AP® Precalculus 2024 Scoring Guidelines

Question 2: Modeling a Non-Periodic Context

Part A: Graphing calculator required 6 points

On the initial day of sales ( t = 0 ) for a new video game, there were 40 thousand units of the game sold that
day. Ninety-one days later ( t = 91 ), there were 76 thousand units of the game sold that day.

The number of units of the video game sold on a given day can be modeled by the function G given by
G( t ) =
a + b ln ( t + 1) , where G ( t ) is the number of units sold, in thousands, on day t since the initial day of
sales.

Model Solution Scoring

(A) (i) Use the given data to write two equations that can be used to find the values for constants a and b in
the expression for G ( t ) .
(ii) Find the values for a and b as decimal approximations.

(i) Because G ( 0 ) = 40 and G ( 91) = 76 , two Two equations 1 point

equations to find a and b are
a + b ln ( 0 + 1) =40
a + b ln ( 91 + 1) =76 .
(ii) a = 40 − b ln 1 =40 Values of a and b 1 point
( 76 − 40 )
= b = 7.961451
ln 92
G( t ) = 40 + 7.961ln ( t + 1)

General Scoring Notes for Question 2 Parts (A), (B), and (C):
• Decimal approximations must be correct to three places after the decimal point by rounding or
truncating. Decimal values of 0 in final digits need not be reported ( 2.000
= 2.00 = 2.0 = 2 ).
• A decimal presentation error occurs when a response is complete and correct, but the answer is
reported to fewer digits than required.
• The first decimal presentation error in Question 2 does not earn the point. For each additional part of
Question 2 that requires a decimal approximation and contains a decimal presentation error, the
response is eligible to earn the point.
Scoring notes:
• The first point is earned for presenting two equations involving a and b that use the given input-output
pairs.
• The second point is earned for correct values of a and b with or without supporting work. If correct
values are identified, work should be ignored.
• The second point is earned for correct values of a and b presented as either stand-alone values OR in
an expression for G ( t ) .
• A response is eligible to earn both points with a correct translation to “thousands.” Use of 40,000 and
76,000 results in values of a = 40,000 and b = 7961 .
• A response that does not earn either point in Part (A) is eligible for partial credit in Part (A) if the
response has one correct equation in the presence of two equations involving a and b AND one correct
value. Partial credit response is scored 1-0 in Part (A).

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 AP® Precalculus 2024 Scoring Guidelines

(B) (i) Use the given data to find the average rate of change of the number of units of the video game sold, in
thousands per day, from t = 0 to t = 91 days. Express your answer as a decimal approximation. Show
the computations that lead to your answer.
(ii) Use the average rate of change found in (i) to estimate the number of units of the video game sold, in
thousands, on day t = 50 . Show the work that leads to your answer.
(iii) Let At represent the estimate of the number of units of the video game sold, in thousands, using the
average rate of change found in (i). For A50 , found in (ii), it can be shown that A50 < G ( 50 ) . Explain
why, in general, At < G ( t ) for all t , where 0 < t < 91 .

G ( 91) − G ( 0 ) ( 76 − 40 ) Average rate of change 1 point

(i) = = 0.395604
91 − 0 91
The average rate of change is 0.396 (or 0.395 )
thousand units per day.
(ii) The average rate of change is Estimate using average rate of 1 point
G ( 91) − G ( 0 ) change
= r = 0.395604 .
91 − 0
The secant line between point ( 0, G ( 0 ) ) and point
( 91, G ( 91) ) is given by y =y1 + r ( x − x1 ) , where
( x1, y1 ) can be either one of the points.

Estimates using the average rate of change are

given by
y = G( 0) + r ( t − 0)
OR
y= G ( 91) + r ( t − 91) .
Both of these produce the same estimate.

For t = 50 ,
y = 40 + r ( 50 − 0 ) = 59.780
OR
y = 76 + r ( 50 − 91) = 59.780 .

The number of units sold on day t = 50 was

approximately 59.780 thousand.
(iii) The estimate At is the y -coordinate of a point on Answer with explanation 1 point
the secant line that passes through ( 0, G ( 0 ) ) and
( 91, G ( 91) ) . Because the graph of G is concave
down on the interval ( 0, 91) , this secant line is
below the graph of G on the interval ( 0, 91) .
Therefore, the estimate At is less than the value of
G ( t ) for all t on the interval ( 0, 91) .

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AP® Precalculus 2024 Scoring Guidelines

Scoring notes:
• Supporting work is required in (i) and (ii).
• The first point is earned for a correct decimal approximation in the presence of a quotient that uses the
given data values. Units are not needed and are ignored if presented.
• Eligibility for the second point:
o If a response earned the point in (i) without a decimal presentation error, then an estimate in
the range [59.750, 59.805] earns the second point in the presence of supporting work.
o If a response in (i) has a decimal presentation error, the reported value in (i) as the average rate
of change can be used to arrive at an estimate in (ii). To earn the second point, the estimate in
(ii) must be consistent with both the reported value in (i) and the endpoint used in the
supporting work in (ii).
o If a response in (i) is incorrect, the reported value in (i) as the average rate of change can be
used to arrive at an estimate in (ii). To earn the second point, the estimate in (ii) must be
consistent with both the reported value in (i) and the endpoint used in the supporting work in
(ii).
• The final number in (ii) may be reported as 59 thousand or 60 thousand provided the supporting work
has a correct decimal approximation for the estimate.
• A response is eligible to earn both points with a correct translation to “thousands.”
o Use of 40,000 and 76,000 results in an answer of 395.604 in (i).
o If a response earned the point in (i) without a decimal presentation error, then an estimate in
the range [59,750, 59,805] earns the second point in the presence of supporting work.
o If a response in (i) has a decimal presentation error, the reported value in (i) as the average rate
of change can be used to arrive at an estimate in (ii). To earn the second point, the estimate in
(ii) must be consistent with both the reported value in (i) and the endpoint used in the
supporting work in (ii).
o If a response in (i) is incorrect, the reported value in (i) as the average rate of change can be
used to arrive at an estimate in (ii). To earn the second point, the estimate in (ii) must be
consistent with both the reported value in (i) and the endpoint used in the supporting work in
(ii).
• A response that does not earn either point in Part (B) (i) and Part (B) (ii) is eligible for partial credit in
Part (B) if the response has one criteria from the first column AND one criteria from the second
column. Partial credit response is scored 1-0 in Part (B)(i)/(ii).

First Column Second Column

A correct quotient that uses the given data A correct estimate in (ii) that does not
values that is not expressed as a decimal include supporting work
approximation

A correct quotient that uses the given data Correct supporting work in (ii) that does
values and has a decimal presentation not provide an estimate
error

A correct average rate of change in (i) that

does not include supporting work

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AP® Precalculus 2024 Scoring Guidelines

• To earn the third point, the reasoning must include:

o The graph of G is concave down OR the rate of change of G is decreasing
o A reference to the use of a secant line on 0 < t < 91 OR the use of a linear function with
reference to endpoints 0 and 91 that provide the placement of the line
(C) The makers of the video game reported that daily sales of the video game decreased each day after t = 91 .
Explain why the error in the model G increases after t = 91 .

On day t = 91 , the output for daily sales and G ( 91) Answer with reason 1 point
are the same. For t > 91 , daily sales are decreasing and
G is increasing. Therefore, the absolute value of the
difference between the actual daily sales and the daily
sales predicted by G is increasing each day for t > 91 .
Scoring notes:
• To earn the point, the reasoning must include an implicit or explicit connection between the “function
model is increasing” and “daily sales are decreasing.”
Total for question 2 6 points

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