Tenth Grader Ranks High in National Math Competition
Congratulations are in order for Charles H. ‘24! This school year, Charles took part in two highly competitive, national mathematics exams: the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) and the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME).
He took the AMC in November alongside over 28,000 students nationwide, ultimately earning a score in the top 2.5%. His ranking qualified him to take the AIME, which only invites students who rank in the top 5% of the AMC to participate. When asked what drew him to the exams, Charles replied, “I just wanted to see how far I can go. The AMC and AIME are interesting to me because of the level of challenge they offer, and also the opportunity they give to me to develop my personal skills.”
The AMC consists of 25 questions which students have 75 minutes to solve. “[The exam] contains any math topics that are covered until the 10th grade level math curriculum such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, counting, number theory, and probability,” stated High School Mathematics teacher (and Charles’ Multivariable Calculus teacher) Rolando Ros. “These are competition-level questions that require creativity to solve and are not given in textbooks unless of course the book is meant to practice for competitions.” The AIME builds upon the difficulty of the AMC, requiring test takers to connect different areas of math together to solve each problem. Studying for both exams involved “a lot of practice problems and practice tests” with “a boatload of time and effort just dedicated to reviewing ways of tackling problems and other useful skills or formulae relevant to the exam,” Charles noted.
A member of the Math Team, Charles’ love and dedication to mathematics has carried him far during his time at Grace. As a freshman, he immediately began taking Intensive Calculus, a course typically reserved for students in the tenth grade or older. He is currently enrolled in Multivariable Calculus, the highest level of math that Grace offers and he is slated to start taking undergraduate math courses at NYU next year as he continues to grow as a mathematician. “I am so proud of Charles not only for qualifying and taking the AIME but also for his infectious passion for mathematics, which has uplifted many of his peers,” stated Charles’s advisor and High School Math Teacher Jen Tashman. “I have every confidence that the Math team will continue to grow and thrive with Charles, and I hope his example inspires younger Grace students to challenge themselves!”