AMC

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The AMC 12 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. Calculators are not allowed starting in 2008. For the 2012-2013 school year there will be two dates on which the contest may be taken: AMC 12A on Tuesday, February 5, 2013, and AMC 12B on Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

[|**Click here**] to jump to the registration information.

Purpose
The main purpose of the AMC 12 is to spur interest in mathematics and to develop talent through solving challenging problems in a timed multiple-choice format. What happens before and after the AMC 12 can have lasting educational value. Talents will be enhanced if one practices beforehand, by working through previous examinations, by participating in math leagues and, most importantly, by studying mathematics more intensely than one normally does in high school.

Learning
Although the excitement of testing one's mettle is naturally directed toward the contest itself, it is what happens before and after the contests which can have lasting educational value. Talents are enhanced with practice beforehand. This might be done by working through previous examinations, by participating in math leagues and, most importantly, by studying mathematics more intensely than one normally does in high school. Learning will take place if students singly, jointly and, especially with their teachers, strive to solve those examination problems they did not see how to solve in the allotted time as well as to understand the solutions to those problems that they did not solve correctly. Occasionally, problems are chosen so that certain subtle but significant confusions, as well as some common computational errors, will be identified by the wrong answers listed. These principles and confusions are highlighted in the carefully prepared solutions manual.

Difficulty
Since the AMC 10/12 covers such a broad spectrum of knowledge and ability there is a wide range of scores. The National Honor Roll cut off score for the AMC 12, 100 out of 150 possible points, is typically attained or surpassed by about 5% of all participants. For many students and schools only relative scores are significant, and so lists of top individual and team scores on regional and local levels are compiled. These regional lists and information on score distributions appear in the yearly summary sent to all participating schools. The more valuable comparison students can make is between their own level of achievement and their levels in previous years. In particular, they are encouraged to begin taking the contests early in their mathematics studies and to look back with pride each year on how they have learned to answer questions that they could not have answered previously.

A special purpose of the AMC 12 is to help identify those few students with truly exceptional mathematics talent. Students who are among the very best deserve some indication of how they stand relative to other students in the country and around the world. The AMC 12 is one in a series of examinations (followed in the United States by the American Invitational Examination and the USA Mathematical Olympiad) that culminate in participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad, the most prestigious and difficult secondary mathematics examination in the world.

The AMC 10/12 is not an end in itself. Outstanding performance on it is neither necessary nor sufficient for becoming an outstanding mathematician. The ability to gain insights and do computations quickly is wonderful talent, but many eminent mathematicians are not quick in this way. Also, the multiple-choice format (necessary for the prompt scoring of over 300,000 examinations) benefits those who are shrewd at eliminating wrong answers and guessing, but this is not particularly a mathematical talent. In short, students who do not receive nationally recognized scores should not shrink from pursuing mathematics further, and those who do receive such high scores should not think that they have forever proved their mathematical merit. This contest, and all other mathematical competitions, remains but one means for furthering mathematical development.

The American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) is the first exam in the series of exams used to challenge bright students, grades 12 and below, on the path toward choosing the team that represents the United States at the [|International Mathematics Olympiad] (IMO). High scoring AMC 12 students are invited to take the more challenging [|American Invitational Mathematics Examination] (AIME). The AMC 12 is administered by the [|American Mathematics Competitions] (AMC). [|Art of Problem Solving] (AoPS) is a proud sponsor of the AMC! The AMC 12 used to be the [|American High School Mathematics Examination] from 1951 to 1999.

 [hide] * [|1 Format] Format
 * ==Contents==
 * [|2 Curriculum]
 * [|3 Resources][|4 See also]
 * [|3.1 Links]
 * [|3.2 Recommended reading]
 * [|3.3 AMC Preparation Classes]

The AMC 12 is a 25 question, 75 minute multiple choice test. Problems generally increase in difficulty as the exam progresses. Ever since 2008, calculators have been banned from use during the test. The AMC 12 is scored in a way that penalizes guesses. Correct answers are worth 6 points, incorrect questions are worth 0 points, and unanswered questions are worth 1.5 points, to give a total score out of 150 points. From 2002 to 2006, the number of points for an unanswered question was 2.5 points and before 2002 it was 2 points. Students that score over 100 points or in the top 5% of the AMC 12 contest are invited to take the [|AIME].[|[1]] Curriculum

The AMC 12 tests [|mathematical problem solving] with [|arithmetic], [|algebra], [|counting], [|geometry], [|number theory], and [|probability] and other secondary school math topics. Problems are designed to be solvable by students without any background in calculus. Resources Links

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recommended reading
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|AMC homepage], their [|AMC 12 page], and [|practice problems]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The [|AoPS] [|AMC 12 guide].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|AMC Forum] for discussion of the AMC and problems from AMC exams.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The [|AoPS Contest Archive] includes problems and solutions from [|past AMC exams].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|AMC 12 Problems and Solutions]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">AMC Preparation Classes
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Problem and solution books for past AMC exams].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Introduction to Algebra] by [|Richard Rusczyk].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Introduction to Counting & Probability] by Dr. [|David Patrick].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Introduction to Geometry] by [|Richard Rusczyk].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Introduction to Number Theory] by [|Mathew Crawford].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Intermediate Algebra] by [|Richard Rusczyk] and [|Mathew Crawford].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Intermediate Counting & Probability] by Dr. [|David Patrick].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Precalculus] by [|Richard Rusczyk].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Art of Problem Solving Volume 1] by [|Sandor Lehoczky] and [|Richard Rusczyk].
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Art of Problem Solving Volume 2] by [|Sandor Lehoczky] and [|Richard Rusczyk].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">See also
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|AoPS] hosts an [|online school] teaching introductory and intermediate classes in topics covered by the AMC 12 as well as an AMC 12 preparation class.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|AoPS] holds many free [|Math Jams], some of which are devoted to discussing problems on the AMC 10 and AMC 12. [|Math Jam Schedule]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|EPGY] offers an AMC 12 preparation class.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Category]: [|Mathematics competitions] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">==============================================================================================================
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Mathematics competitions]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|ARML]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Mathematics summer programs]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> @https://epgy.stanford.edu/courses/math/MC12/


 * ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Information about the AMC 12 ===

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Background
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are each 75 minute, 25 question math competitions in secondary school mathematics containing problems which can be understood and solved with pre-calculus concepts. Any student in grade 12 or younger may take the AMC 12; only students in grade 10 or younger may take the AMC 10. The contests are meant to be enjoyable, spurring interest in mathematics and offering challenging problems of a different nature than those you may encounter in a math class. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For 2011, the AMC 10/12 is offered:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A version: Tuesday, Feb 8, 2011
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">B version: Wednesday, Feb 23, 2011

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Contest Details
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For the most complete information about the American Math Committee, and the AMC tests, see the AMC Website. Please note that the "Registration" link at that web site is for schools and test sites, not for individual students. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sample questions for each exam may be found at


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@http://www.unl.edu/amc/e-exams/e5-amc10/archive10.shtml
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@http://www.unl.edu/amc/e-exams/e6-amc12/archive12.shtml

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 2011, students in the top 2.5% of all scorers nationwide, or who score at least 120 on the AMC 10, as well as students who are in the top 5% or score at least 100 on the AMC 12, will be invited to participate in the AIME (American invitational math exam) in March. Roughly the top 500 scorers on that exam (who are US citizens or permanent residents) will be invited to participate in either the USAJMO (USA Junior Math Olympiad) or the USAMO (USA Math Olympiad) in April,. The USAMO will be used to determine selection for the US Math Olympiad team.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 2011, the qualification parameters will be slightly relaxed for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). For students taking the 2011 AMC 10 contests, we will invite students in the top 2.5% of all scorers or scorers with at least 120 points (whichever is more inclusive) to the AIME. This differs from the values of 1% (or 120 points) which have been in effect since 2004. For students taking the 2011 AMC 12, we will invite students in the top 5% of all scorers or scorers with at least 100 points to the AIME. These AMC 12 qualification values remain at the same level they have been since 2000. This policy guards against the possibility of a particularly difficult examination, one on which the scores are uniformly lower than normal, reducing the number of AIME qualifiers.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Participation at EPGY
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">EPGY is allowed to offer these exams to students whose own schools do not already offer them. Details concerning how to take the exam at EPGY will be given out at the first class session. ||  ||

<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: top;">ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING WEBSITE

MathEdge Dates for different tests.

AoPS Counting and Probability