“Art of problem solving volume 1: the Basics” book experience?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I am not sure whether this is the right sub-forum in CC to ask this math book question. </p>

<p>My daughter is an 8th grader now. Her standard math test scores are:
SAT math-- 720
AMC 8 -- 19
AMC 10 – 72</p>

<p>Someone told me that “Art of problem solving volume 1: the Basics” is the best book for preparing AMC test. I just bought this book and the solution. If anyone who has used this book, could you let me know it took you how many months to finish it? And about how many hours/minutes for you to spend on this book every day? What is your advice on using this book?</p>

<p>For any one successfully in AMC test, based on my daughter’s current math level, do you feel positive that she can get into AMIE in 10th grade? Or it is unlikely? </p>

<p>Thanks for any reply.</p>

2

<p>She could probably finish it over summer and understand ~75-80% of it if she works thoroughly
And if she really works hard, she can make AIME next year</p>

3

<p>“She is possible to make AIME next year”?? That is really encouraged! I did not dream that she could make it next year.
“finish it over summer”? There are about 300 examples, 350 exercises, 588 problems in the book. I bet she needs to spend at least 3 hours every day working on this book.</p>

<p>Thanks for your encouragement!</p>

4

<p>honestly, collegeconfidential is not the right place for questions like these. THere are probably at most a few people who have gone through books like that and/or are very experienced with the AMC. you are better off going to the website [Art</a> of Problem Solving](<a href=“http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/]Art”>http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/) where you will certainly find people who have extensive experience with the AMC and AoPs books as well as give you advice better than probably anyone here. Responses are also much faster.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, definitely go on AoPS.
But, since I’ve gone through this process, I would say that she can make it, but it definitely would be harder if she takes the AMC 10 since you need to score in the top 2.5% in the nation to qualify for AIME rather than 5%.</p>

<p>It really depends how long it would take her to work through it. What I will say, though, is not to rush through it: AoPS 2 is a lot more proof based, and you really do need a strong understanding of AoPS to get through AoPS 2 (except for the new concepts).</p>

<p>And, before she even starts, I recommend she goes and looks up Shoelace theorem (very nifty theorem that is not mentioned in either book). I actually wouldn’t have known about it, but we just did it in Calc 3 (don’t worry, it’s a really straight forward formula). And yeah, AoPS was really helpful for me in qualifying for AIME and doing well in other math competitions.</p>