AMATYC Student Math League

Math Prize Competition

[This page was last updated on September 30, 2009 .]

Round 1: 10:00 am Friday October 30

The first round of the AMATYC Student Math League competition will be in BEH 1308 beginning at 10:00 am on Friday, October 30, 2009 .

Background

The American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) has an annual mathematics competition for two-year college students. The AMATYC website has links with competition questions and answers from past exams, past results, and also more details about the eligibility rules. Participants are eligible not only for national awards, but also regional and Pierce College awards.

The competition consists of two rounds. Each round is a one hour, 20-question test, and students may participate in either or both rounds. Although no calculus is required for any of the problems, the exams are challenging. Each correct answer earns two points and each incorrect answer (to a multiple-choice question) earns a penalty of 1/2 point deduction.

Most calculators, including graphing calculators such as the TI-89 and the HP-48G, are allowed. But cell phones, PDA's, and calculators with a "qwerty" keyboard or a removable disk drive are forbidden. Participants need to bring a Pierce ID.

Awards are given to the top 3 Pierce students.

Practice

Questions and answers from past competitions are available (in pdf) from links in the table below. (These and other past exams and answers are posted on the AMATYC website.) The Math Club also practices for the contest.

 

Test #1 Oct/Nov 2005 Key for Test #1 Oct/Nov 2005
Test #2 Feb/Mar 2006 Key for Test #2 Feb/Mar 2006
Test #1 Oct/Nov 2006 Key for Test #1 Oct/Nov 2006
Test #2 Feb/Mar 2007 Key, Comments/Hints
Test #1 Oct/Nov 2007 Key, Comments/Hints
Test #2 Feb/Mar 2008 Key, Comments/Hints
Test #1 Oct/Nov 2008 Key, Comments/Hints
Test #2 Feb/Mar 2009 Key, Comments/Hints

Further information

You can discuss AMATYC contest problems at meetings of the Math Club, which meets Friday 1:30 pm in 1403.
Click here for the Handout on "Counting Formulas".
The top Pierce students in each round are eligible for prizes to be awarded at the graduation breakfast.

Professors Roya Furmuly in 1409D and Sheri Lehavi in 1409A are the faculty sponsors at Pierce College.