notions of Calculus. It can be accessed by clicking on the button labeled “Calculus Placement” after login to the online system You do not need to take it immediately after taking the Mathematics Assessment; you may return to our online assessment system at any subsequent time to take this test. Examples of questions like those in this test were also included in the mail package from our office of academic affairs.