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Mathematicsandbeyond|CHEENTABlog

AmericanMathematicalContest
PostedonMay9,2014byAshaniDasguptaPostedinMathematicsandbeyond,USALeaveacomment

OverviewofMathOlympiadsinUnited
States
TheAmericanMathematicsCompetitions(AMC)arethefirstofaseriesofcompetitionsin
middleschoolandhighschoolmathematicsthatleadtotheUnitedStatesteamforthe
InternationalMathematicalOlympiad(IMO).
AMChasthreelevels:
AMC8grade8andbelow
AMC10grades10andbelow
AMC12grades12andbelow
TheAMCsleadtoInternationalMathOlympiad(IMO),worldsmostprestigiousmath
contestatschoollevel.Thebasicrouteisasfollows
1. AMC10orAMC12===>AmericanInvitationalMathematicsExamination(AIME)
2. AIME===>UnitedStatesofAmericaMathematicalOlympiad(USAMO).
3. USAMO(typicallyaround30students)===>MathematicalOlympiadSummer
Program(MOSPormorecommonly,MOP)
4. SixstudentsareselectedfromthetoptwelvescorersontheUSAMO(throughthe
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Mathematicsandbeyond|CHEENTABlog

TeamSelectionTest(TST))toformtheUnitedStatesMathTeamthatgoesto
InternationalMathOlympiad(heldinJuneJuly).
INFO

AMC8

AMC10

AMC12

When?

A
Tuesday
in
November

ATuesday
in
February
or15days
later

ATuesday
in
February
or15days
later

Problems

25

25

25

Time
(min)

40

75

75

Score

Correct+1
Incorrect
0
Not
Attempted
0

Correct+6
Incorrect0
Not
Attempted
+1.5

Correct+6
Incorrect0
Not
Attempted
+1.5

Next
Level

Only
awards,
nonext
level

AIMEif
scores
120+

AIMEif
scores
100+

HowtoPrepareforAMC
TheAmericanMathContestisdesignedtoencourageindependentandcriticalthinkingin
youngmind.Hencetheproblemsarenonstandardinnature.HencekeyfactorsofAMC
trainingare
1. Strongfoundationofmathematicalconcepts.
2. Plentyofproblempractice
AllproblemsinAMC(orotherMatholympiads)canbe(andshouldbe)solvedwithout
calculus.Thoughmostproblemsareinterdisciplinaryinnature(thatisuseseveral
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conceptsfromsecondarymathematics)33%problemsarefromGeometrymakingit
thesinglemostimportanttopicinAMC.Thetrendactuallycontinuesatallhigherlevel
olympiads,ForexampleinIMO,2outof6problemsarefromGeometry.

Books
Wesuggesttwotypesofbooks/resourcesforAMCpreparation.Thefirstkindisfor
conceptbuilding.Thesecondisforproblemsolving.NothingbeatstheoldRussianbooks
asfarasMathOlympiadsareconcerned.InfactAmericanMathOlympiadsarelargely
copiesofRussianMathOlympiadsandMathCircles.
StartingPoint
MathematicalCirclesARussianExperiencebyFomin
LinesandCurvesbyVasiliyev
AMC8Problems
Bothoftheseareoutstandingbooksforconceptbuildingaswellasproblemsolving.Lines
andCurvespresentanovelmethodtointroducegeometrytoyoungpeople.Mathematical
CirclescoversmostofthetopicsaskedatAMC(orevenhigherlevels).Theyaretwolight
weightbooksforagreatbeginning.
NextLevel
ChallengesandThrillsofPreCollegeMathematicsbyVenkatchala
ElementaryAlgebraandHigherAlgebrabyHallandKnight
AMC10andAMC12Problems
ChallengesandThrillsofPreCollegeMathematicscoversallthenecessarytopicsof
AMC.HallandKnightsworkareclassics.Theyareusefulforconceptualstrengtheningof
skillsinAlgebra
OurCoursesuseseveralotherresourcesinconjunctionwiththesebasicbooks.For
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exampletheoutstandingarticlesofQuant,MathematicalGems(DolcianiSeries),
ExcursionsintoMathematicsorbooksbyMartinGardenerareregularlyusedina
selectivemanner.Nowadays,thankstointernet,resourceformatholympiadisunlimited.
Hencethecriticaltaskistopointatselectivefewresourcesandfullyutilizethem.
TherecanbenoquickfixbookforMathOlympiads.Itisbettertoavoidunduesales
gimmickandfocusonclassics.Thesolepurposeofmatholympiadsistofacilitatedeep
mathematicallearninginyoungminds.Thisdepthcannotbeachievedinoneday.

AmIreadyforAMC?
TheonlywaytounderstandwhetheryouarereadyforAMC(8,10or12),orfigureout
yourstrengthsandweaknesses,istogiveadiagnosistest(AMCliketest).Youmayeither
takeanoriginalAMCortakeourdiagnosistest.Wewillsendyouareportonthebasis
ofthistestwithareviewofyourstrengthsandweaknesses.
Youmayreque

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