What is the AMC 8?
The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of problem-solving skills. The AMC 8 provides an opportunity for middle school students to develop positive attitudes towards analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers.
Students apply classroom skills to unique problem-solving challenges in a low-stress and friendly environment.Students who take the AMC 8 have the opportunity to develop creative quantitative thinking skills, which better prepares them for success in high school math classes. Furthermore, mathematics drives the innovations that shape our society and is useful in a broad range of careers, even those that are not traditionally mathematical, scientific or technological in nature. By offering these competitions the Mathematical Association of America aims to challenge and inspire students to become lifelong learners of mathematics.
After the competition results are compiled, certificates will be presented to the student with the highest score in each school, to nationally high-scoring students, and to all who participated in the competition. But the real reward comes from challenging each student with mathematical concepts that are new, different, and “outside the box.” Competition problems are more difficult than those encountered routinely in math courses, but they are designed to connect to middle school mathematics standards to ensure they are within the reach of students. The measure of success of the competition is not the number of problems solved, but is the level of engagement with mathematics that arises from the intellectual challenge of the problem-solving process.
Students apply classroom skills to unique problem-solving challenges in a low-stress and friendly environment.Students who take the AMC 8 have the opportunity to develop creative quantitative thinking skills, which better prepares them for success in high school math classes. Furthermore, mathematics drives the innovations that shape our society and is useful in a broad range of careers, even those that are not traditionally mathematical, scientific or technological in nature. By offering these competitions the Mathematical Association of America aims to challenge and inspire students to become lifelong learners of mathematics.
After the competition results are compiled, certificates will be presented to the student with the highest score in each school, to nationally high-scoring students, and to all who participated in the competition. But the real reward comes from challenging each student with mathematical concepts that are new, different, and “outside the box.” Competition problems are more difficult than those encountered routinely in math courses, but they are designed to connect to middle school mathematics standards to ensure they are within the reach of students. The measure of success of the competition is not the number of problems solved, but is the level of engagement with mathematics that arises from the intellectual challenge of the problem-solving process.