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k a April Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Apr 2, 2025
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner, what are your plans? At AoPS Online our schedule has new classes starting now through July, so be sure to keep your skills sharp and be prepared for the Fall school year! Check out the schedule of upcoming classes below.

WOOT early bird pricing is in effect, don’t miss out! If you took MathWOOT Level 2 last year, no worries, it is all new problems this year! Our Worldwide Online Olympiad Training program is for high school level competitors. AoPS designed these courses to help our top students get the deep focus they need to succeed in their specific competition goals. Check out the details at this link for all our WOOT programs in math, computer science, chemistry, and physics.

Looking for summer camps in math and language arts? Be sure to check out the video-based summer camps offered at the Virtual Campus that are 2- to 4-weeks in duration. There are middle and high school competition math camps as well as Math Beasts camps that review key topics coupled with fun explorations covering areas such as graph theory (Math Beasts Camp 6), cryptography (Math Beasts Camp 7-8), and topology (Math Beasts Camp 8-9)!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the following events:
[list][*]April 3rd (Webinar), 4pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learning with AoPS: Perspectives from a Parent, Math Camp Instructor, and University Professor
[*]April 8th (Math Jam), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MATHCOUNTS State Discussion
April 9th (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learn about Video-based Summer Camps at the Virtual Campus
[*]April 10th (Math Jam), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MathILy and MathILy-Er Math Jam: Multibackwards Numbers
[*]April 22nd (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Competitive Programming at AoPS (USACO).[/list]
Our full course list for upcoming classes is below:
All classes run 7:30pm-8:45pm ET/4:30pm - 5:45pm PT unless otherwise noted.

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0 replies
jlacosta
Apr 2, 2025
0 replies
k i Adding contests to the Contest Collections
dcouchman   1
N Apr 5, 2023 by v_Enhance
Want to help AoPS remain a valuable Olympiad resource? Help us add contests to AoPS's Contest Collections.

Find instructions and a list of contests to add here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c40244h1064480_contests_to_add
1 reply
dcouchman
Sep 9, 2019
v_Enhance
Apr 5, 2023
k i Zero tolerance
ZetaX   49
N May 4, 2019 by NoDealsHere
Source: Use your common sense! (enough is enough)
Some users don't want to learn, some other simply ignore advises.
But please follow the following guideline:


To make it short: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!
If you don't have common sense, don't post.


More specifically:

For new threads:


a) Good, meaningful title:
The title has to say what the problem is about in best way possible.
If that title occured already, it's definitely bad. And contest names aren't good either.
That's in fact a requirement for being able to search old problems.

Examples:
Bad titles:
- "Hard"/"Medium"/"Easy" (if you find it so cool how hard/easy it is, tell it in the post and use a title that tells us the problem)
- "Number Theory" (hey guy, guess why this forum's named that way¿ and is it the only such problem on earth¿)
- "Fibonacci" (there are millions of Fibonacci problems out there, all posted and named the same...)
- "Chinese TST 2003" (does this say anything about the problem¿)
Good titles:
- "On divisors of a³+2b³+4c³-6abc"
- "Number of solutions to x²+y²=6z²"
- "Fibonacci numbers are never squares"


b) Use search function:
Before posting a "new" problem spend at least two, better five, minutes to look if this problem was posted before. If it was, don't repost it. If you have anything important to say on topic, post it in one of the older threads.
If the thread is locked cause of this, use search function.

Update (by Amir Hossein). The best way to search for two keywords in AoPS is to input
[code]+"first keyword" +"second keyword"[/code]
so that any post containing both strings "first word" and "second form".


c) Good problem statement:
Some recent really bad post was:
[quote]$lim_{n\to 1}^{+\infty}\frac{1}{n}-lnn$[/quote]
It contains no question and no answer.
If you do this, too, you are on the best way to get your thread deleted. Write everything clearly, define where your variables come from (and define the "natural" numbers if used). Additionally read your post at least twice before submitting. After you sent it, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.


For answers to already existing threads:


d) Of any interest and with content:
Don't post things that are more trivial than completely obvious. For example, if the question is to solve $x^{3}+y^{3}=z^{3}$, do not answer with "$x=y=z=0$ is a solution" only. Either you post any kind of proof or at least something unexpected (like "$x=1337, y=481, z=42$ is the smallest solution). Someone that does not see that $x=y=z=0$ is a solution of the above without your post is completely wrong here, this is an IMO-level forum.
Similar, posting "I have solved this problem" but not posting anything else is not welcome; it even looks that you just want to show off what a genius you are.

e) Well written and checked answers:
Like c) for new threads, check your solutions at least twice for mistakes. And after sending, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.



To repeat it: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!


Everything definitely out of range of common sense will be locked or deleted (exept for new users having less than about 42 posts, they are newbies and need/get some time to learn).

The above rules will be applied from next monday (5. march of 2007).
Feel free to discuss on this here.
49 replies
ZetaX
Feb 27, 2007
NoDealsHere
May 4, 2019
2025 ELMOCOUNTS - Mock MATHCOUNTS Nationals
vincentwant   65
N 19 minutes ago by mathkiddus
text totally not copied over from wmc (thanks jason <3)
Quick Links:
[list=disc]
[*] National: (Sprint) (Target) (Team) (Sprint + Target Submission) (Team Submission) [/*]
[*] Miscellaneous: (Leaderboard) (Private Discussion Forum) [/*]
[/list]
(Above links will release soon.)
-----
Eddison Chen (KS '22 '24), Aarush Goradia (CO '24), Ethan Imanuel (NJ '24), Benjamin Jiang (FL '23 '24), Rayoon Kim (PA '23 '24), Jason Lee (NC '23 '24), Puranjay Madupu (AZ '23 '24), Andy Mo (OH '23 '24), George Paret (FL '24), Arjun Raman (IN '24), Vincent Wang (TX '24), Channing Yang (TX '23 '24), and Jefferson Zhou (MN '23 '24) present:



[center]IMAGE[/center]

[center]Image credits to Simon Joeng.[/center]

2024 MATHCOUNTS Nationals alumni from all across the nation have come together to administer the first-ever ELMOCOUNTS Competition, a mock written by the 2024 Nationals alumni given to the 2025 Nationals participants. By providing the next generation of mathletes with free, high quality practice, we're here to boast how strong of an alumni community MATHCOUNTS has, as well as foster interest in the beautiful art that is problem writing!

The tests and their corresponding submissions forms will be released here, on this thread, on Monday, April 21, 2025. The deadline is May 10, 2025. Tests can be administered asynchronously at your home or school, and your answers should be submitted to the corresponding submission form. If you include your AoPS username in your submission, you will be granted access to the private discussion forum on AoPS, where you can discuss the tests even before the deadline.
[list=disc]
[*] "How do I know these tests are worth my time?" [/*]
[*] "Who can participate?" [/*]
[*] "How do I sign up?" [/*]
[*] "What if I have multiple students?" [/*]
[*] "What if a problem is ambiguous, incorrect, etc.?" [/*]
[*] "Will there be solutions?" [/*]
[*] "Will there be a Countdown Round administered?" [/*]
[/list]
If you have any other questions, feel free to email us at elmocounts2025@gmail.com!
65 replies
+2 w
vincentwant
Yesterday at 6:29 PM
mathkiddus
19 minutes ago
basically INAMO 2010/6
iStud   0
40 minutes ago
Source: Monthly Contest KTOM April P1 Essay
Call $n$ kawaii if it satisfies $d(n)+\varphi(n)+1=n$ ($d(n)$ is the number of positive factors of $n$, while $\varphi(n)$ is the number of integers not more than $n$ that are relatively prime with $n$). Find all $n$ that is kawaii.
0 replies
iStud
40 minutes ago
0 replies
trolling geometry problem
iStud   0
43 minutes ago
Source: Monthly Contest KTOM April P3 Essay
Given a cyclic quadrilateral $ABCD$ with $BC<AD$ and $CD<AB$. Lines $BC$ and $AD$ intersect at $X$, and lines $CD$ and $AB$ intersect at $Y$. Let $E,F,G,H$ be the midpoints of sides $AB,BC,CD,DA$, respectively. Let $S$ and $T$ be points on segment $EG$ and $FH$, respectively, so that $XS$ is the angle bisector of $\angle{DXA}$ and $YT$ is the angle bisector of $\angle{DYA}$. Prove that $TS$ is parallel to $BD$ if and only if $AC$ divides $ABCD$ into two triangles with equal area.
0 replies
iStud
43 minutes ago
0 replies
Discuss the Stanford Math Tournament Here
Aaronjudgeisgoat   285
N an hour ago by mathprodigy2011
I believe discussion is allowed after yesterday at midnight, correct?
If so, I will put tentative answers on this thread.
By the way, does anyone know the answer to Geometry Problem 5? I was wondering if I got that one right
Also, if you put answers, please put it in a hide tag

Answers for the Algebra Subject Test
Estimated Algebra Cutoffs
Answers for the Geometry Subject Test
Estimated Geo Cutoffs
Answers for the Discrete Subject Test
Estimated Cutoffs for Discrete
Answers for the Team Round
Guts Answers
285 replies
Aaronjudgeisgoat
Apr 14, 2025
mathprodigy2011
an hour ago
MOP Emails
hellohannah   69
N an hour ago by andliu766
So mop emails are probably coming tomorrow, feel free to discuss here. I'll probably post when I hear that they're out unless I'm asleep
69 replies
+3 w
hellohannah
Today at 4:59 AM
andliu766
an hour ago
My hardest algebra ever created (only one solve in the contest)
mshtand1   6
N an hour ago by mshtand1
Source: Ukraine IMO TST P9
Find all functions \( f: (0, +\infty) \to (0, +\infty) \) for which, for all \( x, y > 0 \), the following identity holds:
\[
f(x) f(yf(x)) + y f(xy) = \frac{f\left(\frac{x}{y}\right)}{y} + \frac{f\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)}{x}
\]
Proposed by Mykhailo Shtandenko
6 replies
mshtand1
Apr 19, 2025
mshtand1
an hour ago
Killer NT that nobody solved (also my hardest NT ever created)
mshtand1   4
N 2 hours ago by mshtand1
Source: Ukraine IMO 2025 TST P8
A positive integer number \( a \) is chosen. Prove that there exists a prime number that divides infinitely many terms of the sequence \( \{b_k\}_{k=1}^{\infty} \), where
\[
b_k = a^{k^k} \cdot 2^{2^k - k} + 1.
\]
Proposed by Arsenii Nikolaev and Mykhailo Shtandenko
4 replies
mshtand1
Apr 19, 2025
mshtand1
2 hours ago
MathILy 2025 Decisions Thread
mysterynotfound   11
N 2 hours ago by Turtle09
Discuss your decisions here!
also share any relevant details about your decisions if you want
11 replies
mysterynotfound
Today at 3:35 AM
Turtle09
2 hours ago
Advanced topics in Inequalities
va2010   22
N 2 hours ago by Primeniyazidayi
So a while ago, I compiled some tricks on inequalities. You are welcome to post solutions below!
22 replies
va2010
Mar 7, 2015
Primeniyazidayi
2 hours ago
Funny easy transcendental geo
qwerty123456asdfgzxcvb   0
3 hours ago
Let $\mathcal{S}$ be a logarithmic spiral centered at the origin (ie curve satisfying for any point $X$ on it, line $OX$ makes a fixed angle with the tangent to $\mathcal{S}$ at $X$). Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a rectangular hyperbola centered at the origin, scaled such that it is tangent to the logarithmic spiral at some point.

Prove that for a point $P$ on the spiral, the polar of $P$ wrt. $\mathcal{H}$ is tangent to the spiral.
0 replies
qwerty123456asdfgzxcvb
3 hours ago
0 replies
Nice problem about a trapezoid
manlio   1
N 3 hours ago by kiyoras_2001
Have you a nice solution for this problem?
Thank you very much
1 reply
manlio
Apr 19, 2025
kiyoras_2001
3 hours ago
product of the first n terms
FireBreathers   5
N 3 hours ago by ihategeo_1969
Does there exist an infinite sequence of positive integers $a_i$ such that every positive integer appears exactly once and the product of the first $n$ terms is a perfect $n - th$ power ?
5 replies
FireBreathers
Dec 16, 2024
ihategeo_1969
3 hours ago
Inequality with three conditions
oVlad   1
N 3 hours ago by Haris1
Source: Romania EGMO TST 2019 Day 1 P3
Let $a,b,c$ be non-negative real numbers such that \[b+c\leqslant a+1,\quad c+a\leqslant b+1,\quad a+b\leqslant c+1.\]Prove that $a^2+b^2+c^2\leqslant 2abc+1.$
1 reply
oVlad
Today at 1:48 PM
Haris1
3 hours ago
Paint and Optimize: A Grid Strategy Problem
mojyla222   2
N 3 hours ago by sami1618
Source: Iran 2025 second round p2
Ali and Shayan are playing a turn-based game on an infinite grid. Initially, all cells are white. Ali starts the game, and in the first turn, he colors one unit square black. In the following turns, each player must color a white square that shares at least one side with a black square. The game continues for exactly 2808 turns, after which each player has made 1404 moves. Let $A$ be the set of black cells at the end of the game. Ali and Shayan respectively aim to minimize and maximise the perimeter of the shape $A$ by playing optimally. (The perimeter of shape $A$ is defined as the total length of the boundary segments between a black and a white cell.)

What are the possible values of the perimeter of $A$, assuming both players play optimally?
2 replies
mojyla222
Yesterday at 4:25 AM
sami1618
3 hours ago
New selection process for the 2012 USA IMO team
AMCDirector   145
N Nov 29, 2012 by AMCDirector
For the 2012 IMO team from the USA the AMC is adopting a new team selection process. The details are enumerated on the AMC website in the Frequently Asked Questions, MOSP #5
http://amc.maa.org/faq/faq.shtml#mosp
and it is repeated at the end of the announcement about the 2011 IMO team
http://amc.maa.org/imo/2011imo.shtml

Steve Dunbar
MAA Director. American Mathematics Competitions
145 replies
AMCDirector
Jun 23, 2011
AMCDirector
Nov 29, 2012
New selection process for the 2012 USA IMO team
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mathlearner
146 posts
#132 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
"from djmathman: I understand the issues of late-bloomers arising"

No, djmathman - from my understanding of the new policies, NOT jut "late-bloomers" are potentially negatively affected; as I'm pretty sure others have pointed out, what about a Junior who has been studying/preparing for and performing well on the various AMC's - up the ladder, starting with AMC 8 - then 10, then 12, then USAMO, and MOP - who as a junior gets an opportunity to go to a program like RSI and who although schedule wise could possibly do both MOP and RSI if both programs allowed, but since they now don't, this "junior" now has to make one of the hardest decisions of their lives - and even worse than in prior years, they are not just making a decision that will affect them for one year, but now, if they choose RSI (or comparable program) over MOP - they are automatically "out of the running" for a potential spot on the IMO team for their senior year :-(( - a goal they set and worked super hard for since elementary school?! Sure, you may say this individual is in the minority, but like anyone else who has ever been on the minority end of something -- if it were YOU, you'd feel VERY strongly about. So, how about some empathy for all the students who might be negatively impacted by the new policy changes?

And pythag011, how can you state or imply that a student in the above circumstances isn't being negatively affected?
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pythag011
2453 posts
#133 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
EDIT: Actually, it'll be safest just to say "I'm being intentionally vague" once again. But said situation, I'm pretty confident that certain other factors will affect it in certain ways.
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mathlearner
146 posts
#134 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
To Cortana who wrote: "The point of taking the AMC's and higher tests is to improve your knowledge and love of math and build upon what you already know....."

People's perspectives and reasons about "why" they do something extracurricularly may be vastly different from someone doing the same activity. In this case, many who take the AMC tests, especially those who perform best on them, developed a "love of math" way, WAY before they ever took their first AMC. In fact, this may come as a surprise to some, but for some it is PRECISELY their love of math which propelled them or their parents to advocate within their school(s) to even administer the AMC series of tests to begin with. So, while many students take the AMC tests to challenge themselves and for the mere "fun of it", I hope you can respect that many others who enjoy, like, or "love" math, view the tests in an entirely different manner, which is that they are the means to challenging themselves and competing at the very highest of levels that a young student can - which would be to ultimately compete in an International Olympiad. So, to make rules which can deny some dedicated and proficient students the opportunity that they worked for many years to achieve (I won't go into the details of which circumstances this refers to as it's been done in other posts on this thread), but to deny these students that chance in their junior and/or senior years - especially current juniors who in some cases, were already negatively impacted by the prior change from only USAMO to USJMO (again, you can go back to the many posts from a year or so ago to review those negative impacts), but to deny these students such a chance is extraordinarily unfair.
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drew2000
5 posts
#135 • 5 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 3 other users
.........................
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by drew2000, Nov 4, 2012, 11:51 PM
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greatwhiteshark98
1017 posts
#136 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
How is the change "outrageous"? Please explain. While it might be unfair to those affected, it certainly isn't "shockingly bad" or "wildly exaggerated."
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rdj5933mile5
235 posts
#137 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
greatwhiteshark98 wrote:
How is the change "outrageous"? Please explain.

This is a math website not an English website. I believe his message was pretty clear that he didn't like the TSTST and wanted to change it. Although I'm not really taking a position on this issue anymore, I don't think drew2000 deserved a response like that.
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AwesomeToad
4535 posts
#138 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Frankly, the petition doesn't deserve any more attention. It is almost certain (this should be fairly obvious to everyone) that the CAMC's decisions will be made independently of the results of a petition (or 100). If the petition is more than just some individual plus a few others venting uselessly about their opinion of the new policy, then it just defeats the purpose of AMC as "improving knowledge and love of math" even more. (I apologize for lack of clarity)

About RSI vs MOP: It's not like the CAMC (or anyone, for that matter) will be able to please everyone. To put it simply, no everyone will go unnaffected. Then it is more desireable to make a decision that will affect the least number of people and cause the least amount of trouble. Obviously, the CAMC thought that their reasons for the policy change (which have been mentioned multiple times above) were worth the negative consequences.
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Cortana
404 posts
#139 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Funny how the MAA change the selection criteria for the IMO right after the U.S places 2nd in the IMO 2011.
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drew2000
5 posts
#140 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Cortana wrote:
Funny how the MAA change the selection criteria for the IMO right after the U.S places 2nd in the IMO 2011.

...............................
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by drew2000, Nov 4, 2012, 11:51 PM
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MathTwo
541 posts
#141 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
Well, maybe the U.S. will place first after the new selection process is implemented :wink:
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AMCDirector
851 posts
#142 • 6 Y
Y by The Archer, Adventure10, and 4 other users
Quote:
Funny how the MAA change the selection criteria for the IMO right after the U.S places 2nd in the IMO 2011.

That statement is false, and the verification is easy. You will see that I posted the new policy on June 23, 2011 in the first post in this thread. The results for the 2011 IMO could not have been known until July 22, 2011 at the IMO. Of course, planning for the change took place in the year between June 2010 and June 2011, which makes the distinction in time even greater.

Steve Dunbar
MAA Director, American Mathematics Competitions
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not_trig
2049 posts
#143 • 17 Y
Y by rdj5933mile5, GlassBead, greatwhiteshark98, Zhero, airplanes1, AwesomeToad, jjl2357, math154, Adventure10, Mango247, and 7 other users
As someone who made both RSI and MOP junior year (but didn't have a chance at the IMO), I find all this talk... rather amusing.

It seems that everyone is arguing with this policy on the grounds that it could negatively affect $\le 1$ student per year. (Yes, that is basically the number of people who qualify for both Blue/Black MOP and RSI junior year. In fact, I don't think any of RSI 2011 made Blue/Black; in 2010 there was 1, in 2009 there was 1, and in 2008 there was 1.) I'm not sure why everyone feels the need to protect this one poor soul--someone who, if he/she could've made the IMO under the previous system, would likely be chosen by Zuming's special selection to be in the team. (And look: 1 person affected by the new policy, and 1 person specially selected by the IMO coach...!)

If instead, you're arguing about the few guys who seemingly rise out of nowhere [did not go to MOP the previous year] to make the IMO team (because they massively improved that year, and a) screwed up in a previous year or b) were pretty young in a previous year), like Calvin, Zeb?,... who else? Remember, this process has nothing to do with MOP selection--only team selection. It can only help the US team to have a broader series of qualifying tests: more data points means more confidence, and prospective team members are forced to stay sharp the whole year. Those who make MOP the year before have proven themselves to be at least somewhat in shape math-wise; if you're instead worried about the few very strong contestants who make MOP in 10th but not 11th grade, that set is virtually empty as well. Plus, previous MOPpers still in high school will likely be allowed to take the various other Olympiads during the year to increase their chances (I think you had to be a MOPper the previous year to take the APMO at one point, but I mysteriously got an invitation my senior year... don't quote me on this though, as I'm not sure about the official policy.)

If you think that this somehow goes against the AMC's values of promoting mathematics among high-school and middle-school students, you're probably still wrong. I can think of maybe one counterexample: in the past, a very small set of juniors and seniors who had never made MOP before worked their butts off to try to make the IMO, and actually came close (Holden comes to mind.) Few succeeded.

For those few upperclassmen who are actually discouraged by this policy, I'd suggest not focusing on contests anymore, and instead focusing on learning higher math or other things. In college, your Olympiad career isn't really what sets you apart; though there's a correlation between Olympiad winners and smart people, there are plenty of ridiculously smart scientists and mathematicians (like this guy) who never even made the USAMO. If you're one of those affected, your life is what you make of it: you don't have to go to the IMO to be great (or even to get into college). Plus, you can still try to make MOP regardless.

For the rest of you out there, you have time and you have hope; take advantage of it. Stop whining and do math. Learn math, talk about math, ask about math, read about math, live math, breathe math. Maybe you'll make the IMO one day; maybe not. It doesn't actually matter that much, if you're actually smart, whether you make MOP or IMO or whatever. It's validation, sure, but guess what? There are greater things to achieve. Go, find those greater things, and do them.
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rrusczyk
16194 posts
#144 • 8 Y
Y by Mrdavid445, rdj5933mile5, Binomial-theorem, Adventure10, Mango247, codegirl2013, and 2 other users
We have removed a couple posts from this discussion that were not respectful and contributed nothing to the conversation. Please keep the discussion of this topic civil and thoughtful.
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jmerry
12096 posts
#145 • 4 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 2 other users
not_trig wrote:
As someone who made both RSI and MOP junior year (but didn't have a chance at the IMO), I find all this talk... rather amusing.

It seems that everyone is arguing with this policy on the grounds that it could negatively affect $\le 1$ student per year. (Yes, that is basically the number of people who qualify for both Blue/Black MOP and RSI junior year. In fact, I don't think any of RSI 2011 made Blue/Black; in 2010 there was 1, in 2009 there was 1, and in 2008 there was 1.) I'm not sure why everyone feels the need to protect this one poor soul--someone who, if he/she could've made the IMO under the previous system, would likely be chosen by Zuming's special selection to be in the team. (And look: 1 person affected by the new policy, and 1 person specially selected by the IMO coach...!)
Yeah, these people will get noticed and accommodations will be made for them to compete. I asked about Alex Song (possible immigrant from the Canadian team) earlier in the thread... and got the response that he had already taken the first round in this new system.
not_trig wrote:
If instead, you're arguing about the few guys who seemingly rise out of nowhere [did not go to MOP the previous year] to make the IMO team (because they massively improved that year, and a) screwed up in a previous year or b) were pretty young in a previous year), like Calvin, Zeb?,... who else? Remember, this process has nothing to do with MOP selection--only team selection. It can only help the US team to have a broader series of qualifying tests: more data points means more confidence, and prospective team members are forced to stay sharp the whole year.
From the records and my SoCal connection, here's what I know of Zeb's story:
2004, 9th grade: No known math competition results.
2005, 10th grade: USAMO qualifier, went to a non-math Olympiad training camp.
2006, 11th grade: USAMO HM, did well enough on the TST to make the IMO team.
2007, 12th grade: USAMO qualifier.

If you had said at any time prior to the 2006 TST that a SoCal student would make the IMO team, anyone familiar with the region would have guessed that it would be Tedrick. Zeb making the team was a fluke; he came from mostly outside the math competition system and then had a few really good days at the right time.
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AMCDirector
851 posts
#146 • 7 Y
Y by yuler1818181818, v_Enhance, HamstPan38825, Adventure10, and 3 other users
Quote:
is said tradition to have the AMC 10/12 A on the closest Tuesday to e day and the AIME I on the closest Thursday to pi day?

Actually, scheduling close to e day and pi day is a pleasant coincidence, but the reality is a lot harder:

1. The IMO occurs in July each year, but at variable times ranging from early to mid-July. In order to be able to get to IMO with a trained team, MOSP has to be June, ending before July 4 because we don't have full residence-hall services over the sometimes three-or-four 4th of July holiday.

2. To accommodate MOSP in June (and some other MAA activities), the USAMO Ceremonies have to be the first Monday in June. Scheduling the venue in Washington DC has to be done far in advance, so the date has be known a year in advance.

3. In order to get USAMO winners and families to Washington DC for the USAMO ceremonies, we have to have USAMO scores finished in early May.

3. AP Exams are the first 2 weeks in May (this year May 2 to May 13), USAMO has to be before AP testing, otherwise there are too many conflicts. Hence this year USAMO is April 30-May 1.

4. It takes about 1-2 weeks to get AIME II scored and qualifiers notified, and schools and teachers need a week to schedule USAMO testing locations and proctors and get paperwork retunred to us, hence AIME II is April 3 this year.

5. AIME I is at least 13 days before AIME, allowing us just enough time to finish scoring and report to schools before AIME II. Hence AIME I is March 14 this year. Purely coincidence it is also Pi day.

6. We have to have AMC 10 B and AMC 12 B at least 3 weeks before AIME I in order to get the contests scored and reported in time to have schools make arrangements for the AIME test location and procotrs.

7. The AMC 10 A and AMC 12 A are 15 days before the B-date. Again the fact that it happens to fall around E day is purely a pleasant coincidence.

8. We know from both experience (in 2004, I recall) and from polling of teachers that most schools cannot accommodate A-date testing in January.

9. Besides all this we also make an effort to weave around religious holidays (for all major religions) and all federal holidays.

As you can see there is much more to consider than just tradition.

Steve Dunbar
MAA Director, American Mathematics Competitions
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