The American Math Competition (AMC) 8 is an annual national math competition for middle school students. Its goal is to challenge students’ problem-solving skills. While most of its topics come from standard middle school math, the level is significantly higher than an average school math test. Consequently, a strong AMC 8 score is a real accomplishment. Doing well on the AMC 8 leads to preparation for other top tests like the AMC 10.
Format
The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice test, loosely ordered by difficulty. The first few questions are often at the level of challenging school math questions, while the end of the test frequently has questions outside of standard school math. Thus, preparing for the test is a great way to challenge math-oriented students who are less interested in school math.
There is no penalty for incorrect answers, so students are encouraged to guess.
Math Competition Topics
The AMC 8 tests students’ problem-solving mainly through standard middle school math topics like proportional reasoning, elementary geometry, algebra, and interpreting data. However, it also includes topics in which students may have little experience, such as counting, probability, logic, and number theory.
What’s a good score in this math competition?
The mean score on the AMC 8 is usually between 8 and 11. The AMC gives an extra distinction to the top 5% (Honor Roll) and top 1% (Distinguished Honor Roll) of scorers. The score required for the Honor Roll ranges between 15 and 19. The score required for the Distinguished Honor Roll ranges between 19 and 23. Additionally, 6th-grade or below students who score at least 15 points are recognized on the Achievement Roll.
Since the AMC 8 is such a difficult test, students should be proud of any problems they solve correctly. Even a score of 50% is something to be proud of.
How to take the test
The AMC 8 is generally held over a one-week window in late January. In 2025, the test will be held between January 22 and 28, depending on the test center.
Students can register for the AMC through its website. At schools, the math team or math club usually administers the test. You can always ask a math teacher or administrator to sponsor it. Or, students can reach out to other schools or test centers.
