Liberty Math Teams show skills in AMC 8 Math Competition

MADISON – The Math Teams at Liberty Middle School proved their mastery of the subject matter in the American Mathematics Competition or AMC 8.

“The AMC 8 is a national competition for talented mathematicians across the country,” Liberty Principal Shannon Brown said in congratulating the students. The Mathematical Association of America administers the contest to American youth.

Liberty students competing in AMC 8 were Nirban Bajaj, Greyson Braund, Urvi Mysore, Eugene Park, Isabelle Park, Neyan Sezhian and Erik Wu.

Billie Wilhelm coaches math teams for sixth and seventh grades and teaches seventh-grade honors math. Lory Schieler coaches the algebra math team and teaches honors algebra and pre-advanced placement geometry. This year, AMC 8 was held in virtual format for seventh- and eighth-graders.

The AMC 8 contest has 25 questions in multiple-choice format with a 40-minute time limit. The competition is designed to promote development of problem-solving skills for middle-school age group.

AMC 8 provides a venue for middle-school students to develop positive attitudes about analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in their future careers. Students apply classroom skills to unique problem-solving challenges in a low-stress and friendly environment.

The material covered in AMC 8 includes topics from a typical mathematics curriculum for middle-school students. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, counting and probability, estimation, proportional reasoning, elementary geometry including the Pythagorean Theorem, spatial visualization, everyday applications and reading and interpreting graphs and tables.

In addition, some questions can pertain to linear or quadratic functions and equations, coordinate geometry and other topics traditionally covered in a beginning course for algebra.

At Liberty, the math organizations allow math students with outstanding skills to enjoy the challenge of pitting their skills against other top student mathematicians.

To compete on a Liberty math team, the student must be enrolled in a math team class for his or her grade level. Students enrolled in the math team classes are expected to attend competitions; this class replaces the honors math class during the school day. Math Team fees range from $150 to $200.

The Mathematical Association of America has headquarters in Washington D.C. For more information, visit maa.org.