Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament

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The Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT) is an annual math competition started in 1998. The location of the tournament alternates between Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with the most recent (2007) competition at MIT. The contest is written and staffed entirely by Harvard and MIT students.

1 Format
2 Difficulty
3 Awards
4 External Links

[edit] Format

The format of the test includes the Individual Round, the Team Round, and Guts Round. The Individual Round is split into two 50-minute halves, in which you can choose to take either two subject tests or the General Test. Subject Tests include Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, and Combinatorics, consist of ten problems, and are worth 50 points (problems are unequally weighted, based on difficulty). The General Test is a mix of the easier problems from the Algebra, Geometry, and Combinatorics tests (no calculus), and is worth 80 points instead of the 100 you would receive by taking two subject tests. However, the lower difficulty of the General Test makes up for this deficit.

The Team Round is proof-based for the A-division and more numerical-based for the B-division. Teams consist of eight members and they all work together for one hour on the problems. The A-division problems are similar in difficulty to the Power Round in the ARML competition.

No calculators or computational/drawing aids of any kind are allowed during the contest, except during the Guts Round. During the Guts Round, teams receive problems three at a time and can work together. Teams can pass in problem sets of three at any time and receive the next three problems. You can always go forward in problems, but once they are passed in, you cannot go back. Problems get harder and are worth more and more points as the round progresses. Point scores of each team are tallied on an overhead projector screen. This round lasts one hour.

[edit] Difficulty

The difficulty of the competition is compared to that of ARML, the AIME, or the Mandelbrot Competition. As with most high school competitions, knowledge of calculus is not required, except if taking the Calculus Subject Test.

[edit] Awards

Trophies are handed out to the top three scorers in each subject test and the General Test. In addition, the top five teams in the Team Round get recognition as well as the top ten teams overall. Each member of the top 10 teams receives a free HMMT frisbee. The top 22 individuals overall get free books compliments of Quantum Books, one of the sponsors.

Other sponsors include the Harvard Department of Mathematics, the MIT Department of Mathematics, Quantum Books, MIT CopyTech, DE Shaw, and the iTest.