AMC 10 versus AMC 12

The Eligibility of Students to Take the AMC 10 and the AMC 12

The AMC 10 is for students in grades 10 and below. See more at:
- American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10)
The AMC 12 is for students in grades 12 and below. See more at:
- American Mathematics Contest 12 — AMC 12

Materials Covered on the AMC 10 and 12

The AMC 10 tests mathematical problem solving with arithmetic, algebra, counting, geometry, number theory, and probability and other secondary school math topics. Problems are designed to be solved by students without any background in trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus.
The AMC 12 tests mathematical problem solving with arithmetic, algebra, counting, geometry, number theory, and probability and other secondary school math topics, including trigonometry and precalculus. Problems are designed to be solvable by students without any background in calculus.

The Difference in the A and B Versions of the AMC10/12 Examinations

Both the A and the B versions of the AMC 10 and the AMC 12 have the same number of questions, the same scoring and the same rules for administration.
The only differences are the competition dates and that each version has a distinct set of questions, although the two examinations are designed to be equal in difficulty and distribution of topics.

The Similarity between the AMC 10 and AMC 12

The AMC 10 and AMC 12 contests are 25 questions long, and take 75 minutes.
The AMC10A and AMC12A are offered on the same day, as well as the AMC10B and AMC12B.
The A tests and the B tests each have about 10-15 questions in common. In 2016, the AMC 10A and AMC 12A have 14 questions in common, while the AMC 10B and AMC 12B have 12 questions in common. See more at:
- The AMC 10 and AMC 12 Have 10-15 Questions in Common

Cutoff Scores for AIME Qualification