United States of America Mathematical Talent Search
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The United States of America Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS) is a mathematics competition open to all United States students in or below high school. Professor George Berzsenyi initiated the contest in 1989 under joint sponsorship of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications.
As of 2004, the USAMTS is sponsored by the National Security Agency and administered by the Art of Problem Solving foundation. The competition consists of four problem sets of five questions each, covering all non-calculus topics. Students submit proofs within the round's timeframe (about one month) and return solutions by mail. The cost is free, except for postage. Now, proofs are also accepted online, preferably in LaTeX. There were 718 participants in the 2004-2005 school year, with an average score of 49.25 out of 100.
Prizes are given to all contestants who place within a certain range. These prizes include a shirt from AoPS, software, and one or two mathematical books of varying difficulty. Prizes are also awarded to students with outstanding solutions in individual rounds.
[edit] Motivation
From the USAMTS website's FAQ:
Q: "Why is the National Security Agency (NSA) sponsoring the USAMTS?"
A: "NSA is said to be one of the largest employers of mathematicians in the United States and perhaps the world. Mathematics is important for our mission. We want to encourage bright high school students to continue studying mathematics. The USAMTS comes with no strings attached. And you might find the benefits - working challenging problems and getting your name mentioned to colleges, universities, and potential employers - to be worth the effort."
