Middle School students excel in national math test
Dave and Mervin scored high marks on a national middle school math test

Two Middle School students earned top spots in the country with their performance in the American Mathematics Contest (AMC 8). Dave ’28 scored in the top 1% and Mervin ’29 scored in the top 5%.  

“There’s a lot of happiness with that, but we should also be humble at the same time,” Dave said. 

“It is truly exceptional to have a student score in the top 1% and top 5% of the country. More than 80,000 students from public and independent schools participated in this exam across the country, so this is very noteworthy for a small independent school like Landon,” said Jamie Matthews ’04, Middle School Math Teacher and Math Department Chair.   

The contest provides an opportunity for Middle School students to develop positive attitudes toward analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and mathematics that can assist in future careers. Each Form I and Form II student takes the test. Heath ’29 recorded the third highest score for Landon. 

Jamie Matthews poses with the top three performing students after the AMC8 math test.

“Landon has a traditional math program with most students taking Pre-Algebra and Algebra I in Grades 7 and 8,” said Matthews. “We are not teaching our boys how to be successful on a standardized test, but how to think critically and like a mathematician.” 

“I took pre-algebra last year and it really helped during the test because some of the problems were similar to the problems on the test,” Mervin said. 

The topics covered during the AMC 8 include counting and probability, estimation, proportional reasoning, and reading and interpreting graphs and tables. It is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple choice examination. 

“We are extremely excited and impressed by the performance of our students,” added Matthews. “They have an innate drive to be successful in math, and it is our privilege to help guide them through their journey in math.” 

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