In addition to
these tips for finding and writing solutions, we highly recommend
students keep a binder of all USAMTS materials. Keep copies
of your solutions for this binder, and keep copies of the
problems and the official solution in the binder.
- Make
a simpler version of the same problem and solve that.
- When
stuck, ask yourself what information you have not used yet.
- For
geometry problems, construct large diagrams and construct
them precisely with a ruler and compass (or with a geometry
rendering program). Accurate diagrams will help prevent
your wasting time trying to prove things that aren't true,
or will suggest things that might be true that might help
your solution.
- Compare
the problem to similar problems which you have solved in
the past.
- Try
typesetting your solutions with
.
You can get more information about how to use
here.
A template form for
can be found on the Forms page.
- Read
the following webpages about writing solutions:
