Contests
MOEMS (Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle School Students)
MOEMS (Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle School Students)
Created in 1977 by Dr. George Lenchner, an internationally known math educator, the Math Olympiads went public in 1979. More than 150,000 students from 5,000 teams worldwide participated in the Olympiads. All 50 states and 25 other countries were represented.
School Math Club members explore a topic or strategy in depth, using Creative Problem Solving in School Mathematics (or other sources), or they practice for the contests, using nonroutine problems from both Math Olympiad Contest Problems Volume 2 or Mathematical Olympiads Contest Problems for Elementary and Middle Schools (or other sources).
FORMAT • Contests are taken in the participating school. • Each contest consists of five nonroutine problems. • Every problem requires careful mathematical thinking and has a time limit. • Each student, working alone, scores 1 point for each correct answer. Thus, a student may score up to 25 points per year. • Calculators are not permitted. • When a problem introduces a more advanced concept, all necessary definitions are included. • The detailed solution for each problem usually names the strategy required. • Many solutions include follow-up problems and activities.
After each contest, results are submitted to Math Olympiad organization for scorekeeping. The organization will determine which awards are to be shipped after the last contest.
The sample tests can be found http://www.moems.org/sample.htm, and detailed information can be found in the official website
CA Math League
The Math League has Math Contests for Grades 4 through 8, High School Students, and Algebra 1 students. Over 1 million students from the United States and Canada participate in Math League Contests each year. Every contest has questions from different areas of mathematics. The goal is to encourage student interest and confidence in mathematics through solving worthwhile problems. Many students first develop an interest in mathematics through problem-solving activities such as these contests. Schools compete in statewide or multistate league competitions.
Math League's 6th, 7th, and 8th grade contests challenge students and schools in interschool league competitions. Students in each league compete for the highest scores, while schools compete for the highest team score: the total of the top 5 scores in each school. Each contest's questions cover material appropriate to each grade level. Questions may cover: basic topics, plus exponents, fractions, reciprocals, decimals, rates, ratios, percents, angle measurement, perimeter, area, circumference, basic roots, patterns, sequences, integers, triangles and right triangles, and other topics, depending on the grade level. Detailed solution sheets demonstrate the methods used to solve each problem. These contests encourage a variety of problem-solving skills and methods, to improve students' abilities and understanding of mathematical connections, while having fun! Contest Format: Each contest consists of 40 multiple-choice questions that you can do in 30 minutes. On each 3-page contest, the questions on the 1st page are generally straightforward, those on the 2nd page are moderate in difficulty, and those on the 3rd page are more difficult. There is a 6th Grade Score Report, and a 7th and 8th Grade Score Report sent to schools in each league after the contest.
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Contests
High School ContestsMath League's High School Contests are the best in high school mathematics competition. Students in each league compete for the highest scores, while schools compete for the highest team score: the total of the top 5 scores in each school. These contests consist of 6 High School Contests each year, with 6 questions per contest. There are 6 score reports per year for each league, showing each participating school's team scores, high scoring schools and students, and students with a perfect score. Each score report is accompanied by a newsletter, which includes comments and alternate solutions from teachers and students. All high school students in accredited schools are welcome to compete. Problems draw from a wide range of high school topics: geometry, algebra, trigonometry, logarithms, series, sequences, exponents, roots, integers, real numbers, combinations, probability, coordinate geometry, and more. No knowledge of calculus is required to solve any of these problems. Detailed solution sheets demonstrate the methods used to solve each problem, including various approaches where appropriate. Working through these problems and our contest problem books is excellent practice for the SAT and college-bound students. Contest Format: There are 6 High School Contests each year, with 6 questions per contest. There is a 30 minute time limit for each contest. On each contest, the last two questions are generally more difficult than the first four. The final question on each contest is intended to challenge the very best mathematics students. The problems require no knowledge beyond secondary school mathematics. No knowledge of calculus is required to solve any of these problems. Two to four of the questions on each contest only require a knowledge of elementary algebra. Starting with the 1992-93 school year, students have been permitted to use any calculator on any of our contests. |
|
2008-2009 High School Contest Dates
|
|
|
Contest #
|
Official Date*(Tuesdays)
|
|
HS Contest 1
HS Contest 2 HS Contest 3 HS Contest 4 HS Contest 5 HS Contest 6 |
October 21, 2008
November 18, 2008 December 16, 2008 January 13, 2009 February 24, 2009 March 24, 2009 |
|
*Alternate contest dates may be scheduled one week before
the contest dates, in the event of scheduling conflicts. |
|
Algebra Course 1 Contest
Math League's Algebra Course 1 Contests are a great way to motivate students learning algebra for the first time. The questions range from basic algebra skills, to more difficult problems, requiring creative solutions by applying algebra course 1 techniques. A wide variety of word problems are included on each contest, in addition to computational problems, to stress the value of applied algebra techniques. These contests are provided for intraschool competition, and come with certificates of merit for your school's high scoring students, and one of our High School Contest problem books for your school's top scorer. Here's a quote from one of last year's Algebra Course 1 students who participated in our contest: "I hope you keep making those tests. It really gets your brain to work" -Amber L.
Contest Format: Each contest consists of 30 multiple-choice questions that you can do in 30 minutes. On each 3-page contest, the questions on the 1st page are generally straightforward, those on the 2nd page are moderate in difficulty, and those on the 3rd page are more difficult. The questions require no more knowledge than that of a first year high school algebra course.
|
The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC)
The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) is dedicated to the goal of strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth. We believe that one way to meet this goal is to identify, recognize and reward excellence in mathematics through a serics of national contests called the:
- American Mathematics Contest 8 (AMC 8),
- American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10),
- American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12),
- American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), and
- United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO).
In addition to the 5 contests listed above, we also have a summer program, and choose the final six contestants for an international competition:
- Mathematical Olympiad Summer program (MOSP), and the
- International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO)
For over 50 years many excellent exams have been prepared by individuals throughout our mathematical community in the hope that all secondary students will have an opportunity to participate in these problem solving and enriching mathematics experiences. The AMC contests are intended for everyone from the average student at a typical school who enjoys mathematics to the very best student at the most special school. To insure this mission is served, each year the AMC solicits enrollment by mailing an Invitation Brochure to all schools in the United States teaching grades six through twelve.
HISTORICAL BEGINNING
On Thursday, May 11, 1950 the first Mathematical Contest, sponsored by the New York Metropolitan Section of the Mathematics Association of America (MAA) took place. It was given in approximately 238 schools to around 6,000 students in the New York area only. The following exerpt is taken from the Report of the Committee addressed to that year’s participating teachers:
“The first mathematics contest sponsored by the New York Metropolitan Section of the MAA is now history. It was a lot of work getting the contest organized and finally holding it. Like all new projects, we worried about it. Would the High Schools participate? Would they like the test? Is it worth while? Will any good be produced by it? Will it be a success?”
Today, over fifty years and three generations later we can answer all of the Committee's questions with a resounding Yes! Yes! Yes! The overall success of this program can be viewed by simply looking at our growth in numbers. This year over 413,000 students in over 5100 schools participated in the AMC Contests. Another 10,000 students have qualified to participate in the AIME scheduled for late March and early April. From this qualifying round another 250 students will be invited to take the prestigous USAMO in early May.
TODAY
The AMC year begins in the fall with the American Mathematics Contest 8 (AMC 8, originally called the AJHSME - American Junior High School Mathematics Examination). The AMC 8 is for students in the sixth, seventh or eighth grade; accelerated fourth and fifth grade students also take part. It is a 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice contest, given the Tuesday before Thanksgiving week. A student’s score is the number of problems correctly solved, there is no penalty for guessing. The material covered is the middle school mathematics curriculum. No problem requires the use of algebra or a calculator. AMC 8 Eligibility extends to any student 14.5 years of age or younger on the day of the contest, and not enrolled in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12 or equivalent. After the contest is taken in the school, the contest administrator sends AMC the answer forms, and we score, compile and send email results back to the school, usually within 3 weeks. We then follow up with a written report, accompanied by the awards for the school. Students who score 20 or better on the AMC 8 are invited to take the next set of contests, the AMC 10/AMC 12.
The American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12, originally called the AHSME - American High School Mathematics Examination), is a 25 question, 75 minute multiple choice examination in secondary school mathematics containing problems which can be understood and solved with pre-calculus concepts. The AMC 12 is designed for students in a program leading to a high school diploma, and under 19.5 years of age on the day of the contest.
The American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10, added in 2000, when the names of the AMC 8 and AMC 12 were updated) is also a 25 question, 75 minute multiple choice examination in secondary school mathematics containing problems which can be understood and solved with pre-calculus concepts. The AMC 10 is designed for students in a program leading to a high school diploma, under 17.5 years of age on the day of the contest, and not enrolled in grades 11 or 12 or equivalent.
The AMC 12 and AMC 10 Contests are given on two different dates, (designated by the use of the "A" and "B" suffix on the contest names - AMC 12A, AMC 10A, AMC 12B or AMC 10B) about two weeks apart, in February. A student may choose to take one contest on both dates. Another words, an 11th or 12th grader may take the AMC 12 on both dates. A student in 10th grade or below may choose whether he will take the AMC 10 or the AMC 12 on each date , so a 10th grader can take the AMC 10 A and the AMC 12B, the AMC 12A and the AMC 10B, the AMC 12A and the AMC 12B or the AMC 10A and the AMC 10B. After the contest is taken in the school, the contest administrator sends AMC the answer forms, and we score, compile and send email results back to the school, usually within 3 weeks. We then follow up with a written report, accompanied by the awards for the school. AMC 12 students who rank in the top 5% nationally (or score at least 100) will qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME). AMC 10 students who rank in the top 1% nationally (or score at least 120) will also qualify for the AIME.
The American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), is a 15 question, 3 hour examination in which each answer is an integer number from 0 to 999. It is given on two different dates, (designated by the use of the "I" and "II" suffix on the contest names - AIME-I and AIME -II) about two weeks apart, in March. The questions on the AIME are much more difficult and students are very unlikely to obtain the correct answer by guessing. As with the AMC 10 and AMC 12 (and the USAMO), all problems on the AIME can be solved by pre-calculus methods. Unlike on the AMC 10 and the AMC 12 a student can only take the AIME once, and the student/school must make the decision as to whether they will take the AIME-I or the AIME-II. Again, after the contest is taken in the school, the contest administrator sends AMC the answer forms, and we score, compile and send email results back to the school, usually within 3 weeks. We then follow up with a written report, accompanied by the awards for the school. AMC 12 students who rank in the top 5% nationally (or score at least 100) will qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME). AMC 10 students who rank in the top 1% nationally (or score at least 120) will also qualify for the AIME.
The United States of American Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), is a six question, two day, 9 hour essay/proof examination. All problems can be solved with pre-calculus methods. Approximately 250 of the top scoring AMC participants (based on a weighted average) are invited to take the USAMO. U. S. citizens and students legally residing in the United States and Canada (with qualifyng scores) are eligible to take the USAMO. This is given on two consecutive days (usually a Tuesday and Wednesday) in mid-late April. The twelve top scoring USAMO students are invited to a two day Olympiad Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC sponsored by the MAA, the Akamai Foundation, the Microsoft Corporation and the Matilda Wilson Foundation. Six of these twelve students will comprise the United States team that competes in the “International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The IMO began in 1959; the USA has participated since 1974.
The Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program (MOSP) is a 3-4 week, intensive training program in June, which will give all participants, including the six IMO team members and two alternates, extensive practice in solving mathematical problems which require deeper analysis than those solved by students in even the best American high schools. Full days of classes and extensive problem sets give students thorough preparation in several important areas of mathematics which are traditionally emphasized more in other countries than in the United States. Traditionally there are 25 openings for the IMO team, alternates, and a select group of younger students. For the past several years The Akamai Foundation has sponsored an additional 25 openings for students just finishing ninth grade.
The AMC year culminates with the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) which is a 10-14 day trip and contest for the top 6 students, who comprise the US IMO team and represent the United States at IMO. The 2006 team competed against over 90 countries in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in July 2006 and placed Fifth.
More details can be found in http://www.unl.edu/amc/