<p>Can anybody give me any information on these tests? What level of math should you have before taking these? Is it invite-only? I don't know anything about them..</p>
<p>The math olympiad is not like the other subject olympiads, as it takes years to gain the knowledge necessary for good results. You will need EXTREMELY good problem-solving skills to make it past the AIME, which is a 15 question test that you have 3 hours to do. The average score is usually around 2 to 3 for the people who qualify for it, which is the top 1% of the scorers on the AMC 12 and AMC 10. Making it past the AIME and onto the USAMO is incredibly difficult for this reason. Only around 250 kids in the nation do so every year. However, making it past the AMC 12/10 is much easy though. A 100+ on the AMC 12 or a 120+ on the AMC 10 guarentees your invitation to the AIME.
If you really want to work on your math skills, the best way is to do hundreds of past problems.
Here are a few sites with great resources:
<a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D">www.artofproblemsolving.com</a> (best site, in my opinion)
<a href="http://www.kalva.demon.co.uk%5B/url%5D">www.kalva.demon.co.uk</a> (has math contest problems, including dozens of AIME's of the past years)
However, be prepared to put in 200+ hours to study if you haven't had any experience in the math olympiad yet.</p>
<p>its around top 1% of amc 10 and top 5% of amc 12 to qualify for AIME I blieve (not sure about the amc 10 part)</p>
<p>also USAMO is 250 people from US AND canada. canadians are not allowed to participate beyond USAMO</p>
<p>Thanks for the answers? What level of math should I take to be ok? Is it past Calculus BC?</p>
<p>From the AMC website: "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." </p>
<p>The test does not require any calculus - it tests problem solving skills, as opposed to high-level mathematics. To take the AMC, all you need to do is get a teacher to set it up and proctor the exam. If you can't find enough people to do it at your school, I think you can take your test at another school that offers the test for an additional small fee. If you have any other questions, there are posters like Texas137 who can probably answer your questions</p>
<p>Technically, no calculus at all is needed. In fact, if you truly understood algebra (including trig.) and geometry you could ace the tests!</p>
<p>The problem is, the definition of competition level algebra and geometry far exceeds the standard high school curriculum. It includes, but is not limited to, combinatorics, probability, and number theory for the algebra part. There is this page on the Mandelbrot Competition web site that includes a list of all the high-school level topics that are game for these competitions.</p>
<p>its not the level of math that matters, more of your fluency and ability to use what you know. being familiar with common contest type qusetions help alot.</p>
<p>Although knowing basic calculus concepts may help you with a problem or two, it is not necessary. The highest scorers in my school are not necessarily the ones in the AP Calc BC class but in lower classes such as Algebra 2 and Geometry.
And speaking of the contest, I just realized that the AMC 12A is going to be in just a little over a month (Jan. 31). So good luck to everyone who's taking it! Here's to a 130/10 this year =)!!!!</p>
<p>well calc might help with some max/min question, but that just for doing them faster (since you can technically do them by algebra) </p>
<p>I havn't seen any max/min related questions on AMC or AIME but they do appear on a few canadian contests.</p>
<p>Number theory is probably quite useful in understanding many of the problems. A lot of people I met from PROMYS were USAMO qualifiers and all fo them were definitely strong in non-curriculum math--some not even in standard calculus at the high school level.</p>
<p>Calculus is really not helpful. This is my third year in the AMC/AIME series and also my third year in the Australian Math Competition; and until now, I've never found a use for any of the stuff I learned in Calc.</p>
<p>If you want to do good, study Number Theory instead...it is VERY helpful in solving a lot of problems, and make sure you really, and I mean REALLY understand Algebra and Geometry. Technically, all of the problems on there can be solved by using Algebra and Geometry, but it demands a high level of understanding on both parts, one that exceeds nearly all non-prep/non-magnet math curricula in the United States.</p>
<p>Resources that are helpful:
Past AMC questions, buy them from <a href="http://www.unl.edu/amc%5B/url%5D">www.unl.edu/amc</a> or ask your math teacher.
Kalva - the link is above somewhere (good for AIME/USAMO prep)
Art of Problem Solving - <a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D">www.artofproblemsolving.com</a>. Really good competition textbooks.</p>
<p>But remember, it's nearly impossible to cram this the night before, so you probably have to start 3+ months ahead and work continually.</p>
<p>foolonthehill: I'm aiming for a 130/10 too this year!! =/ hahaha. Especially since that insane USAMO cutoff last year...oh well, hopefully I'll have a shot at it....=p Good luck to you!</p>
<p>I did like 104.5/3 last year. I'm hoping to just improve on that a little bit. </p>
<p>It's a tough test. When it says that only the top 5% of test takers make it to the AIME, you have to remember that the people taking the AMC in the first place are pretty good math students.</p>
<p>AoPS can help tons!</p>
<p>Practice problems are the way to go if you want to do well on these tests.</p>
<p>Kalva page--- <a href="http://www.kalva.demon.co.uk/%5B/url%5D">http://www.kalva.demon.co.uk/</a></p>
<p>Good luck to you too, oasis! =)</p>
<p>I took the AMC last year as a junior without ever taking algebra 2 and I scored a 96- not bad I guess.</p>
<p>The test is definitely all problem solving. Its a lot of fun if you love logic problems.</p>
<p>Does Number Theory (the class) really help? If so, is it worth taking at a community college? And what level math class is it? Do you think Calculus will be a prerequisite in order for me to enroll in such a class?</p>
<p>No. Number theory has no prerequisites really. It's something you can take at a college or learn on your own. It's a very different type of mathematics that requires more rigorous understanding of basic concepts.</p>