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No… I believe that is the 3d analogue to finding the arc length using integrals, a topic we are just covering in Calc II at my university. It wasn’t at the AB AP Exam, either.</p>
<p>But seriously, I think it’s just your school. Differential equations, linear algebra, and calculus III topics? Sounds like you have got a hell of a teacher (in the good, really knows his/her stuff and pushes the students sense). When you get to the AP Exam, tell me how many of those advanced mathematical topics you actually find necessary for answering the questions.</p>