In the cold winter month of January, AMC 8 will be held in elementary and middle schools all over the nation from Jan. 18-24. 

Ishaan Gulati, a seventh-grade newcomer on All-Stars says, “I’m very interested in math, and this is a way to propel my mathematics.”

The AMC tests’ goal is to improve students’ math and analytical skills. There are seven different types of problems you must solve: algebraic, arithmetic, counting, geometry, logic, number theory, and probability. 

The test is quite popular, as 210,827 students participated in the event in the U.S. last year.  

Mrs. Angie Cahill, a math teacher on the Legacy team, said about 250-300 students participated from RCMS.

The competition was introduced in 1985,  and the test is generally meant for late elementary and middle school students, as the age limit is 14 years old. 

“The most common grade was seventh grade with eighth grade coming shortly after,” said Anthony Yu, a seventh-grader, of Legacy, and a repeat participant in both AMC 8 and AMC 10.

The test has 25 questions, and a time limit of 40 minutes. The questions start simple but eventually get harder. The use of calculators on the test is not allowed or necessary because none of the questions require them. 

The grading is based on the amount of questions you get correct, so there’s no penalty for getting the questions wrong. All questions are worth one point. The average score last year was 9.69, and the highest possible score is 25 points. 

The test is typically in a wide open area, with spread-out chairs to prevent cheating. Mrs. Cahill says that the competition takes place in a teacher’s classroom after school.

The test will be proctored by the competition manager. Any signs of cheating or illicit resources will result in the competition managers being contacted. 

Multiple awards are given out for different things. For a perfect score, you get a Certificate of Distinction, and the AMC 8 Winner Pin is awarded to the student who gets the highest score. Medals will also be given to the first, second, and third-place competitors, and the AMC 8 Honor Roll Certificate will be awarded to high-scoring students. High-scoring students in grade 6 or below will be granted an AMC 8 Merit Certificate.

To prepare for the test, as Mrs. Cahill put it, “Work problems from previous competitions.” 

Preparing is vital, participants said.

“Stretching your brain helps,” said Anthony when asked about test-taking strategies.

Another strategy might be calming yourself before the test and focusing on the questions. Pacing yourself is one of the most important keys to success.

 “Try to be quick on the easy questions, and think more at the end,” said Chloe Li, a seventh-grader on the All-Stars team, and an AMC 8 participant.

Regular registration ends Dec. 18, and late registration is from Dec. 19-Jan. 11.