American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) |
The American High School Mathematics Examination (AHSME) started in 1950. It is a multiple choice exam. It was originally restricted to the New York area and went national in 1957. Large numbers of children enter. Around 2000 it was renamed the AMC12 (American Mathematics Competitions 12) and supplemented by the AMC10 and AMC8 aimed at younger children. In 2002 over 300,000 children from over 5,000 schools took part in AMC12.
Obviously with these sort of numbers the questions are easy. They got even easier in 1983. The numbers of children taking it were increasing each year and the usual debate started about not wanting to discourage the less able children. So it was decided to start the AIME for those who did sufficiently well in the AHSME, and to make the AHSME even easier. The questions in AIME are roughly in order of increasing difficulty. The early questions are much easier than olympiad questions. The last few questions tend to be comparable to the easier olympiad questions.
From 2000 the exam has been held twice each year (in March/April and in May). So there are two papers for each year (but each candidate only takes one).
Many thanks to all those who have sent me the questions for these exams. There are 15 questions per paper, so 390 to date.
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