A record number of 112 Paly students as well as seven middle school students will be taking the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) March 7 after passing the American Mathematics Contest (AMC) examination on Jan. 31. About 2% of the students who take the AMC end up qualifying for the AIME, according to Paly math instructional supervisor Suzanne Antink.

For Antink, this accomplishment is a testament to the math students at Paly.

“[This] means that compared to the rest of the United States we have an incredible number of brilliant students,” Antink said. “For us to have so many [students qualifying] is phenomenal.”

Every year about 300 Paly students from the highest math lane take the AMC, which consists of 25 questions. In the past, an average of 66 Paly students have then qualified for the AIME. The AIME consists of 15 questions, whose answers are integers ranging from 0 to 999, and is geared towards students with a Pre-Calculus education.

“Some years they are not as excited about the initial competition, but this year [the students] came in ready to kick butt,” Antink said.

Unlike other years, Paly math teachers tried to better prepare their students for the AMC by giving them practice tests and questions in class. The Math Club also had extra practice during their meetings. This gave Paly students a better chance of qualifying for the AIME.

“We didn’t do practice questions last year or the year before,” junior Adrian Sanborn, Math Club president said. “The preparation was good this year. We also have a lot of strong students in Math Club this year.”

Another reason why the number of Paly students eligible for the AIME doubled this year is that the test may be easier than in the past.

“The test has changed over the last three years,” Antink said. “The first three to five questions are way easier than usual, so that builds [the students’] confidence.”

According to Sanborn, “The contest this year had easier questions at the beginning, but the other thing is that we have a number of amazing students, especially juniors and seniors.”

After the AIME, those who qualify will move on to the United States of America Mathematics Olympiad (USAMO), and then eligible students, only six students per country, move on the international level, called the IMO. Last year two Paly students, then sophomores Sanborn and Aaron Jones, made it to the USAMO.

“We do this every year. We’re not like those wimpy athletes who only compete every four years,” Antink joked.

While Sanborn thinks that more Paly students will pass the AIME this year he is skeptical about the number of students capable of taking the test.

“We have a lot of strong juniors who I think could pass the AIME,” Sanborn said. “I think that not many people will be ready for the type of problems in the AIME. I encourage people to try the problem instead of just giving up.”

While Paly is still in the process of competing this year, Antink hopes that next year students will be just as compelled to do well in the AMC as this year.

“I hope the kids continue to enjoy it,” Antink said. “I hope [the students] have the same drive next year. It always comes down to the personal drive.”