Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the MathLinks Inaugural Competition
Who is the intended audience for this competition?
The competition is open to students of any skill level. We especially encourage students with little to no experience to participate. The first several questions on each test are intended to be accessible to these students. For very strong students, there will be a more difficult Finals round for the top 30 competitors in the Competitive section.
What are the intended skill levels for each test?
The Elementary division is intended for elementary school students (use discretion on what this means for cases where it is ambiguous). Everyone else is expected to take either the General or Competitive test. The General test is intended for students with limited competition experience, while the Competitive test is intended for more seasoned competitors. A good rule of thumb is that most middle schoolers to high schoolers should be in the General division, while a high schooler with experience (e.g. an AIME qualifier) should be in the Competitive division.
How hard will the hardest problems of the competition be?
We expect that the last few problems on the Competitive test will not exceed an average AIME problem 12 or HMMT individual test problem 6 in difficulty.
What is the testing format?
Each of the 3 starting tests will contain 20 problems. The Elementary test has a time limit of 30 minutes, the General test has a time limit of 45 minutes, and the Competitive tests have a time limit of 60 minutes. Registration is rolling, so you may register at any time before January 25, 2026. This test may be taken at any time during the testing window (January 12 - 25, 2026). Finals will have a time limit of 90 minutes for 10 questions. It will be held on January 31, 2026 (more information will become available via email for our finalist qualifiers). Each problem must be answered with a (fully simplified) nonnegative integer.
What materials are allowed for the competition?
The only permitted materials are writing utensils and scratch paper. Disallowed aids include, but are not limited to, rulers, compasses, protractors, calculators, slide rules, abacuses, books, WolframAlpha, ChatGPT, Genies' lamps, and any other website or app besides MathLinks during the competition.
Who can qualify for Finals?
All participants who are in the top 30 of the competitive test will be allowed to take the Finals.
What awards are there?
All 30 finalists will be recognized and shipped awards with merchandise. Top competitors in the general and elementary rounds will be recognized as well.
Do I have to pay? Is there a registration fee?
This competition is completely free. All awards and merchandise will be shipped at no expense to the competitor.