Academics

Penn State Mont Alto to offer American Mathematics Competitions

Free math tests available to help develop talented high school students

Ermek Nurkhaidarov, Penn State Mont Alto associate professor of mathematics, instructs class. Credit: Penn State / Penn StateCreative Commons

MONT ALTO, Pa. – On Feb. 13, 2019, Penn State Mont Alto will offer two versions of the American Mathematical Competitions (AMC) in the auditorium of the General Studies Building beginning at 9 a.m. Students are encouraged to arrive at 8:45 a.m. The test concludes at 10:30 a.m. and for those who are interested, tours of the campus will be made available.

The tests offered are:

-- The AMC 10, designed for students in a program leading to a high school diploma, under 17.5 years of age on the day of the contest, and not enrolled in grades 11 or 12 or equivalent.

-- The AMC 12, designed for students in a program leading to a high school diploma, under 19.5 years of age on the day of the contest.

Both contests are free of charge but preregistration is required. Students are encouraged to register before Feb. 6, 2019. To register, or for more information about the AMC at Penn State Mont Alto, contact Ashley Wiley, instructor of mathematics on campus, at aaw15@psu.edu. For general questions about the AMC, visit amc.maa.org.

The Mont Alto campus is the only public site for the AMC in this area and one of only six in Pennsylvania. The contest is administered by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

“The main purpose of the contests is to spur interest in mathematics and to develop talent through solving challenging problems in a timed, multiple-choice format,” according to the MAA.

The contest is open to all students, including those who are home-schooled students if they meet the MAA age and grade equivalency requirements. See more details at amc.maa.org. Students who perform above a certain level in the contest will be invited to participate in additional competitions up to and including the International Mathematical Olympiad.

“We hope to have many local high school students on campus for this event, which promotes the study of mathematics and acts as the first step in the path to the International Mathematical Olympiad,” said Wiley, who is coordinating the contests.

Last Updated December 18, 2018