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AmericanMathematicalContestPostedonMay9,2014byAshaniDasguptaPostedinMathematicsandbeyond,USALeaveacomment
OverviewofMathOlympiadsinUnitedStates
TheAmericanMathematicsCompetitions(AMC)arethefirstofaseriesofcompetitionsinmiddleschoolandhighschoolmathematicsthatleadtotheUnitedStatesteamfortheInternationalMathematicalOlympiad(IMO).
AMChasthreelevels:
AMC8grade8andbelowAMC10grades10andbelowAMC12grades12andbelow
TheAMCsleadtoInternationalMathOlympiad(IMO),worldsmostprestigiousmathcontestatschoollevel.Thebasicrouteisasfollows
1.
AMC10orAMC12===>AmericanInvitationalMathematicsExamination(AIME)2.
AIME===>UnitedStatesofAmericaMathematicalOlympiad(USAMO).3.
USAMO(typicallyaround30students)===>MathematicalOlympiadSummer
Program(MOSPormorecommonly,MOP)4.
SixstudentsareselectedfromthetoptwelvescorersontheUSAMO(throughthe
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TeamSelectionTest(TST))toformtheUnitedStatesMathTeamthatgoestoInternationalMathOlympiad(heldinJuneJuly).
INFO AMC8 AMC10 AMC12
When? ATuesdayinNovember
ATuesdayinFebruaryor15dayslater
ATuesdayinFebruaryor15dayslater
Problems 25 25 25
Time(min)
40 75 75
Score Correct+1Incorrect0NotAttempted0
Correct+6Incorrect0NotAttempted+1.5
Correct+6Incorrect0NotAttempted+1.5
NextLevel
Onlyawards,nonextlevel
AIMEifscores120+
AIMEifscores100+
HowtoPrepareforAMC
TheAmericanMathContestisdesignedtoencourageindependentandcriticalthinkinginyoungmind.Hencetheproblemsarenonstandardinnature.HencekeyfactorsofAMCtrainingare
1. Strongfoundationofmathematicalconcepts.2.
Plentyofproblempractice
AllproblemsinAMC(orotherMatholympiads)canbe(andshouldbe)solvedwithoutcalculus.Thoughmostproblemsareinterdisciplinaryinnature(thatisuseseveral
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conceptsfromsecondarymathematics)33%problemsarefromGeometrymakingitthesinglemostimportanttopicinAMC.Thetrendactuallycontinuesatallhigherlevelolympiads,ForexampleinIMO,2outof6problemsarefromGeometry.
Books
Wesuggesttwotypesofbooks/resourcesforAMCpreparation.Thefirstkindisforconceptbuilding.Thesecondisforproblemsolving.NothingbeatstheoldRussianbooksasfarasMathOlympiadsareconcerned.InfactAmericanMathOlympiadsarelargelycopiesofRussianMathOlympiadsandMathCircles.
StartingPoint
MathematicalCirclesARussianExperiencebyFominLinesandCurvesbyVasiliyevAMC8Problems
Bothoftheseareoutstandingbooksforconceptbuildingaswellasproblemsolving.LinesandCurvespresentanovelmethodtointroducegeometrytoyoungpeople.MathematicalCirclescoversmostofthetopicsaskedatAMC(orevenhigherlevels).Theyaretwolightweightbooksforagreatbeginning.
NextLevel
ChallengesandThrillsofPreCollegeMathematicsbyVenkatchalaElementaryAlgebraandHigherAlgebrabyHallandKnightAMC10andAMC12Problems
ChallengesandThrillsofPreCollegeMathematicscoversallthenecessarytopicsofAMC.HallandKnightsworkareclassics.TheyareusefulforconceptualstrengtheningofskillsinAlgebra
OurCoursesuseseveralotherresourcesinconjunctionwiththesebasicbooks.For
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exampletheoutstandingarticlesofQuant,MathematicalGems(DolcianiSeries),ExcursionsintoMathematicsorbooksbyMartinGardenerareregularlyusedinaselectivemanner.Nowadays,thankstointernet,resourceformatholympiadisunlimited.Hencethecriticaltaskistopointatselectivefewresourcesandfullyutilizethem.
TherecanbenoquickfixbookforMathOlympiads.Itisbettertoavoidunduesalesgimmickandfocusonclassics.Thesolepurposeofmatholympiadsistofacilitatedeepmathematicallearninginyoungminds.Thisdepthcannotbeachievedinoneday.
AmIreadyforAMC?
TheonlywaytounderstandwhetheryouarereadyforAMC(8,10or12),orfigureoutyourstrengthsandweaknesses,istogiveadiagnosistest(AMCliketest).YoumayeithertakeanoriginalAMCortakeourdiagnosistest.Wewillsendyouareportonthebasisofthistestwithareviewofyourstrengthsandweaknesses.
Youmayreque
