About AMC 12
The MAA contest for students in Grade 12 and below. It covers the whole high school curriculum including trigonometry and precalculus, and high scorers may be invited to the AIME.
AMC 12 Exam Format & Focus
25 multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes. 6 points for each correct answer, 1.5 points for each blank and 0 for each wrong answer, so the maximum is 150. Calculators are not allowed.
How Skillzy Young Scholars Prepares Students for AMC 12
Skillzy Young Scholars teaches AMC 12 in live online classes with vetted mentors who have completed 100 hours of training. The curriculum is organised into 5 units, with worksheets, quizzes, timed practice and mock exams. Progress is tracked in the LMS and shared with parents in a monthly report.
What AMC 12 Covers
- Algebra: polynomials, logarithms, sequences and functions
- Geometry: triangles, circles, coordinate geometry, trigonometry and conic sections
- Number theory: divisibility, modular arithmetic and complex numbers
- Counting and probability: combinations, arrangements and expected value
AMC 12 Curriculum
Classes follow these units. Every student starts with a level check, and the order and pace adapt to your child. Units that go beyond the exam's core topics are stretch material.
- Target Audience
- Students in 12th grade and under.
- Total Questions
- 25 multiple-choice questions.
- Time Limit
- 75 minutes.
- Skill Focus
- The entire high-school curriculum (including trigonometry, advanced algebra, and precalculus) applied to highly creative, competition-style problems.
- Scoring System
- 6 points for a correct answer, 1.5 points for an unanswered (blank) question, and 0 points for an incorrect answer. Maximum score is 150. Calculators are strictly prohibited.
What the program focuses on
- Full high-school curriculum application (including 11th and 12th-grade precalculus)
- Recognizing complex problem archetypes to save time
- Strategic skipping and flagging for the hardest problems
- Answer-choice-driven shortcuts (plugging in, working backward)
- Estimation for problems with numerically 'nice' expected answers
- Interactive, hands-on learning
- Continuous progress and endurance monitoring
Units
1 Advanced Algebra, Polynomials & Pre-Calculus Foundations
Students will learn to:
- Solve complex linear and nonlinear systems of equations, and absolute value inequalities.
- Analyze abstract functions (domain/range, composition, inverse functions).
- Master advanced polynomial theory (symmetric functions, higher-degree roots, Vieta's formulas, remainder/factor theorems).
- Work with complex arithmetic, geometric, and recursive sequences and series.
- Solve advanced exponential equations and rigorous logarithmic problems.
- Analyze limits and introductory calculus concepts (which rarely, but occasionally, appear).
AMC 12 Alignment - Advanced Algebra Core. Algebra forms the backbone of the AMC 12, but standard high school methods are too slow. Students must rapidly utilize Vieta's formulas and symmetric function properties to bypass messy algebraic expansions.
Learning activities:
- Advanced Vieta's formulas and polynomial factoring relays
- Recursive sequence tracking and logarithm puzzles
- Symmetric function and higher-degree root deduction games
What this means for your child. Your child will move beyond standard high school algebra, learning to manipulate complex 12th-grade equations and precalculus functions strategically without relying on a calculator.
2 Advanced Geometry, Trigonometry & Conic Sections
Students will learn to:
- Analyze triangle centers, congruence, and similarity alongside advanced circle theorems (power of a point, inscribed angles, tangent lines).
- Utilize coordinate geometry, including finding area via coordinates (Shoelace formula) and analyzing conics (parabolas, ellipses, hyperbolas).
- Calculate volume/surface area of complex 3D solids and visualize abstract cross-sections.
- Master advanced trigonometry: unit circle, complex trigonometric identities, trigonometric equations, and the Law of Sines/Cosines.
AMC 12 Alignment - Geometry & Trig Core. Unlike the AMC 10, the AMC 12 leans heavily on advanced trigonometry and conic sections. Problems often require combining trigonometric identities with 3D spatial geometry.
Learning activities:
- Advanced trigonometric identity proofs and equation solving
- Shoelace formula and conic section coordinate mapping
- 3D cross-section visualization and power-of-a-point exercises
What this means for your child. Your child will learn to translate text-heavy geometry problems into accurate visual diagrams, mastering advanced trigonometry, conic sections, and coordinate math shortcuts.
3 Complex Numbers, Vectors & Advanced Number Theory
Students will learn to:
- Master complex numbers: polar form, roots of unity, and De Moivre's theorem.
- Utilize matrices and vectors to solve spatial and algebraic problems.
- Apply modular arithmetic, remainder theory, and base representations.
- Master GCD/LCM, the Euclidean algorithm, divisor counting, and sum-of-divisors functions.
- Solve advanced Diophantine equations (equations with integer solutions).
AMC 12 Alignment - Number Theory & Complex Math Stretch. Complex numbers and vectors are highly specific to the AMC 12 and are essential for reaching the AIME. Number theory problems often involve massive numbers that require modular arithmetic to decode.
Learning activities:
- De Moivre's theorem and roots of unity visual mapping
- Matrix/vector manipulation and Diophantine equation balancing tasks
- Modular arithmetic and Euclidean algorithm cycle puzzles
What this means for your child. Your child will master the most advanced high school topics, learning to use complex numbers, vectors, and modular arithmetic to solve Olympiad-level problems.
4 Advanced Combinatorics & Complex Probability
Students will learn to:
- Calculate advanced permutations and combinations, including those with repetition/restriction.
- Apply the Binomial theorem, Pascal's triangle, and the Pigeonhole principle.
- Execute complementary counting and systematic casework for massive datasets.
- Calculate advanced probability: expected value, geometric probability, conditional probability, and Markov chains/states.
AMC 12 Alignment - Intermediate & Advanced Stretch. Combinatorics and Probability make up the hardest problems on the exam (typically questions 20-25). Students must organize complex information systematically to avoid skipping hidden combinations.
Learning activities:
- Expected value and geometric probability simulations
- Binomial theorem and combinatorial casework games
- Pigeonhole principle and complementary counting logic puzzles
What this means for your child. Your child will learn to systematically organize data and outcomes, preventing careless errors in highly complex, multi-variable probability scenarios.
5 Exam Strategy, Scoring Optimization & Mock Simulations
Students will learn to:
- Recognize problem archetypes to save time under the strict 75-minute limit.
- Utilize answer-choice-driven shortcuts (plugging in values, working backward from options).
- Apply estimation for problems with numerically 'nice' expected answers.
- Execute strategic skipping and flagging for the hardest 5 problems (21–25) to maximize the 1.5-point blank guessing system.
AMC 12 Alignment - Test Day Readiness. The AMC 12 scoring system rewards strategic restraint. Knowing when not to guess is just as important as knowing how to solve. AIME qualification often relies on accurately answering 15-18 questions and leaving the rest blank.
Always check the official exam organizer for the current format, dates and eligibility. We do not guarantee scores or rankings.
Sample AMC 12 Prep Plan
- Weeks 1-3: diagnostic test, then close gaps in algebra and geometry fundamentals.
- Weeks 4-8: topic blocks with competition-style problems, including number theory and counting techniques.
- Weeks 9-12: timed 75-minute mock exams and detailed review of every missed problem.
- Final weeks: strategy for the last ten questions and for deciding what to skip.
Common AMC 12 Mistakes We Help Students Avoid
- Treating the exam like school math. Questions reward clever setups, not long calculations.
- Ignoring scoring. Unanswered questions earn partial credit while wrong answers earn none, so guessing needs judgement.
- Practising only untimed. Pace is a skill that must be trained.
Every student begins with a level check so we can see where the gaps are. Private 1:1 students also get a full diagnostic assessment and a personalized roadmap. We teach the concepts behind each question type, practice under timed conditions, and review every wrong answer. We cannot guarantee specific scores, but progress is tracked in monthly reports.