How do you study for AMC, AIME, USAMO?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>I'm a freshman and wondering how others prepare for these math competitions. I am currently studying the AoPS, and studying old tests. However, are the online AoPS classes useful? Any tips or suggestions for a AMC newbie?</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artofproblemsolving.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>AoPS classes are great. Get the books. If you have a long time, enroll in Discreet Math, Number Theory, and Probability classes at college like I did.</p>

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<p>You are on track by doing AOPS and old tests.</p>

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<p>just a quick question. what are those math competitions you are talking about? my school doesnt have them. is that possible to join?</p>

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<p>there's info about these and other contests at <a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artofproblemsolving.com&lt;/a>. For info about AMC exams specifically, go to <a href="http://www.unl.edu/amc%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.unl.edu/amc&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>oh god... why care so much about preparing, just take the damn tests... i got i believe a 96 the first time i took the amc 12 as a sophomore, it's not that hard, now if only i didn't feel complusive and filled in the ones i didn't know...</p>

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<p>lol to get 100+ on AMC 12 is pretty easy... if ur a junior taking precalc, I think u only need to get what, 15 correct, and omit the rest? or something like that to achieve 100+, and then if you're anything like my school, u get to skip 3 hours of class to take the AIME... which I usually use to just sleep after guessing on all the questions (at least 2-3 answers area always 0, -1 or 1 because all "trick" math questions have one of those three numbers as the answer). For your information, I got a 3 on the AIME doing that last time around hehe.</p>

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<p>I don't think 0 1 or -1 are answers all that often on the AIME, -1 isn't even a possibility, since all answers are between 1 and 999 and are integers. Only one question about 5 years ago had answer 0, and about 2 had answers 1, so don't go with 0 or 1 as your best guesses.</p>

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<p>I'm wondering too, can you join if your school doesnt participate?
The registration stuff seems to be only for schools.</p>

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<p>you can take the exam at another school (small fee for this - like $15). Or you can round up a couple of friends willing to split the school registration fee and try to get one of your teachers to administer the test (it doesn't even have to be a math teacher.)</p>

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<p>AoPS is good to prep for exams.</p>

<p>Find some websites with practice problems also</p>

<p>And go through school textbooks doing challenging word problems</p>

<p>Study shortcuts, algorithms, etc and find a love for math.
The people that win the competitions usually have a good feel for math and do it all the time.
They know tons of theorems inside-out.</p>

<p>Look at Anders Kaseorg who is now at MIT. Was he the stuff or what?</p>