<p>Since I was a young boy, I always dreamed of going to MIT to work in the physical sciences. This year, as a freshman, I'm taking AP Calculus BC, but I really want to participate in the USAMO by taking the AMC10 and then the AIME.</p>
<p>The problem I face is that I've had this book:</p>
<p>for about a year now and I can't do almost any of the problems without help from my parents (who are very, extremely reluctant to assist me because they are Asian) or from the back of the book which contains all of the answers.</p>
<p>Help? I always devote an hour or two a day to solving the problems in the book I have but I can't seem to do it without help... Do you guys have any resources, or other options that I would less likely to suck at?</p>
<p>Tough love here, if you can’t do AMC10 you won’t make USAMO… Everyone I know who has gotten even a good score on AIME found AMC stuff to be cake… Not trying to be a d-bag or stuck up but merely making a conculsion based on my experiences…</p>
<p>Ultimately, it doesn’t come down to what math you’re taking. If you can’t apply what you know to solve problems in creative ways, you just won’t qualify for USAMO, much less AIME. Sorry! That’s just the way it is.</p>
<p>Considered studying any other fields? There are other Olympiads, you know.</p>
<p>^ He’s right, when I first made AIME (8th grade) I had just started trig… No calc is needed (however there have been some questions in the USAMO where I’ve found NO WAY to do them without a calculus step of two…)</p>
<p>I am sure there’s a way to study for it. I know someone who’s not that good at math much less creative got a decent score on AMC10 recently. Not anywhere close to AIME level but better than many of its peers. This kid has a tutor for just about everythig.</p>
<p>Yeah, get Art of Problem Solving. You need to break in the feeling of using what you know in creative ways, so lots and lots of practice. Good thing you’re a freshmen.</p>
<p>Practice, practice, practice. I cannot emphasise this enough. The more problems you do, the better you will get. Start of small, AMC10 level and work your way up when you can solve them. Importantly, make sure you solve the problems, do not just look at solutions.</p>
<p>What the people above me said are true. However, I would argue that math takes innate ability moreso than just about anything else. Most of us USAMO caliber folks could make AIME back in middle school without too much studying (then you have kids like david yang, making black mop as a 7th grader… ■■■). </p>
<p>usabo, usapho, usnco, usaco. Take your pick and work at it.</p>