The annual Arcadia Math Challenge(AMC) took place on Mar. 23! The fun rounds and exceptional math done by students this year was unbeatable, and we’re sure to have some amazingly strong members on the prestigious Arcadia Math Team next year!

So, what exactly is the AMC? It’s a math contest where individuals test their limits by taking challenging and vigorous tests in less than 45 minutes, for a chance to win prizes and even a spot on the Math Team. This year, the turnout for the AMC was amazingly large, as many students wanted to put their mathematical knowledge to the test.

The AMC consisted of two rounds: the individual round and the team round. The individual round had students separated according to the math they were taking so they could take a math test designed for their level. However, this isn’t a normal math test you can simply study for. The test does not allow the use of calculators, so attendees had to tap into their elementary school math for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Not only that, but the questions aren’t your average ones – they’re designed to test not only math skills but also how logically participants can solve the problem in a condensed time period.

The team rounds were new this year, and a bit different. In the team round, participants register with formed teams to compete for prizes. The questions are easier than that of the individual tests, but you must solve them quickly also without the use of calculators or scratch paper. Each team will move up to higher rounds every time it wins, or otherwise lose and drop out. The pressure is on as a Math Team member questions the groups with a problem, and choose whoever raises their hand first to answer the question.

Freshman Jamie Choy was among the others who tried the individual round. “I found out about the AMC math competition by looking at the student bulletin,” says Jamie. “ My parents and my cousin said I should join and get a chance to be on the Math Team.” When asked how she felt about the test, she said, “It was difficult, [as] I didn’t have enough time to solve all of the problems, and the questions were about topics that I have forgotten”.

Meanwhile, sophomore Adithya Anandsaikrishnan competed in the team round. “I joined this competition because I wasn’t too bad at math and I wanted to test how I measured against others,” says Adithya. “Math is very interesting to me, and I like solving difficult problems and I enjoy trivia about nearly any subject. I applied it to this competition by using my skills in math to compete.” When asked if he’d be trying the AMC again next year, he replied with “Yes, as I want to see how much I have improved.”

How many more people are willing to put their logical expertise in the competition next year? We’ll just have to wait and see next March for the 2019 AMC. Until then, stay sharp on your math skills, Apaches!

Graphic courtesy of VECTOR.COM