# Purdue MA 16100 Calculus I: Topics, Study Guide and Practice

> A study guide for Purdue MA 16100 (Plane Analytic Geometry and Calculus I), the 5-credit Calculus I for students new to calculus, with free practice.

Source: https://practicecalculus.com/courses/purdue-ma-16100
Updated: 2026-11-03

## At a glance

- **Course code:** MA 16100
- **Credit hours:** 5 (some schools or departments may count only 4 toward graduation)
- **Designed for:** Students without at least one semester of high school calculus with an A or B; competence in college algebra and trigonometry expected
- **Covers:** Introduction to differential and integral calculus of one variable, with applications
- **Restrictions:** Not open to students with credit in MA 16500
- **Next course:** MA 16200 (Plane Analytic Geometry And Calculus II)
- **Practice here:** [Calculus 1](/learn/calculus-1)

## Key takeaways

- MA 16100 is Purdue's 5-credit Calculus I course for students who have not had a semester of high school calculus with an A or B.
- It introduces differential and integral calculus of one variable with applications.
- It is not open to students with credit in MA 16500, the 4-credit version for students with prior calculus.
- It continues in MA 16200, which in turn leads to MA 26100.

**Purdue MA 16100**, Plane Analytic Geometry And Calculus I, is the first calculus course for Purdue students who are meeting calculus for the first time. With 5 credit hours, it has more class time than MA 16500, the version for students with high school calculus. This guide maps the MA 16100 material to practice with instant feedback, starting from the very first ideas.

## What Purdue MA 16100 covers

The math department describes MA 16100 as an introduction to differential and integral calculus of one variable, with applications. It is designed for students who have not had at least one semester of high school calculus with an A or B, and it expects competence in college algebra and trigonometry. The department notes that some schools or departments may allow only 4 of the 5 credit hours toward graduation.

The department page does not publish a detailed topic list, so the map below follows the standard **Calculus 1** content its description names: limits, derivatives and their applications, and integrals. Check your section's syllabus for the exact order.

## MA 16100 topic map

| Calculus 1 topic | Practice | Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Functions and graphs | [Functions and notation](/learn/calculus-1/functions-warmup/function-notation) | [Polynomial functions](/functions/polynomial-functions), [power functions](/functions/power-functions) |
| Trig review | [Key trig values](/learn/calculus-1/functions-warmup/key-trig-values) | [Sine function](/functions/sine-function), [cosine function](/functions/cosine-function) |
| Limits | [What is a limit?](/learn/calculus-1/limits/what-is-a-limit) | [What is a limit?](/blog/what-is-a-limit) |
| One-sided limits and continuity | [One-sided and infinite limits](/learn/calculus-1/limits/one-sided-and-infinite-limits) | [Continuity](/blog/continuity) |
| Rates of change | [Average rate of change](/learn/calculus-1/the-derivative/average-rate-of-change) | [Limit definition of the derivative](/blog/limit-definition-of-the-derivative) |
| The derivative | [Notation and meaning](/learn/calculus-1/the-derivative/derivative-notation-and-meaning) | [Power rule](/blog/power-rule) |
| Differentiation rules | [Sums and constants](/learn/calculus-1/derivative-rules/sum-and-constant-rules) | [Constant multiple rule](/rules/constant-multiple-rule), [sum and difference rule](/rules/sum-and-difference-rule) |
| Chain rule | [Chain rule: powers](/learn/calculus-1/derivative-rules/chain-rule-powers) | [Chain rule](/blog/chain-rule) |
| Applications of derivatives | [Critical points](/learn/calculus-1/applications-of-derivatives/critical-points) | [Optimization problems](/blog/optimization-problems), [related rates](/blog/related-rates) |
| Antiderivatives | [Undoing derivatives](/learn/calculus-1/integrals/undoing-derivatives) | [Antiderivatives](/blog/antiderivatives), [reverse power rule](/rules/reverse-power-rule) |
| Definite integrals | [The definite integral as area](/learn/calculus-1/integrals/signed-area) | [Fundamental Theorem of Calculus](/blog/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus) |
| Applications of integrals | [Area between curves](/learn/calculus-1/applications-of-integrals/area-between-curves) | [Area between curves](/blog/area-between-curves) |

## MA 16100 vs MA 16500

| | MA 16100 | MA 16500 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Title | Plane Analytic Geometry And Calculus I | Analytic Geometry And Calculus I |
| Credit hours | 5 | 4 |
| Designed for | Students new to calculus | Students with high school calculus (A or B) |
| Continues in | MA 16200 (5 credits) | MA 16600 (4 credits) |
| Then | MA 26100 | MA 26100 |

The two courses exclude each other. If you had calculus in high school, read the [MA 16500 guide](/courses/purdue-ma-16500). Both tracks end in [MA 26100](/courses/purdue-ma-26100), Multivariate Calculus.

## Example problems at the MA 16100 level

**1. A one-sided limit.** For $f(x) = \frac{|x|}{x}$, the left limit at $0$ is $-1$ and the right limit is $1$, so $\lim_{x \to 0} f(x)$ does not exist.

**2. The power rule.** Differentiate $f(x) = 4x^3 - 5x + 7$:

$$f'(x) = 12x^2 - 5$$

**3. A definite integral.** Using the reverse power rule,

$$\int_1^3 (2x + 1)\,dx = \left[x^2 + x\right]_1^3 = 12 - 2 = 10$$

## How to do well in Purdue MA 16100

- **Start with the warm-up.** If algebra or trig feels rusty, the [functions warm-up](/learn/calculus-1/functions-warmup/function-notation) and [exponent rules](/learn/calculus-1/functions-warmup/exponent-rules) lessons fix it fast.
- **Use the extra credit hour well.** More class time means more practice. Short daily sessions build lasting skill, as described in [how to study calculus](/blog/how-to-study-calculus).
- **Learn from mistakes.** The [common calculus mistakes](/blog/common-calculus-mistakes) list shows the errors new calculus students make most.
- **Keep the [formula sheet](/formulas) nearby**, and test yourself with [practice exams](/practice) before each exam.

> **Tip:** a limit exists only when the left and right limits agree. When in doubt, check both sides separately.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is MA 16100 at Purdue?

MA 16100, Plane Analytic Geometry And Calculus I, is a 5-credit introduction to differential and integral calculus of one variable with applications. It is designed for students who have not had at least a semester of high school calculus with an A or B.

### What is the difference between MA 16100 and MA 16500?

Both are first-semester calculus. MA 16100 carries 5 credits and is meant for students new to calculus, while MA 16500 carries 4 credits and is meant for students with high school calculus. You cannot take MA 16100 with credit in MA 16500.

### What comes after MA 16100?

MA 16200, Plane Analytic Geometry And Calculus II, the continuation of MA 16100. It covers vectors, techniques of integration, infinite series, conic sections, polar coordinates and surfaces in three dimensions.

### Does MA 16100 count as 5 credits?

It carries 5 credit hours, but the math department notes that some schools or departments may allow only 4 credit hours toward graduation. Check with your academic advisor.

### How should I prepare for MA 16100?

Make sure college algebra and trigonometry are solid, since the course expects both. Then preview limits and the idea of the derivative using the free Calculus 1 path on PracticeCalculus.