Ivy League Education Center

Purpose:
To help rising 5th to 8th graders prepare for AMC 8 (Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017) and MATHCOUNTS. Please see: 

•  The AMC 8 Contest at the Montgomery College on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 
• 2016 AMC 8 Results Announced — Ten Students Received Perfect Scores

Fall 2017 Schedule

• We will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve AMC 8/MathCounts problems as well as test-taking tactics.
• We will utilize a highly effective teaching model as described in the article: Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model.

11 Weekends, Total: 22 Hours
9/9,     9/16,      9/23,     9/30 (Mock Test/Review
10/7,     10/14,   10/21,    10/28 (Mock Test/Review)
11/4,      11/11 (Mock Test/Review),    11/14 (AMC 8 Contest, No Class),
11/18 (Comprehensively Reviewing and Analyzing the 2017 AMC Problems)

Instructor: Dr. Henry Wan

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.

A commitment to the whole course can maximize the benefit of learning all the math ideas, methods, strategies, tactics, skills, and techniques.

Location: 18206 Endora Cir, Germantown, MD 20841

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508                Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world!

Payment Policy

• Full payment must be received on or before the day of first class.
• A late fee of $50 will be added to the tuition for payment after the first class.

Refund Policy

• Withdrawal before the first class: Full Refund
• Withdrawal after the first class: $75 deduction
• No refund after the second class

Description:
Our curriculum focuses on advancing the mathematical skills of rising 5th-8th graders to prepare them for AMC 8 and MathCounts. A variety of contest questions, including the first 15 problems on the AMC 10, are used to teach students strategies to solve problems and help students prepare for the competitions. These problems stimulate their interest and enthusiasm for critical and creative thinking and problem solving, broaden their mathematical intuition, and develop their brainpower. The topics taught in this class are not covered in regular school math classes, allowing our students to stay one step ahead.

Benefits:

• 11 tutorial handouts (275 pages) developed by Dr. Henry Wan and 500 new problems at the AMC 8 level taken from the licensed AMC Database
• 3 FREE mock tests, each of which has 25 questions taken from the licensed AMC Database. Mock tests are calibrated to be at the same difficulty level as the real AMC 8.
• FREE registration for the AMC 8 Contest on Tuesday, November 15, 2016. Please see: The AMC 8 Contest at the Montgomery College on Tuesday, November 14, 2017
• FREE registration for the AMC 10A — Tuesday, February 7, 2017 and/or AMC 10B — Wednesday, February 22, 2017. Please see: The AMC 10/12 Contests at Montgomery College on February 7, 2018, and February 15, 2018

Read more at:

• Some Hard Problems on the 2016 AMC 8 are Exactly the Same as Previous Problems on the AMC 10/12 and the Other Competitions
• Using the Ruler, Protractor, and Compass to Solve the Hardest Geometry Problems on the 2016 AMC 8
• 2016 AMC 8 Results Announced — Ten Students Received Perfect Scores
• 2016 AMC 8 Problems and Answers
• The Big Value of Middle School Math Competitions
• Great Benefits of Math Competitions
• A Little Competition Can Inspire Math Students to Greater Achievement
• Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model
• Homework Correction is very Important — We Give an Extensive Correction of the Incorrect Answers of All Homework
• Homework assignments are a fundamental part of our courses
• Mathematics competitions are NOT mysterious, and every student can attend them! — 数学竞赛绝非神秘，每个学生都可参加！
• Girls should attend math competitions — 女生更应参加数学竞赛
• The Importance of Discrete Mathematics
• 2015 AMC 8 Results Announced
• 2014 AMC 8 Winners for the U.S. Ivy League Education Center
• Why Discrete Math is very Important

Class Outline:
We will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve competitive math problems as well as test-taking tactics. The emphasis of this class will be on comprehensively problem-solving which is the most important to competitive math.

Mock Test:
Three simulated tests will help students assess their level of preparation for the Math Competitions. The test consists of 25 questions at the AMC 8/MathCounts level from the licensed AMC Database, and is intended to mimic an actual math competition exam. After attempting the test, students get answers, explanations, and a detailed score report and wise performance summary.

Homework
On average, at least 2 hours per week, as described in the article: Homework assignments are a fundamental part of our courses. Click HERE to see a typical homework sample we developed. We will carefully review and check students’ homework, and correct any mistakes. Based on the student work, we will provide him/her with individualized help and support. More details can be found in the article: Homework Correction is very Important — We Give an Extensive Correction of the Incorrect Answers of All Homework.

We have to face the simple truth that to do well on these grueling contests, we will need to practice. Just like it is for sports and music, the key to success is repetition and practice. We strongly believe in effort and the malleability of intelligence. Intelligence can be enhanced through effort. People can develop impressive levels of expertise through hard work and practice. Effort and persistence are the keys to success. Hard work always pays off: practice makes perfect!

All problems from past AMC 8 exams (1985-2015) and MathCounts (1990–2016) form our “big data” system. We have used data mining and predictive analytics to examine the types and the frequencies of questions in all these materials, and then completely “decoded” the AMC 8 and MathCounts. We will show all the “secret code” cracked from the above big data to students, and teach them to totally grasp and “control” the AMC and MathCounts. For all questions on the recent AMC/MathCounts contests, we can find their “ancestors” and “roots” from the old AMC/MathCounts problems. Therefore, the best way to prepare for the contest is to practice by solving old AMC/MathCounts problems.

Main Purpose:

Our main purpose is to help our students gain deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are so valuable to success in any career. We are big believers in the FUNDAMENTALS! Our students will receive the LIFELONG BENEFITS from learning math.

Regardless of his/her math level, each student will have the opportunity to learn math in a fun, friendly, cooperative, supportive learning environment. The most important thing is to have fun.

Our Students

In 2017, we have 61 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 28 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Austen M., and two of our students were among the 65 Perfect Scorersworldwide on the AMC 10B: Ashwin A. and Brad Z. Remarkably, eight middle schoolers and one elementary schooler qualified for the AIME, which is geared toward high school students. Very impressively, Bryan Z., a 6th grader, gained a score of 132 out of 150 on the AMC 10B.
Read more at: 2017 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 61 Students Qualified for the AIME

In 2016, we have 36 students who are qualified to take AIME either through AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 23 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Joel (Junyao) T. Particularly, seven middle schoolers and one elementary schooler qualified for the AIME, which is geared toward high school students. Pravalika P., a 6th grader, got a 115.5 out of 150 on the AMC10B, which is very impressive. Read more at: 2016 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 36 Students Qualified for AIME

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA. Read more at: Notable Achievements of Our Students

Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA‘s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions.

We have extracted 5,000 brand new problems at the level of the AMC 8 from the licensed AMC Database. In addition, we have also collected all AMC8/10/12 and AIME Official Solutions as shown in the article “American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) Materials.” All these materials have formed a golden resource for our students, who are the ultimate beneficiaries.

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Mathematics is the language that explains our physical world, what the mathematician and physicist  Eugene Wigner called “the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences”. It is also the lightning that, sometimes unnoticed, precedes the thunder of technological innovations. Yes, mathematics serves and touches upon the advances of practically every field. Still, as a discipline unto itself, mathematics is an extraordinary example of the human pursuit of knowledge, versatile and capable of unifying areas that appear very different. The mathematician Michael F. Atiyah referred to these qualities in an address to the London Mathematical Society titled The unity of mathematics. In his own words, “The aspect of mathematics which fascinates me most is the rich interaction between its different branches, the unexpected links, the surprises, …” .

But mathematicians and mathematics aficionados also talk about “the beauty of mathematics”. For instance, the philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell affirmed that “”mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty””. Now, beauty is an slippery concept, much more subjective and difficult to frame than, say, applicability within maths or in other …fields. To be sure, whatever beauty might be, mathematicians find an aesthetic value in the power of abstraction that mathematics has and in the connections it finds.

But how is this mathematical beauty similar to, or different from, the beauty we ascribe to a work of art? There are frequent references to mathematics as an art. In an article published in The Mathematical Intelligencer with the title “Mathematics: art and science”, the mathematician Armand Borel has this to say: ““… mathematics is an extremely complex creation which displays so many essential traits in common with art and experimental and theoretical sciences that it has to be regarded as all three at the same time, and thus must be differentiated from all three as well.””

So, as to how and why mathematics is connected to art or to other endeavours, the answer is typically ambiguous. It seems that questions of this nature are destined to remain a part of the mathematical folklore. Still, perhaps unknown to most mathematicians, something has been happening somewhere else.

A brain revolution

As early as 1909, an anatomist, Korbinian Brodmann, divided the cortex of the human brain into 47 areas, now called Brodmann areas, according to the structure and organisation of the cells. Later, as researchers began to understand the functions of different cells in the cortex, they were astounded by the fairly close relation emerging between certain Brodmann areas and the location of specific cell functions. Today, much is known about a wide range of these functions, showing the prodigious complexity of our brain. For instance, there seem to be about three thousand interconnected neurons, controlling most of our breathing and involving about 65 types of neurons!

Brodmann areas in the brain.

Besides what we might call the physical functions, researchers are understanding the locations of what we might call intellectual functions. For example, an article published in 2011 in the journal NeuroImage, discussed the findings of a study locating the brain areas needed for numbers and calculations. Coincidentally, a study published the same year in the journal PLoS ONE, presented evidence towards a brain-based theory of beauty. Several studies had already shown how beauty, as related to visual, auditory and moral experience, was connected to activity observed in a specific region of what researchers call the emotional brain.

Based on all these findings, a team of two neurobiologists, Semir Zeki and John Paul Romaya, a physicist, Dionigi M. T. Benincasa, and the mathematician Michael F. Atiyah conjectured that the perception of mathematical beauty should excite the same parts of the emotional brain, roughly described by a collection of Brodmann areas. Their study, published in the journal Frontiers of human neuroscience in 2014, seems to confirm their conjecture, indeed placing mathematical beauty, as perceived by trained mathematicians, in the same areas previously identified with other manifestations of beauty.

As part of the study participants (mathematicians and non-mathematicians) were presented with sixty mathematical formulas and asked to rank them according to three categories; ugly, neutral and beautiful. The expression that was most consistently ranked as beautiful by the mathematicians was Euler’s equation,

and the one most consistently ranked as ugly by the mathematicians was the following, extremely convoluted, formula representing the reciprocal of  as an infinite sum:

The formula is due to the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. His collaborator Godfrey Hardy said that the formula had to be true, because no one could possibly concoct something so complicated.

The choices that mathematicians made in the study seem to point to simplicity as an attribute of the mathematically beautiful.

Beauty and understanding

Although the perception of mathematical beauty might have the same characteristics, neurologically speaking, as the perception of beauty elicited by other sources, some differences remain.

To find beauty in a particular piece of music, we do not need to understand the intricacies of the composition. Likewise, we can feel the beauty of a painting or a sculpture at a “gut level”, without thinking explicitly about the technical aspects.

However, the authors of the study speak at length of the difficulty of separating the perception of mathematical beauty from the understanding of the underlying mathematics. The subjects recruited for their study were sixteen postgraduate or postdoctoral students of mathematics, and twelve non-mathematicians. Among the mathematicians there was a strong correlation between understanding and perception of beauty, but it wasn’t a perfect correlation: some formulas were rated ugly even though the mathematicians understood them well. Unsurprisingly, the non-mathematicians generally didn’t understand the formulas very well, but they still rated some as beautiful. The authors suggest that the non-mathematician probably liked something about the formal qualities of the equations, for example their symmetrical distribution — this is something that will have to be investigated in a future study.

Finally, the tool used in this and other studies is a form of magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI, the letter f standing for “functional”. The American chemist Paul Lauterbur and the English physicist Peter Mansfield were awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their development of MRI. In particular, Mansfield was credited with introducing its mathematical formalism. A nice way for our article to come full circle: the unreasonable effectiveness of maths allows us to observe our mental world and help us understand the nature of mathematics itself.

About the author

Josefina Alvarez first learnt about the study discussed in this article from a piece in the New York Times, via her husband Larry Hughes.

Josefina (Lolina) Alvarez was born in Spain. She earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, and is currently professor emeritus of mathematics at New Mexico State University, in the United States. Her long time interest is to communicate mathematics to general audiences. Lolina lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with husband Larry and dog Lily. She walks every week many kilometres along the beautiful trails of Northern New Mexico.

Purpose: To prepare for the ARML and the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 6, 2018 and/or AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 21, 2018.

• We will help students gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills different from those in the school classes, motivation, and perseverance for reaching their full potential.
• We will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve competitive math problems as well as test-taking tactics.
• The emphasis of this class will be on advanced geometry and comprehensive problem-solving, which is very common in competitive math, but is not included in school curriculum.
• We will utilize a highly effective teaching model as described in the article: Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model.

Instructors:

• Dr. Henry Wan
• Dr. Irina Khovanova
• Dr. Natasha Kufareva

8 Weekends (Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm), Total: 16 Hours
4/16,   4/23,   4/30,   5/7 (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
5/14,   5/21,   6/4,   6/11 (Final Mock Exam/Review)

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register and make payment.

You are very welcome to sign up for our Online Intensive AMC 10/12 Prep Fall Weekend Course which offers a quick, efficient way for students to interact with teachers over long distance. We use Google Hangouts to video chat and easily connect with students to teach them our tricks and shortcuts to getting an amazing score on their contests, as well as offer them our guidance and support. Students can ask questions face-to-face, and can complete problems with the supervision of our teachers/coaches.

A commitment to the whole course can maximize the benefit of learning all the math ideas, methods, strategies, tactics, skills, and techniques.
Tuition: $520
Material Fee: $120, (including 320 pages handouts, and problem sets and their detailed solutions)
Total Fee: $640. We offer discounts of $15 for returning students.

Payment Policy

• Full payment must be received on or before the day of first class.

Refund Policy

• Withdrawal before the first class: Full Refund
• Withdrawal after the first class: $95 deduction
• No refund after the second class

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508     or        240-780-8828
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world.

Although the 2017 AMC 10/12 contests have finished, we must prepare in advance for the 2018 AMC 10/12 contests. As the great scientist Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favors only the prepared mind.” Those who strive to prepare early, and work hard are the ones who achieve the best results. The AMC is a complex math competition that requires dedication and focus. Therefore, the earlier our students start preparing, the better their scores will be. Read more at:

• Some Problems on the 2016 AMC 10/12 are Exactly the Same as Previous AMC/ARML Problems
• 365-hour Project to Qualify for the AIME through the AMC 10/12 Contests
• Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Geometry Problems
• 116 Full-length Real AMC Problems Sets are a Golden Resource to Our AMC 10/12 Prep Program
• The Big Value of Middle School Math Competitions
• Great Benefits of Math Competitions
• A Little Competition Can Inspire Math Students to Greater Achievement
• Mathematics competitions are NOT mysterious, and every student can attend them! — 数学竞赛绝非神秘，每个学生都可参加！
• Girls should attend math competitions — 女生更应参加数学竞赛
• Why are Math Competitions Important to Girls?
• Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model
• 2016 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 36 Students Qualified for the AIME
• Cutoff scores for AIME qualification in 2016

Specific Goal: To earn a score of 120 or more out of 150 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10), or a score of 100 or more out of 150 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12), and then qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), which is used to determine qualification for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO). See for more details: Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Problems

Who should take this class: This class is very appropriate for 6th-11th grade students who are hoping to qualify for the AIME.

Benefits:

• 8 tutorial handouts (>640 pages) developed by Dr. Henry Wan and 400 new problems similar to AMC 10/12 level from the licensed AMC Database
• 2 FREE mock tests that are intended to mimic an actual math competition exam, each of which has 25 questions similar to AMC 10/12 level taken from the licensed AMC Database. These simulated tests help students assess their level of preparation for the Math Competitions. After attempting the test, students get answers, explanations, and a detailed score report and wise performance summary.
• FREE registration for the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 7, 2018 and/or AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 22, 2018. Please see: The AMC 10/12 Contests at Montgomery College on February 7, 2017, and February 15, 2017

Weekly Homework: At least 3 hours per week. Each week, we will carefully review and check 2 students’ homework, and correct any mistakes. The next week, we will check another 2 students’ homework, and this will continue on a rotational basis until all students have had their homework checked at least once and the cycle will start again. Based on the work of the 2 students that week, we will provide the those 2 students with individualized proposal and support.

At least 3 hours per week. Problem sets include all geometry problems on the past AMC 10/12 and ARML, and 500 brand new problems having similar difficulty and style as the real AMC 10/12 problems, extracted from the licensed AMC Database. Each week, we will carefully review and check 2 students’ homework, and correct any mistakes. The next week, we will check another 2 students’ homework, and this will continue on a rotational basis until all students have had their homework checked at least once and the cycle will start again. Based on the work of the 2 students that week, we will provide the those 2 students with individualized proposal and support.

Class Outline:

In our high school competitive math class, we will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve AMC problems as well as test-taking tactics. The emphasis of this class will be on advanced geometry and comprehensive problem-solving which are very common in competitive math. We will also help students develop quick problem solving strategies and effective time management skills.

Small-sized Class Teaching Model: We utilize the highly effective small-sized class teaching model. Smaller classes lead to pupils receiving more individual attention from teachers, and having more active interactions with them. We focus on every individual, not the whole class. Students will thrive from the smaller class sizes that allow them to reach their full potential. Particularly, students can benefit tremendously from high-frequent individualized student-teacher interactions leading to establishment of a stronger foundation for lifelong learning.

Our main purpose is to help our students gain deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are so valuable to success in any career. We are big believers in the FUNDAMENTALS! Our students will receive the LIFELONG BENEFITS from learning math.

Regardless of his/her math level, each student will have the opportunity to learn math in a fun, friendly, cooperative, supportive learning environment. The most important thing is to have fun.

Our Students

In 2016, we have 36 students who are qualified to take AIME either through AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 23 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Joel (Junyao) T. Particularly, seven middle schoolers and one elementary schooler qualified for the AIME, which is geared toward high school students. Pravalika P., a 6th grader, got a 115.5 out of 150 on the AMC10B, which is very impressive. Read more at: 2016 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 36 Students Qualified for AIME

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA. Read more at: Notable Achievements of Our Students

Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA‘s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions. We have collected 116 full-length real AMC 10/12 problems sets containing 2,960 problems, as described in the article “116 Full-length Real AMC Problems Sets are a Golden Resource to Our AMC 10/12 Prep Program.” Particularly, we have extracted additional 3,000 brand new problems at the level of the AMC 10/12, from the licensed AMC Database. In addition, we have also collected all AMC8/10/12 and AIME Official Solutions as shown in the article “American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) Materials.” All these materials have formed a golden resource for our students, who are the ultimate beneficiaries.

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Click HERE to find out more about SAT Prep!

Purpose: To prepare for the ARML and the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 6, 2018 and AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 21, 2018.

• We will help students gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills different from those in the school classes, motivation, and perseverance for reaching their full potential.
• We will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve competitive math problems as well as test-taking tactics.
• The emphasis of this class will be on advanced geometry and comprehensive problem-solving, which are very common in competitive math, but are not included in school curriculum.
• We will utilize a highly effective teaching model as described in the article: Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model.

Instructors:

• Dr. Henry Wan
• Dr. Irina Khovanova
• Dr. Natasha Kufareva

8 Weekends (Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm), Total: 16 Hours
4/16,   4/23,   4/30,   5/7 (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
5/14,   5/21,   6/4,   6/11 (Final Mock Exam/Review)

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.

A commitment to the whole course can maximize the benefit of learning all the math ideas, methods, strategies, tactics, skills, and techniques.

Tuition: $520
Material Fee: $120, (including 320 pages handouts, and problem sets and their detailed solutions)
Total Fee: $640. We offer discounts of $15 for returning students.

Payment Policy

• Full payment must be received on or before the day of first class.
• A late fee of $50 will be added to the tuition for payment after the first class.
• For our new parents, you have the option of (A) Paying the full tuition or (B) Pay $80 + $15 (drop-in fee) for a total of $95 on the first day of class. If you continue with our course, you can bring the remaining tuition fee on the second class. In this case, a late fee of $50 will be added to the tuition after the second class.

Refund Policy

• Withdrawal before the first class: Full Refund
• Withdrawal after the first class: $95 deduction
• No refund after the second class

Locations:
13902 Bromfield Road, Germantown, MD 20874
18206 Endora Cir, Germantown, MD 20841

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508     or        240-780-8828
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world.

Although the 2017 AMC 10/12 contests have finished, we must prepare in advance for the 2018 AMC 10/12 contests. As the great scientist Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favors only the prepared mind.” Those who strive to prepare early, and work hard are the ones who achieve the best results. The AMC is a complex math competition that requires dedication and focus. Therefore, the earlier our students start preparing, the better their scores will be. Read more at:

• Some Problems on the 2016 AMC 10/12 are Exactly the Same as Previous AMC/ARML Problems
• 365-hour Project to Qualify for the AIME through the AMC 10/12 Contests
• Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Geometry Problems
• 116 Full-length Real AMC Problems Sets are a Golden Resource to Our AMC 10/12 Prep Program
• The Big Value of Middle School Math Competitions
• Great Benefits of Math Competitions
• A Little Competition Can Inspire Math Students to Greater Achievement
• Mathematics competitions are NOT mysterious, and every student can attend them! — 数学竞赛绝非神秘，每个学生都可参加！
• Girls should attend math competitions — 女生更应参加数学竞赛
• Why are Math Competitions Important to Girls?
• Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model
• 2016 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 36 Students Qualified for the AIME
• Cutoff scores for AIME qualification in 2016

Specific Goal: To earn a score of 120 or more out of 150 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10), or a score of 100 or more out of 150 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12), and then qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), which is used to determine qualification for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO). See for more details: Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Problems

Who should take this class: This class is very appropriate for 6th-11th grade students who are hoping to qualify for the AIME.

Benefits:

• 8 tutorial handouts (>320 pages) developed by Dr. Henry Wan and 400 new problems similar to AMC 10/12 level from the licensed AMC Database
• 2 FREE mock tests that are intended to mimic an actual math competition exam, each of which has 25 questions similar to AMC 10/12 level taken from the licensed AMC Database. These simulated tests help students assess their level of preparation for the Math Competitions. After attempting the test, students get answers, explanations, and a detailed score report and wise performance summary.
• FREE registration for the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 7, 2018 and/or AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 22, 2018. Please see: The AMC 10/12 Contests at Montgomery College on February 6, 2018, and February 21, 2018

Weekly Homework: At least 3 hours per week. Each week, we will carefully review and check 2 students’ homework, and correct any mistakes. The next week, we will check another 2 students’ homework, and this will continue on a rotational basis until all students have had their homework checked at least once and the cycle will start again. Based on the work of the 2 students that week, we will provide the those 2 students with individualized proposal and support.

At least 3 hours per week. Problem sets include all geometry problems on the past AMC 10/12 and ARML, and 500 brand new problems having similar difficulty and style as the real AMC 10/12 problems, extracted from the licensed AMC Database. Each week, we will carefully review and check 2 students’ homework, and correct any mistakes. The next week, we will check another 2 students’ homework, and this will continue on a rotational basis until all students have had their homework checked at least once and the cycle will start again. Based on the work of the 2 students that week, we will provide the those 2 students with individualized proposal and support.

Class Outline:

In our high school competitive math class, we will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve AMC problems as well as test-taking tactics. The emphasis of this class will be on advanced geometry and comprehensive problem-solving which are very common in competitive math. We will also help students develop quick problem solving strategies and effective time management skills.

Small-sized Class Teaching Model: We utilize the highly effective small-sized class teaching model. Smaller classes lead to pupils receiving more individual attention from teachers, and having more active interactions with them. We focus on every individual, not the whole class. Students will thrive from the smaller class sizes that allow them to reach their full potential. Particularly, students can benefit tremendously from high-frequent individualized student-teacher interactions leading to establishment of a stronger foundation for lifelong learning.

Our main purpose is to help our students gain deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are so valuable to success in any career. We are big believers in the FUNDAMENTALS! Our students will receive the LIFELONG BENEFITS from learning math.

Regardless of his/her math level, each student will have the opportunity to learn math in a fun, friendly, cooperative, supportive learning environment. The most important thing is to have fun.

Our Students

In 2016, we have 36 students who are qualified to take AIME either through AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 23 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Joel (Junyao) T. Particularly, seven middle schoolers and one elementary schooler qualified for the AIME, which is geared toward high school students. Pravalika P., a 6th grader, got a 115.5 out of 150 on the AMC10B, which is very impressive. Read more at: 2016 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 36 Students Qualified for AIME

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA. Read more at: Notable Achievements of Our Students

Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA‘s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions. We have collected 116 full-length real AMC 10/12 problems sets containing 2,960 problems, as described in the article “116 Full-length Real AMC Problems Sets are a Golden Resource to Our AMC 10/12 Prep Program.” Particularly, we have extracted additional 3,000 brand new problems at the level of the AMC 10/12, from the licensed AMC Database. In addition, we have also collected all AMC8/10/12 and AIME Official Solutions as shown in the article “American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) Materials.” All these materials have formed a golden resource for our students, who are the ultimate beneficiaries.

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Click HERE to find out more about SAT Prep!

The period of time between 5th-8th grade is critical to the development of students’ math skills!

Purpose: To prepare for math competitions, such as

The period of time between 5th-8th grade is critical to the development of students’ math skills!

Purpose: To prepare for math competitions, such as

The 2017 AIME II was held on March 22, 2017. There was a total of 996 students from US and Canadian schools to attend this contest. The AIME is taken by students who achieved a score in the top 5% (approximately) on the AMC 12, and students who achieve a score in the top 2.5% (approximately) on the AMC 10. We have 52 students this year who are qualified to take the AIME through the AMC 10 and the AMC 12.

This contest leads to the USAJMO, USAMO, MOSP (Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program) and the selection of the USA team sent to the 58th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), the premier international high school level problem solving contest. This year the IMO will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 12 to 23, 2017.

The AIME provides the exceptional students who are invited to take it with yet another opportunity to challenge their mathematical abilities. Like all examinations, it is a means towards furthering mathematical development and interest. The real value of the examination is in the learning that can come from the preparation beforehand and from further thought and discussion of the solutions.

The 2017 AIME II Problems and Answers have been posted below. You can click the following to download them:

• 2017 AIME II Problems
• 2017 AIME II Answers

More details can be found at:

• 2017 Spring – Competitive Math Courses →
• 365-hour Project to Qualify for the AIME through the AMC 10/12 Contests
• Notable Achievements of Our Students
• 2017 AMC 10A/12A AIME Cutoff Scores
• 2017 AMC 10B/12B AIME Cutoff Scores
• Recent USAMO and USAJMO Qualification Indices
• AMC 8/10/12/AIME Problems and Answers
• This Year It Was Much Easier to Qualify for the AIME Through the AMC 12A Than Through the AMC 10A
• AMC 10 versus AMC 12
• American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10)
• American Mathematics Contest 12 — AMC 12
• AMC 10/12 Historical Results
• The AMC 10 and AMC 12 Have 10-15 Questions in Common
• Some Problems on the 2016 AMC 10/12 are Exactly the Same as Previous AMC/ARML Problems
• Every Student Should Take Both the AMC 10A/12A and 10 B/12B!
• Students Can Easily Qualify for the AIME Through the AMC 12 During 11th and 12th Grade

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Click HERE to find out more about SAT Prep!

Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA‘s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world.

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions. We have collected all AMC8/10/12 and AIME Official Problems and Official Solutions as shown in the article ” American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) Materials,” which have formed our “big data” system, a golden resource for our students, who are the ultimate beneficiaries.

The period of time between 5th-8th grade is critical to the development of students’ math skills!

Purpose: To prepare for math competitions, such as

The 2017 AIME I was held on March 7, 2017. 2,793 students from US and Canadian schools participated in this contest. The AIME is taken by students who achieved a score in the top 5% (approximately) on the AMC 12, and students who achieve a score in the top 2.5% (approximately) on the AMC 10. We have 52 students this year who are qualified to take the AIME through the AMC 10 and the AMC 12.

This contest leads to the USAJMO, USAMO, MOSP (Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program) and the selection of the USA team sent to the 58th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), the premier international high school level problem solving contest. This year the IMO will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 12 to 23, 2017.

The AIME provides the exceptional students who are invited to take it with yet another opportunity to challenge their mathematical abilities. Like all examinations, it is a means towards furthering mathematical development and interest. The real value of the examination is in the learning that can come from the preparation beforehand and from further thought and discussion of the solutions.

The 2017 AIME I Problems and Answers have been posted below. You can click the following to download them:

• 2017 AIME I Problems
• 2017 AIME I Answers

More details can be found at:

• 2017 Spring – Competitive Math Courses →
• 365-hour Project to Qualify for the AIME through the AMC 10/12 Contests
• Notable Achievements of Our Students
• 2017 AMC 10A/12A AIME Cutoff Scores
• 2017 AMC 10B/12B AIME Cutoff Scores
• Recent USAMO and USAJMO Qualification Indices
• AMC 8/10/12/AIME Problems and Answers
• This Year It Was Much Easier to Qualify for the AIME Through the AMC 12A Than Through the AMC 10A
• AMC 10 versus AMC 12
• American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10)
• American Mathematics Contest 12 — AMC 12
• AMC 10/12 Historical Results
• The AMC 10 and AMC 12 Have 10-15 Questions in Common
• Some Problems on the 2016 AMC 10/12 are Exactly the Same as Previous AMC/ARML Problems
• Every Student Should Take Both the AMC 10A/12A and 10 B/12B!
• Students Can Easily Qualify for the AIME Through the AMC 12 During 11th and 12th Grade

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Click HERE to find out more about SAT Prep!

Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA‘s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world.

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions. We have collected all AMC8/10/12 and AIME Official Problems and Official Solutions as shown in the article ” American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) Materials,” which have formed our “big data” system, a golden resource for our students, who are the ultimate beneficiaries.