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USAMO (United States of America Mathematical Olympiad)

The USAMO (United States of America Mathematics Olympiad) provides a means of identifying and encouraging the most creative secondary mathematics students in the country. It serves to indicate the talent of those who may become leaders in the mathematical sciences of the next generation. The USAMO is part of a worldwide system of national mathematics competitions, a movement in which both educators and research mathematicians are engaged in recognizing and celebrating the imagination and resourcefulness of our youth.

The USAMO is a six question 6 hour essay/proof examination. All problems can be solved with pre-calculus methods. Approximately 200 of the top scoring AMC participants (based on a weighted average) are invited to take the USAMO. Participation on the USAMO will be limited to American citizens or permanent residents in other words, those seeking citizenship and currently possessing a U.S.A. Immigration "green card".

The twelve top scoring USAMO students are invited to a two day Olympiad Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC sponsored by the MAA, the Akamai Foundation, the Microsoft Corporation and the Matilda Wilson Foundation. Six of these twelve students will comprise the United States team that competes in the "International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The IMO began in 1959; the USA has participated since 1974.

The method of selection of USAMO participants is based on the student's index which is a combination of the AMC and AIME scores. Specific criteria for selection to participate in the USAMO is as follows:

First Group:
The top 120 students.
Second Group:
The next 20 students in grades 11 and below.
Third Group:
The next 20 students in grades 10 or below.
Fourth Group:
The next 20 students in grades 9 or below.
Fifth Group:
One student from each state, one student from the combined U.S.A. Territories, and one student from the APO/FPO schools- if not represented in the first four groups.

Thus, for USAMO invitation, students should do the best they can on both the AMC 10 or AMC 12 and the AIME.

Titu Andreescu, Director
American Mathematics Competitions
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0658 U.S.A.
Tel: 402-472-6566, Fax: 402-472-6087
titu@amc.unl.edu
AMC 8 AMC 10 AMC 12 AIME USAMO

OVER 700,000 ANNUAL PARTICIPANTS
The AMC Web Page was last updated on 9/15/2001