On Wednesday, November 5th, some of East Islip’s most exemplary mathematics students all gathered in rooms 207-209 to compete against each other in the annual AMC (American Mathematics Competition) by taking a twenty-five question test that challenged their knowledge of high school level math.

The topics covered spanned throughout the entirety of math classes participants have taken or will take. This includes Geometry, Algebra, and Calculus classes. Students reached through the depths of their memory to solve problems using information learned years ago and utilized the information they have already learned to solve problems completely new to them. They couldn’t even use their calculators: they had to rely purely on knowledge.

When asked about the difficulty of the test, Mr. Willie, the math teacher who hosted it, said “a lot of it is above and beyond the state curriculum.” What made the test even more difficult was the fact that each wrong answer was worth zero points while each question left blank was worth 1.5 points, so it is usually better to leave a difficult question blank than to give it your best guess, especially due to the 75 minute time limit. “I think it goes back to strategy,” Mr. Willie said. So unless a test-taker is “oh my god sure, they should leave the exam blank.”

According to the official AMC website, students all around the globe take the AMC. The website also provides practice examinations for students preparing to take the exam.

The test given out depended on the grade level of each student so Freshmen and Sophomores were given different tests from that of Juniors and Seniors. 

There are many benefits of participating in the AMC, such as extra points given out by math teachers, the chance to participate in the prestigious AME, which looks great on college applications and resumes, and just the experience of being challenged and competing against peers.

Fifty-eight competitive students, thirty from the ninth and tenth grade and twenty-eight from the eleventh and twelfth grade participated in this year’s competition. 

The results have not been released yet, but they are coming soon, so keep your eyes open! Taking the AMC is a valuable experience. If you’re eligible, why not participate next year?