MSU hosting math competitions for high school students

From MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — High school students can register for free mathematics contests set for Thursday, Jan. 30, and Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Montana State University.

The American Mathematics Competition 10 and 12 contests, hosted by the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development’s Science Math Resource Center, are part of the American Mathematics Competition series developed by the Mathematical Association of America. The series provides an opportunity for students to develop positive attitudes toward analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers. Students apply classroom skills to unique problem-solving challenges in a competitive atmosphere.

The American Mathematics Competition 10 exam covers the high school curriculum through grade 10. American Mathematics Competition 12 covers the high school curriculum, including trigonometry, advanced algebra and advanced geometry but excluding calculus. Both are 25-question, 75-minute tests.

The 10/12 A test will be given Jan. 30 and the 10/12 B test is Feb. 5. Both the A and the B versions have the same number of questions, the same scoring and the same rules for administration. The only differences are the competition dates and that each version has a distinct set of questions, although the two examinations are designed to be equal in difficulty and distribution of topics.

Registration is free and open until spots are filled. Students up through 10th grade and under 17 1/2 years old on the day of the competition are eligible to participate in American Mathematics Competition 10; students up through 12th grade and under age 19 1/2 can participate in American Mathematics Competition 12. A contest for middle school students took place in November.

The Science Math Resource Center will award $100 to the overall best score, $75 to second place overall and $50 to third place overall.

For more information or to register, people can go online to http://montana.edu/smrc or follow the Science Math Resource Center at http://facebook.com/msusmrc .