AMC 8 Math Competition

What is the AMC 8 Test?

The AMC 8 math competition is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple-choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of competitive math problem-solving skills.
The AMC 8 test provides an opportunity for middle school students to hone their analytical thinking and mathematics skills in preparation for more competitive math tournaments like the AMC 10/12 and AIME at a later stage. The AMC 8 is a great practice ground as it provides a relatively low-stress and friendly environment to help students develop an interest in math competitions.
Additional purposes of the AMC 8 are to promote excitement, enthusiasm, and positive attitudes towards mathematics and to stimulate interest in continuing the study of mathematics beyond the minimum required for high school graduation.
Students who participate in the AMC 8 math competition are encouraged to compete in the AMC 10 and AMC 12, which are more competitive math tournaments offered to high schoolers by the MAA. Usually, high-scoring students in the AMC 8 will be given a chance by their school to take the AMC 10.
This AMC math competition is accessible to all middle school students in America.

Syllabus & Schedule

syllabus

The material covered on the AMC 8 test includes topics from a typical middle school mathematics curriculum. Possible topics to appear in the math competition include but are not limited to:
- Arithmetic and Logic
- Number Theory
- Algebraic word problems
- Counting and probability
- Estimation, patterns, and proportional reasoning
- Elementary geometry
- Reading and interpreting graphs and tables
In addition, some of the later questions may involve linear or quadratic functions and equations, coordinate geometry, and other topics traditionally covered in a beginning algebra course.

Schedule

The AMC 8 test is usually administered in the third week of January. There is a 1-week window for students to take the test.
In 2022, the test was administered from Tuesday, January 17, through Monday, January 23.
The AMC 8 2023 math contest will be administered online on: Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at Random Math.

Criteria & Format

The AMC 8 test is a 25-problem exam open to all middle schoolers in the U.S. Students are given 40 minutes to solve all problems, which increase in difficulty as students progress through the math tournament.

Qualifying for the American Mathematics Contest

How to Qualify for the AMC 8 Test

There are no prerequisites to participate in this math competition. As this is a competition primarily geared toward middle schoolers, students interested in applying must be from Grade 8 or below and under 14.5 years to be able to take the exam.
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Students must also be U.S. residents.

AMC 8 Math Format

The AMC 8 test is a 25-problem exam that students need to solve in 40 mins. It is a fast-paced multiple-choice test where problems increase in difficulty as the test progresses.
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Each question is awarded one point, with a total score of 25. The time limit allocates approximately 90 seconds per problem.
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The problems are designed to challenge students and offer problem-solving experiences beyond those provided in most junior high school mathematics classes.
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To help with competitive math training, visit our archive to view and practice previous AMC 8 tests.

40 Minutes

There are 40 minutes given in the exam.

It is a fast-paced multiple choice test.

‍Difficulty Level

The AMC 8 math competition is considered as one of the easiest tests administered by the MAA and is accessible to most middle school students.
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Students will need a foundational knowledge of math concepts, problem-solving skills, and the ability to think creatively — as well as an enthusiasm for competitive math!

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Random Math prepare its students for the AMC 8 test?

Random Math prepares students for the AMC 8 in a year-round system that culminates at the end with a series of mock tests and review sessions, where coaches guide students through challenging concepts students need to master one to two months before the math competition.

Over the year, students work on difficult problems to stretch their problem-solving skills with other students at their levels. By working with peers near their level, students can learn new ways to approach tough problems from their coaches and classmates. Random Math’s classrooms encourage students to speak out, ask questions, and share their thoughts to help everyone improve their math proficiency to a new level.

Our math problems are divided into four units over the school year and cover all topics tested in AMC 8 math: Algebra, Number Theory, Geometry, and Combinatorics. Once students have mastered these four units, they will excel at the AMC 8. Random Math closely monitors students’ progress by tracking their scores on mock tests, analyzing every individual’s weakness, and teaching appropriate concepts to help each student overcome their weakness and achieve mastery.

What are the results of Random Math students in AMC 8 Competitions?

The majority of Random Math students have continuously placed among the top 5-10% of the AMC 8 math competition. Those who place in the honor roll, which comprises the top 5-percentile scorers, and the distinguished honor roll, which comprises the top 1-percentile scorers, have continued to perform well in the AMC 10 and AIME competitions.

In 2019, 29 Random Math students placed in the top 1 percentile, out of which 9 had a perfect score. A total of 54 students placed within the top 5 percentile.

For more information about our results, please see the page: https://www.randommath.com/tournaments/amc-8.

What other AMC 8-level math competitions can my child participate in?

The AMC 8 is one of the largest middle school level math competitions in the U.S. It is taken individually, but several middle school tournaments have both individual and team rounds.

The Berkeley Mini Math Tournament (BMMT), open to students grade 8 and below, is among the most well-known middle school level tournaments drawing over 2000 contestants. It takes place over two days and includes four competition rounds, three of which are team rounds and one of which is an individual round. In 2021, 7 Random Math students placed in the top 10 individual awards, and 13 students placed in the top 20% of all contestants. Additionally, the Random Math team, which comprised five students, placed 1st for Overall Team. For more information about BMMT, please see our page:
https://www.randommath.com/tournaments/bmmt.

The Exeter Math Club Competition (EMCC) is another middle-school mathematics competition held annually at the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. It has one individual round and two team rounds. In 2020, 7 Random math students placed among the top 10 in multiple rounds, 2 of which placed in the top 10 Overall. That year, Random Math also received first place for the Team and Overall Sweepstakes rounds. For more information about EMCC, please see our page:
‍https://www.randommath.com/tournaments/emcc.

Other popular middle school level math competitions include the Continental Math League (CML), Purple Comet Math Meet, Math League, Math Counts, Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle School (MOEMS), Math Kangaroo, and Noetic Learning Math Contest (NLMC). For a complete list of middle school math tournaments, please see our page:
‍https://www.randommath.com/tournaments/middle-school-tournaments.

How does the AMC 8 competition prepare students for higher-level math competitions such as the AMC 10/12 and AIME?

The AMC 8 competition is widely seen as an essential competition for building foundational math skills and knowledge required to perform well in higher-level math competitions — schools usually provide their students an opportunity to take the AMC 10 if they perform well in the AMC 8 (i.e. scoring within the top 5 percentile).

While the AMC 8 primarily tests students on prealgebra and basic algebra concepts, higher-level competitions like the AMC 10/12 and AIME build off such foundational concepts and test students on more advanced topics in algebra, number theory, and geometry. To perform well in these higher-level competitions, students must apply the same critical thinking and problem-solving skills they have been developing since participating in the AMC 8.

Since many students who perform well in the AMC 8 continue competing in the AMC 10/12 competitions, taking the AMC 8 will allow students to get a better feel of their peers’ level in competitive math. This enables students to gauge their performance in higher-level math competitions on a more accurate scale.

As a middle school-level math competition, the AMC 8 also poses low stakes for students who have just begun their mathematical journey. Students are allowed to learn from their mistakes before moving on to higher-stakes competitions like the AMC 10/12 and AIME, scores that can be reflected on their college resumes.

AMC 8