Introduction: The Ultimate List of AP® Statistics Tips
If you’re taking AP® Statistics this year, you’re probably in the midst of learning the material and constantly studying. But what exactly should you be learning? What can you expect to see on the exam? How should you be studying?
It’s difficult to know where to start or what to prioritize. But, never fear! This ultimate list of AP® Statistics FRQ tips and multiple choice tips will answer those questions and more!
The AP® Statistics exam is a difficult exam. Instead of memorizing formulas and calculations, you must understand how to interpret and manipulate statistical data, as well as make use of higher order thinking skills. In statistics, there is not just a right or wrong answer.
Now, let’s look at some strategies and tips for how to maximize your AP® Statistics review.
What We Review
Overall How to Study for AP® Statistics: 9 Tips for 4s and 5s
1. Know how to budget your time.
In order to maximize your score on the AP® Stats exam, you need to be familiar with the layout of the exam and how much time you can spend on each section. To do this, you need to know the layout and timing of the exam. The exam is three hours long and consists of two sections:
Section I: Multiple-Choice
This section is 90 minutes long and consists of 40 multiple choice questions. You have about 2 minutes to spend on each question.
Section II: Free-Response
This section is also 90 minutes long. It has 5 short-answer questions and one investigative task. Budget your time to spend 12 minutes on each short-answer and 30 on the investigative task.
It’s important to note that each section is worth 50% of your final score, which means that they both have an equal weight. Keep this in mind when studying for the exam.
2. Invest in supplementary review materials.
While AP® Statistics textbooks are essential for learning all the material you need to know, you should also need materials specifically targeted for AP® Statistics review.
Textbooks can often be lengthy and dry, and it’s impossible to remember absolutely everything you read from the text. AP® Statistics review books, on the other hand, are more concise, easier to read, and quicker to flip through.
Most come with at least one AP® Statistics practice test, diagnostic exams, practice questions, extra tips and hints, and all the statistics information you should absolutely know for the AP® exam. Give Barron’s, The Princeton Review, or REA’s Crash Course a try.
Albert’s Statistics review is also a great place to start. Focus on specific practice problems and sections, or take full length practice exams. It has both multiple choice and free-response practice and review.
It’s always a good idea to supplement your textbook with other materials. This can often give you a different view on the same ideas, which makes it more likely that this information will stick in your brain.
Also, check out StatTrek.com. This invaluable site has free statistics tutorials with fast-paced videos, AP® Statistics questions and examples to help you understand concepts in-depth.
There’s also a useful Statistics and Probability Dictionary, which illustrates the meaning of key terms you need to know for the AP® Stats exam. If you’re ever looking for a refreshing way to review statistics concepts, StatTrek.com is the place to go.
3. Familiarize yourself with formulas, but do NOT memorize them.
Don’t waste your valuable study time trying to memorize formulas and equations. Since the purpose of the AP® Stats exam is to test your ability to analyze, understand, and explain fundamental concepts of statistics, the focus is taken off memorization.
You will be given an AP® Statistics formula sheet to use during the entire duration of the exam. While you don’t need to memorize these formulas, you should still be familiar with them and know how to use them in a variety of ways to solve a variety of problems.
4. Use your calculator wisely.
It’s essential you use a graphing calculator with statistical capabilities during the exam and while you’re studying for the exam. Use the same calculator and programs for practice that you do on the exam, so you’re better prepared.
Remember that you absolutely cannot store notes in your calculator, since this is considered cheating on the AP® Stats exam. You are only allowed to store programs in your calculator’s memory.
The more you practice using your calculator, the faster you can answer multiple-choice AP® Statistics questions on the exam.
Since you only have a limited time to answer 40 questions on the multiple-choice section, and because you aren’t required to show your work on that section, knowing how to use your calculator efficiently is essential. However, don’t waste your time punching data and numbers into your calculator during the FRQ section, unless you are absolutely sure you need to do this to answer the question.
Overall, you need to be familiar with these functions on your graphing calculator:
- Linear regression equations
- Binomial probability equations
- Summary statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation, etc.)
- Histogram plots
- Scatterplots
- Residuals
- Confidence intervals
Keep in mind that your brain is meant to be the primary tool you use on the exam. Your calculator should only be your secondary tool.
5. Practice classifying statistics problems.
Determining what the AP® Statistics questions on the test are actually asking you to do can be difficult to master. In order to become more comfortable identifying what a question really wants you to do, try practicing classifying statistics problems.
This website offers an interactive way to do just that.
It gives you a statistics problem, and you have to choose which category it belongs to, whether it’s a hypothesis test for a population proportion or a confidence interval for paired data. The more you practice identifying questions, the easier it will be to pinpoint what you need to do on the exam.
6. Make flashcards on important and difficult AP® Statistics topics.
Perhaps one of the most classic and effective study techniques in the book, you can’t go wrong with flashcards. You can use pre-created e-flashcards on sites like Quizlet, but we really recommend writing your own by hand and in your own words.
Use Quizlet to see which key terms you need to know, but don’t just rely on flashcards someone else has written for you.
To really understand AP® Statistics topics and to cement them in your brain, you need to go through the physical process of hand writing out vocabulary words. Pull out your handwritten flashcards every single day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
Use the flashcards to focus on AP® Statistics topics you personally struggle with.
Here are three common misconceptions on the 2019 exam to add to your flashcard studies:
- Incorrectly using the term “range,” e.g., “the range of the data is from 100 to 350 square feet.” In statistics the range is a single number representing the distance between the maximum and minimum values.
- The difference between independence and correlation, mutually exclusive events, and lack of cause and effect.
- How to interpret a confidence interval
7. Take practice AP® Stats exams.
In order to get a feel for the types of AP® Statistics questions you can expect to see on the exam, the most helpful thing you can do is take AP® Statistics practice tests. It’s not enough to just simply know the format of the exam and understand the material: you must also know how to take the test.
The multiple choice questions on the AP® Stats exam will probably be more detailed and involved than other exams you’ve taken, and the free-response questions will be similarly challenging.
Albert has a few full-length AP® Statistics practice tests for you to use.
Also, check out the CollegeBoard’s sample multiple-choice AP® Statistics questions and free-response questions from past exams. There, you will find scoring guidelines, sample responses from real test-takers, and detailed explanations of how to answer FRQs.
It’s helpful to look at sample responses that earned a high score, versus sample responses that earned a low score. Understand why the high scores are high, and why the low scores are low. Apply this to your own responses.
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AP® Statistics Multiple-Choice Question Tips
1. Focus on specific themes covered on the exam.
The College Board narrows down the AP® Statistics topics covered in the exam by detailing the four main content areas you should expect to see. Make note of the percentage of each multiple-choice content area on the exam.
For example, you might want to spend more time perfecting your statistical inference skills since that comprises 30% to 40% of the multiple-choice section, and less time working on how to conduct a study since that only makes up about 10% to 15% of the multiple-choice section.
Below we break down which content areas appear most often in the multiple-choice section:
- Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses. This topic makes up the most of the multiple choice section at 30-40%. It covers the concepts:
- Estimation
- Tests of significance
- Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns. This makes up 20-30% of the multiple choice section. To prepare, review concepts like
- Constructing and interpreting graphs of one-variable data
- Summarizing and comparing distributions of one-variable data
- Analyzing two-variable and categorical data
- Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation. This also makes 20-30% of the multiple choice section. It covers:
- Probability
- Normal distribution
- Combining independent random variables
- Sampling distributions
- Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study. This is the smallest topic at only 10-15% of the section. The concepts covered are:
- Data collection methods
- Planning and conducting surveys and experiments
- Conclusions that can be drawn from observational studies, experiments, and surveys
2. Practice with purpose.
The only way to become confident when answering multiple-choice AP® Statistics questions on exam is to practice, practice, practice. AP® exams have very specific types of questions that you need to be familiar with. The more types of questions you encounter, the better you’ll do on test day.
The questions you’ll see are not straightforward, simple questions with an obvious answer. You will have to read, reread, and analyze before choosing an answer.
Take AP® Statistics practice tests within the 90 minute time constraint to experience budgeting your time. Work to ensure you are spending an average of two minutes per question.
Use Albert.io, your AP® Statistics review book, or the CollegeBoard’s website for a wide variety of practice questions.
3. Identify what topic is being tested before answering.
As you read the multiple-choice AP® Statistics questions, ask yourself, “What statistical topic is being addressed? What is the purpose of this question?”
If you can get an idea of what the test writers’ goals were when including this question on the exam, you’ll have a better chance of (1) understanding exactly what the question is asking, and (2) which answer choices you can eliminate to narrow it down.
4. Draw pictures to help visualize the situation.
You are not required to do anything other than fill in the bubbles on the multiple-choice section of the AP® Stats exam. However, if you’re having trouble with a certain question, try drawing a small diagram, graph, or scatterplot to illustrate the problem.
This can make the solution appear clearer especially if you are a visual learner.
For example, take a look at the picture of a problem below from Khan Academy. Before answering this problem on sample population, the learner drew a small diagram to visualize what a sample population was.
5. Answer every question.
Even if you just have to make your best educated guess, never leave a multiple choice question blank. You won’t lose points any more points for an incorrect answer over a blank one, so always fill in something.
Use the process of elimination to make educated guesses. Cross out incorrect answers with your pencil before selecting your choice.
Remember to use other questions as hints. You’ll find key processes and formulas demonstrated.
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AP® Statistics Free Response Question Tips
1. Budget your time for the types of free-response questions.
On the AP® Statistics exam, there are six free-response questions that you’ll have to answer in a total of 90 minutes.
Be sure to save at least 30 minutes for the last question. It is an investigative task requiring extended reasoning, and designed to take much longer than the other questions.
The first five questions are shorter, open-ended, and should be answered in around 12 minutes or less.
The five open-ended problems are worth 37.5% of your free-response score, and the investigative task is worth 12.5% of your final FRQ score.
2. Understand that responses are graded holistically.
The answers you give for the six free-response AP® Statistics questions will be scored based on the “complete package.” Other AP® exams use a more analytic approach, where components of an answer are specified in advance and the graders follow a strict rubric to award points based on correct information given.
On the AP® Stats exam, however, scoring is holistic, meaning graders look at the overall quality of your answer and don’t just search for pre-specified correct answers. This is because AP® Stats FRQs are open-ended; there is more than one correct answer. Each FRQ is scored on a scale of 0-4 points, for a total of 24 points on the section.
Understand that you won’t earn a 4 point score by just including correct equations and answers; you need to demonstrate statistical analysis.
3. Know the vocabulary of statistics and use it correctly.
It is extremely important to not only know your vocabulary terms, but to also use them correctly within the context of the question. Be especially careful when using the word “normal,” since it has a specific meaning. “Normal” usually refers to the distribution of a graph, and not the general shape of the graph. Instead, it’s better to use terms like “approximately normal,” “mound shaped,” or “bell-shaped.”
Do not simply comment on the appearance of graphs. For example, do not say things like “the graph is even” or “the plot is half above and half below.” What do you mean by this? Do you mean that it’s symmetric? Consistent?
Besides statistical vocabulary, you also need to know your Greek letters: \alpha, \beta, \mu, \chi, \pi, \theta, and \sigma.
Use this AP® Stat Vocab List as a guide, and add your own essential terms as you go.
4. Underline or circle every action word in the question.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but to get full points, you must read the question closely and answer fully. To do this, you need to know what exactly the question is asking you to do. If the prompt shows you a histogram and asks you to write a few sentences, circle the word “write.”
For example, a 2019 AP® Stat FRQ gave a table and then stated, “Determine whether there are potential outliers in the data. Then use the following grid to sketch a boxplot of room size.” You would want to circle both “determine” and “sketch” to ensure you complete both of these tasks when answering the prompt. This is demonstrated in the image below.
Additionally, you need to offer explanations and conclusions in context for every answer. For example, if you are given a confidence interval on the exam, you must interpret the interval in the context of the question.
5. State and check all assumptions.
If you are asked to perform a hypothesis test or construct interval estimates on the FRQ section, you need to state and check all assumptions and conditions. It’s not enough to just state them; you must also show that the assumptions/conditions are met with the information given in the question. This is how to ensure you earn as many points as possible for your work.
Another way to say this is: show your work!
For example, instead of just writing “np>10,” write “np=150(.32)=48>10.” Your goal is to convince the AP® graders that you know how to calculate results and connect the assumption to the problem, not just memorize information.
6. Don’t worry if you can’t answer early parts of the question.
On the AP® Stats FRQ section, almost every one of the problems will be multi-part. This means that you must use solutions you found in earlier parts of the question to answer other parts. But what happens if you just can’t get the correct answer for part (a)? Don’t worry! All is not lost!
If you find yourself in this situation, make up a value to use that makes sense, or explain in detail what you would do if you knew the answer to the first part of the question. You won’t necessarily get points for trying, but you could get points for crafting a solution that makes sense and is carefully explained.
7. Do not add “extra fluff.”
You will be given more space than you need to answer the free-response AP® Statistics questions on the exam. In fact, most of the best answers are usually the shortest.
That being said, you still need to make sure you’re answering the question fully, clearly, and explicitly. Do not add flowery language and do not ramble. If you continue to write unnecessary information, you run the risk of contradicting yourself, which will lead to lost points.
Your goal is to leave no questions in the AP® grader’s mind. Keep in mind that while this is not AP® English Language and Composition, you still need to be confident in your writing and be able to express your thoughts logically and clearly.
8. Be able to construct graphs by hand and interpret data displayed in a variety of ways.
Do not depend on your calculator to make graphs for you. The exam will be written to prevent you from relying on your calculator to construct plots and graphs.
For this reason, you need to be comfortable with drawing boxplots, stemplots, histograms, and other graphs completely by hand. Remember to label the axes and be aware of the number scale.
The AP® Stats exam is also likely to include computer outputs, not just graphs and plots, for you to interpret and use in your answer. These outputs will not be complex, but it’s still useful to become comfortable with seeing outputs of statistical programs.
9. Refer to graphs explicitly.
If you’re asked to interpret a graph, be very specific and use statistics vocabulary. Instead of saying something like: “The male times are obviously higher than the female times,” say “The median male time is higher than the first quartile of the male times.”
Show that you know how to apply statistical concepts to describe a graph. You can also mark and add notes to the graph itself; keep in mind that the AP® grader will read everything you write.
10. Be aware of the common test taking errors.
There are a number of common mistakes that past test-takers have made on the AP® Statistics exam. Use these AP® Statistics FRQ tips and keep these errors in mind to not make the same mistakes. These common errors are:
- Confusing skewed right and skewed left
- Confusing symmetric/bell-shaped with approximately normal
- Mixing up categorical data with quantitative data
- Mixing up one-variable data with two-variable data
- Writing down a laundry list of everything you know to answer a question, hoping that at least some part of it is correct
- Confusing random sampling with random allocation
- Mixing up the confidence level with the confidence interval
- Using blocking schemes when it doesn’t make sense in the context of the problem
- Simply naming a theorem to answer a question without providing an explanation
11. Understand the common question prompts.
You will most likely see at least one of the following types of AP® Statistics questions. Be aware of how to answer each of them:
- If the prompt asks you to Choose:
- You must state why you chose one, AND why you did not choose the other option. It’s also extremely important to take a stand. Don’t try to say that both are good, or both are bad, or that both have pros and cons. This is not a compare and contrast question. Make a choice.
- If the prompt asks you to Compare:
- These typically involve one-variable distributions. You will need to compare aspects of this distribution, such as shape, spread, etc. Make sure you compare like things, meaning don’t compare a median of one distribution to the first quartile of the other distribution. Compare medians to medians, and first quartiles to first quartiles.
- If the prompt asks you to Refer to a previous answer:
- You must include a reference to this in your answer, either by number or concept. You should also link your answer to the key statistical concept in the original problem.
12. Know the steps to writing a complete answer for confidence interval problems.
On the 2019 AP® Stat exam, a free-response question asked test-takers to construct and interpret a confidence interval:
Check out this video for an in depth example on how to interpret and construct the confidence interval for this FRQ.
13. Know the steps to writing a complete answer for significance test problems.
Significance test problems will appear in at least one of the FRQs, so be sure you know these steps:
- State the hypothesis in terms of the population parameters. Use correct symbols and define any subscripts that you use.
- Identify the test you will perform, either by name or formula.
- State and verify any assumptions that need to be met.
- Calculate the significance test. Find the p-value and compare it to alpha. State degrees of freedom if appropriate. Reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis.
- State your conclusion in the context of the question. Be sure to connect your conclusion to the p-value.
Significance tests can be tricky to master. Check out this practice lesson from Albert that focuses specifically on practicing potential errors that could be made and how to avoid them.
14. Understand how to describe a residual plot.
If the AP® Stats FRQ asks you to describe a residual plot, be sure to comment on:
- The balance of positive and negative residuals
- The size of the residuals as compared to the corresponding y-values
- If the residuals are randomly distributed
15. Know how to describe a scatterplot.
When describing a scatterplot, make sure you touch upon the following points:
- Direction, strength, and shape
- Patterns in the data
- Any deviations from the data patterns
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Tips from AP® Statistics Teachers and Students
1. NEVER write calculator commands on the exam.
Do NOT use calculator-speak as part of your answer (avoid normalcdf or 1-PropZTest). Never write directions for calculator button-pushing!
The graders want to see your analysis and understanding of statistics and not calculator functions.
2. It’s not what you know; it’s what you can PROVE you know.
It’s essential to always show your work to earn maximum points. Don’t worry about knowing everything, but focus on demonstrating what you do know.
Work to practice your statistical thinking, processing, and analysis skills without just focus on memorizing computational methods. The AP® Statistics exam is more about statistical thinking and demonstrating it in your work.
3. When asked to describe a one-variable data set, always write about center, shape, and spread.
These are essential! Check out this video for an example problem describing a distribution.
4. On the AP® Stats free responses, do question 1, then question 6, then the remaining four questions.
Read every question before you begin writing so that you can start to prioritize your time. Whatever you do, don’t save question 6 (investigative task) until last. Question 6 is a very important part of the exam and you don’t want to be rushed, tired, or out of creative juices when you get to it.
5. Use inference procedures to draw a conclusion about the data.
You cannot just look at the data and give your opinion. You must use confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, etc. to come to a conclusion about data.
6. Don’t round off at each step of the problem.
If you start rounding off your answers too early, it will create a cumulative rounding error. This can affect the accuracy of your final answer.
7. Only use terms and symbols you know.
If you’re not entirely sure how to use a term or symbol, don’t use it! It’s better to explain something in your own words than use a term or symbol incorrectly.
8. Know about additive variances.
Make sure that you know that only variances are additive, and ONLY if the random variables are INDEPENDENT.
9. Understand the algebraic interpretation of a regression line.
AP® Statistics questions that require you to interpret the slope or y-intercept of a regression line are very closely graded.
10. Understand the differences in concept between a Type I error and a Type II error.
These are easy to confuse on exam day and on an AP® Statistics practice test if you don’t study them beforehand.
A Type I error can be thought of as a “false positive,” when a null hypothesis is true but rejected.
A Type II error is considered a “false negative,” when a null hypothesis is false but isn’t rejected. This article explains the differences more in-depth.
11. Focus on memorizing the conditions for different distributions and approximations.
One of the most challenging parts of the AP® Stats exam is remembering all of the conditions and assumptions for distributions and approximations. If you memorize these, it will be a lot easier for you on the exam.
View these all in the image below.
12. Know the following content-specific tips.
- Don’t mix up correlation coefficient and slope of least-squares regression line.
- Don’t confuse a scatter plot with a residual plot.
- Know the difference between median and mean.
13. Visit Khan Academy for probability and AP® Statistics review videos.
The videos don’t really follow the AP® format, but they’re useful if you’re struggling with a particular concept
14. Form a study group that regularly meets.
A great way to learn something, or understand it better, is to explain a concept to someone else. With study groups, you can hear your classmates explain things to you in different ways, which might make certain concepts click. Break your study group meetings up to focus on specific AP® Statistics units.
Start a study group at the beginning of the year and meet regularly until exam time!
15. Make sure you know when to use certain tests and what conditions to check for each.
You must know when to use a t-test, a z-test, a matched-pairs test, a chi-square test, etc. Make sure you know the different conditions you need to check for these tests as well.
16. Use AP® Statistics practice tests to strengthen your weaknesses.
To find and improve the skills you’re weak on, first take a practice exam. As you take the exam, make a list of all the questions you guess on.
Then, grade the exam and make a list of the questions you scored incorrectly on.
Review and reflect on your choices once you’ve compiled your lists. Try to figure out why you got the question wrong. Did you accidentally misread it? Did you run out of time? Are you confused by a certain formula? Are there specific AP® Statistics units you need to review? Write down why you got each question wrong and what you can do to prevent the mistake next time.
17. Prepare yourself adequately on exam day morning.
After you’ve studied all you can, you’re ready to rock the test! Make sure you do these simple things to prepare your mind and body on the morning of the test:
- Prepare your materials the night before. Set an alarm, pack your bag, and lay out your outfit. Remember to dress in layers in case the exam room is hotter or colder than expected.
- Eat a smart breakfast. Include protein, healthy carbs, and healthy fats. Consider eating peanut butter toast or oatmeal sprinkled with fruit and nuts.
- Warm up your brain. Get your mind ready for the test by reading some light news articles or part of a book. Avoid anything math materials related to the exam.
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Wrapping Things Up: The Ultimate List of AP® Statistics Tips
AP® Statistics can seem overwhelming at first, and that feeling can sometimes last right up until the day of the exam. That’s why having a study plan, as well as a good grasp of what to expect on the exam is essential to staying calm and confident.
We covered a lot in this article. To recap, remember to:
- Practice as much as you can. Use Albert as a resource for detailed practice questions with explanations, as well as full-length practice exams.
- Focus on thinking critically and statistically, not memorizing formulas. You’ll be given an AP® Statistics formula sheet on the exam. You need to know how to confidently perform calculations, understand complex word problems, and apply your knowledge of statistics to solve multi-step problems.
- Use your calculator wisely. Know the essential functions and how to use them. Remember not to write in calculator-speak when answering FRQs.
- Budget your time wisely. Plan to spend about two minutes on each multiple choice question, 12 minutes on the first 5 FRQs, and 30 minutes on the last one.
- Show all your work. State and check all assumptions. This is the best way to earn the maximum amount of points.
Once you know what to expect on the exam, how to take the test, and which AP® Statistics topics you should spend the most time learning about, you will be ready to get that 5!
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