MONT ALTO, Pa. — On Feb. 15, Penn State Mont Alto will offer 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 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 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 Ashley Wiley, Penn State Mont Alto instructor of mathematics, who is coordinating the contests on the Mont Alto campus.
Two versions of the test will be offered:
- The AMC 10 is 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 is 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 participants must register. To register, or for more information about the AMC at the Mont Alto Campus, contact Ashley Wiley, Penn State Mont Alto instructor of mathematics, at aaw15@psu.edu. For general questions about the AMC, visit amc.maa.org.