The MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION of AMERICA

American Mathematics Competitions

Invitation & Participation -

WE extend a cordial invitation to your school to take part in the AMC 10 (American Mathematics Contest 10) and the AMC 12 (American Mathematics Contest 12) to be held on TUESDAY, February 10, 2004 or WEDNESDAY, February 25, 2004. More than 250,000 students from over 4,000 schools participated in these contests in the year 2003. We truly hope that you will participate in this year's contests.

This year there will again be two official dates for the AMC 10 & AMC 12: the usual second Tuesday in February (February 10, 2004), and the alternate AMC 10/12 Contest given two weeks later, Wednesday, February 25, 2004. Students are allowed to take a test on both contest dates, but only one test per date (a 10th grader could take the AMC 10A and AMC12B, for example). All rules and awards apply to both contests for all schools and students. As a result, we will no longer have the two unofficial "window" days after the official day for taking the contests. Students will be allowed to take the contest booklets home with them the day of the test. To register for the first date, February 10, please use FORM A (red form). To register for the second date, February 25, please use FORM B (black form).

I. Purpose -
The purpose of the contests is to spur interest in mathematics and to develop problem solving ability through the excitement of friendly competitions in a timed format. In order to challenge students at all grade levels, and with varying mathematical sophistication (or skills), the problems range from fairly easy to extremely difficult. Students who plan to take the AMC 10 or AMC 12 for the first time should look at prior years' exams in order to set reasonable goals for themselves. For general information on the American Mathematics Competitions please visit us at <www.unl.edu/amc>. For information specific to the AMC 12 visit <www.amc12.org> and for information specific to the AMC 10 visit <www.amc10.org>.

II. Registration Deadlines and Fees -
You can register by mailing the Registration Form included in this brochure. Fees for each school wishing to register are as follows:

Discount Registration (By Dec. 15) $32
Registration (Dec. 16 - Jan. 15) $42
Late Registration for Contest A (Jan. 16, - Feb. 1)
Late Registration for Contest B (Jan. 16, - Feb. 15)

Schools using a credit card or purchase order may also register via the Web. Use the link to our registration form on our web page at <www.unl.edu/amc>. Late Registrations (after Jan. 15, please do not fax your order before this date) will be accepted via FAX 402-472-6087. We accept Visa, and MasterCard, or we require a Purchase Order #. Whether or not a Purchase Order is appropriate, we will require a "Letter of Intent to Pay", a sample copy can be faxed to you. On the Letter of Intent specify if you intend to send a check or if you want to be billed without a Purchase Order.

Please submit your registration as soon as possible. Early registration will reduce your cost, provide you with ample time to read the Teachers' Manual and complete all pre-examination activities.

III. Exam Format & Subject Matter -
Both AMC 10 and AMC 12 are 25 question, 75-minute, multiple choice contests. Six points are given for each correct answer, and again this year there will be two and a half (2.5) points for each blank answer and 0 points for each wrong answer. The AMC 12 covers the high school mathematics curriculum, excluding calculus. The subject matter associated with AMC 10 is normally covered in grades 9 and 10. Approximately 12 questions are common to both exams.

IV. CEEB Number -
The CEEB number (College Entrance Examination Board) is the same as the Educational Testing Service (ETS) number. Please ask your school counselor for this number before you send your registration form. If your school counselor is unavailable, you can find the number on the web. The address is

http://cbweb10p.collegeboard.org/SAT_HSSearch/

Also, if you need to call us about your registration, please have your CEEB number available.

V. Participation Rules & Eligibility -
The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are to be given at the same time, in each participating school on TUESDAY, February 10, 2004, or WEDNESDAY, February 25, 2004 in a convenient 75-minute interval, preferably in the morning.

Who is eligible to participate in the AMC 12?

  1. Any student who is in a program leading to a high school diploma, and under 19.5 years of age on the day of the test
  2. Home schooled students (must be under 19.5 years old).

Who is eligible to participate in the AMC 10?

  1. Any student under 17.5 years of age on the day of the test, and is not enrolled in grades 11 or 12 or equivalent.
  2. Home schooled students (must be under 17.5 years old).

TO RECEIVE OFFICIAL "TEAM" STATUS AND AWARDS, A SCHOOL MUST HAVE AT LEAST THREE PARTICIPANTS ON A CONTEST DATE. The team score for a school is the sum of its three highest student scores and will be determined from the AMC 12. These students must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.A. or Canada. There is no team score or ranking for the AMC 10. The AMC 10 and AMC 12 must be proctored by a faculty member of the participating school. A student may take only one Contest on a given day but can participate on both contest dates if the school registers for both contests. The higher score will be used for awards.

Home schools must indicate the site of the exam (not the student's home) and the name of the proctor (not a parent) and attach this information to the registration form. Please call the AMC office for details.

VI. Alternate AMC 10 and AMC 12 Dates -
Early administration of the contests is never permitted. Schools that administer a contest early will be disqualified.

There are now two official dates for the administration of the AMC 10 and AMC 12: namely, TUESDAY, February 10, 2004, and WEDNESDAY, February 25, 2004. These contests may be given unofficially on the school days immediately following the Contests. Those who take the AMC 10 or AMC 12 officially are eligible for state, regional and national awards. To qualify for the AIME from the AMC 12 a student must be in the top 5% of the participants, nationally, or score at least 100 points on the contest. To qualify for the AIME from the AMC 10, a student must be in the top 1% of the participants, nationally.

VII. Security & Integrity of the Exam -
In order to protect the contest’s integrity, publication or reproduction of the problems/solutions via copier, telephone, email, the web or any other media is strictly prohibited.

VIII. Calculators -
No problem on the contest requires the use of a calculator. However, any non-typewriter keyboard calculator may be used during the contest.

IX. Braille, Large Print, Spanish and French Contests -
All requests must be made no later than January 15, 2004. Braille and Large Print editions of the 2004 AMC 10 and AMC 12 will be available at a cost of a single test ($1.50 for the AMC 12 and $1.30 for the AMC 10) plus $7 for all postage and handling. Spanish and French editions of the 2004 AMC 10 and AMC12 may be requested at no extra cost.

Please indicate on the Registration Form if you want Spanish or French, and Braille and/or Large Print contests.

X. AMC 10 & AMC 12 Results and National Awards -
The registration fee provides each participating school with a copy of the contest and solutions pamphlet, individual school results, intramural awards and a detailed National Summary of Results and Awards. The U.S.A. and Canada are divided into eleven contest regions.

  1. National Awards are given in each region to the top five schools and top ten students who officially participate in the contest.
  2. A Winner Plaque is presented to the the top winner in each state.
  3. A School Winner Pin or Medal is awarded to the student with the highest score on the AMC 10 and AMC 12 in each school.
  4. A Bronze, Silver or Gold Medal is awarded to students who achieve the highest score in the school for two, three, or four consecutive years, respectively.
  5. An Honor Roll of Distinction Pin is awarded to the top scoring 1% of the students on both the AMC 10 and AMC 12.
  6. A Certificate of Distinction is awarded to all students who qualify for the AIME.
  7. A Certificate of Achievement is awarded to students in grade 10 and below with a score of 90 or above on the AMC 12.
  8. A Certificate of Achievement is awarded to students in grade 8 and below with a score of 90 or above on the AMC 10.
  9. A Certificate of Merit is awarded to schools with a team score of at least 300 on the AMC 12.
  10. A Certificate of Honor is awarded to schools with a team score of 400 on the AMC 12.

XI. Teacher Recognition -
Each year at least twenty teachers whose students do well on the AMC 12 are recognized with the Edyth May Sliffe Award for their distinguished teaching . The award winners receive a cash prize, a certificate and a one-year complimentary membership in the Mathematical Association of America. The selection of the winners is based on the school team score and nominations of the student team members.

XII. AIME and USAMO -
Students who are in the top 5% of all participants or score at least 100 points on the AMC 12 and those who are in the top 1% of the AMC 10 participants are invited to participate in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), scheduled for TUESDAY, March 23, 2004 or TUESDAY, April 6,2004. The top-scoring U.S.A. AMC 10 and AMC 12/AIME students (according to a weighted average) will be invited to take the prestigious U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) in late April or early May, 2004 [April 27-28, 2004]. More details about these competitions are provided in the AMC 10 and AMC 12 Teachers' Manuals which you will receive after registering your school for the AMC 10/AMC 12.

The AMC Web Site was last updated on 10/1/2003