United States · Grades 3 to 12 · The 2026-27 contest year

Math League contest preparation

Before preparing for "Math League", find out which one. The Math League at mathleague.com has mailed contests to schools since 1977: six high school contests a year and single grade-level contests from grade 4 up, taken in class on fixed days. mathleague.org is a separate organization that runs local qualifying contests, then state, national and international championships, for grades 3 to 12. The two differ in almost everything a student feels on the day: length, rounds, calculators and, in one high school round, whether a wrong answer costs points. This page sets out both from their own websites as of 31 October 2026, works out the time per question, shows when guessing pays, and ends with practice problems our teachers wrote.

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In short

Math League contests come from two unrelated organizations. The Math League (mathleague.com), formed in 1977, sends contests for grades 4 to 12 to schools: six high school contests from October 20, 2026 to March 16, 2027, and grade 7 and 8 contests on February 16 or 23, 2027. mathleague.org runs more than 400 local contests a year for grades 3 to 12 with state, national and international championships. Modern Age Coders teaches live online contest classes for both, in a batch of 15 to 20 or 1-on-1.

Learn with a teacher

Courses for Math League students

A middle school contest course first, then the high school depth and the algebra behind it.

Middle School Math Competitions course thumbnail

LCP / 01

Middle school math competitions

Roughly ages 10 to 14. Timed contest sets that match the grade 6 to 8 Math League papers.

Open the syllabus →
Maths Olympiad & Competition Course course thumbnail

LCP / 02

Math olympiad and competitions

For high schoolers moving from Math League to the AMC and beyond.

Open the syllabus →
Algebra Foundations course thumbnail

LCP / 03

Algebra foundations

Grades 7 to 9. The algebra under the Algebra Course 1 contest and most high school rounds.

Open the syllabus →

Two leagues, one name

Is Math League the same as mathleague.org?

No. The Math League (mathleague.com) and mathleague.org are separate organizations with different contests, calendars and rules. Ask the teacher or coach which website the school registered with; the answer decides everything below.

The two Math Leagues, from each organization's own pages (checked October 31, 2026)
The Math League (mathleague.com)mathleague.org
Grades4 to 123 to 12, plus an early childhood challenge listed as coming soon
StartedFormed in 1977Not stated on the pages read
How it runsContests mailed to a school and taken in class on set daysLocal qualifying contests at host sites, then championships
High schoolSix contests a year, October to MarchQualifying contests, state championships in April, US national in May, international in July
Middle schoolOne contest each for grades 6, 7 and 8, plus Algebra Course 1Qualifying contests leading to state and US national championships
ElementaryGrade 4 and grade 5 contests, run in-schoolContests for grades 6 and below, up to district, state, national and international championships
SizeNot stated on the pages readMore than 400 contests a year, over 30,000 students
HomeschoolersUnofficial package mailed in May, or official entry through a local schoolParents or outside coaches can act as the contact

How to tell which one

If a teacher hands out a short paper in class on a Tuesday in February, or once a month in high school math, it is almost certainly The Math League from mathleague.com. Its contests are posted to an advisor at the school, and the school reports scores back.

If the family travels to a host site for a contest day with Sprint, Target and Team rounds, it is likely mathleague.org. Its qualifying results lead on to state and national championships.

Why it matters for preparation

The papers are built differently. A mathleague.com grade 7 sample paper has 35 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes. A mathleague.org middle school contest has a 40-minute sprint of thirty questions, a target round of four pairs and a team round, and a high schooler there may face a penalty for wrong answers.

Some students do both, and they fit together: one runs on school days through the winter, the other on contest days that lead to spring championships.

Sources: The Math League statement of purpose and FAQ; mathleague.org about page, home page and eligibility page; all checked October 31, 2026. The "how to tell" guidance is ours. Modern Age Coders is not affiliated with either organization.

mathleague.com calendar

When are the Math League contests in 2026-27?

For mathleague.com, high school contests fall on October 20, November 17 and December 15, 2026, then January 12, February 9 and March 16, 2027. Grades 7 and 8 sit on February 16 or 23, 2027. mathleague.org dates vary by region and are on its calendar.

The Math League (mathleague.com) official contest dates, 2026-2027 school year
ContestRegistration deadlineContest date
High School (six contests)September 30, 2026October 20, November 17 and December 15, 2026; January 12, February 9 and March 16, 2027
7th GradeDecember 31, 2026February 16, 2027 (3rd Tuesday) or February 23, 2027 (4th Tuesday)
8th GradeDecember 31, 2026February 16, 2027 or February 23, 2027
6th GradeSee the schedule pageFebruary 16, 2027 or February 23, 2027
4th Grade, 5th Grade, Algebra Course 1January 31, 2027April 15 or later; schools choose the day

Reading the calendar

Late registrations are accepted, the schedule says, and alternate high school dates may be set one week after each official date if a school has a conflict. The 6th grade row on the schedule prints a deadline of December 31, 2027, which looks like a typo for 2026; ask the school.

For grades 6 to 8, every student whose score is reported must take the paper at the same sitting. The FAQ says a student absent that day may take it later for a school certificate, but the score cannot go to the League.

Calculators this year

The two mathleague.com notices disagree. The registration page announces "No Calculators Allowed Beginning 2026-2027 School Year". A later notice, dated July 4, 2026, explains that printed papers and the procedures sheet contradicted each other, and that the League has "decided to allow students to use a calculator on the contests for this school year", without a QWERTY keyboard, moving to no calculators the following year.

Our advice is to practice without one anyway. The rule changes next year, and contest questions at this level are built to be done by reasoning.

Sources: The Math League contests and dates, register for contests and the July 4, 2026 calculator notice, checked October 31, 2026. Registration fees are printed there and are not repeated here. mathleague.org publishes dates by region on its find a contest page.

mathleague.org rounds

What rounds are in a mathleague.org contest?

Middle school contests have Sprint, Target, Team and Countdown rounds with no penalty for wrong answers. High school contests have Sprint, Target, Team and Relay rounds, and the high school Sprint deducts a point for each wrong answer.

mathleague.org middle school and high school rounds, from its test description pages
RoundMiddle schoolHigh school
SprintThirty questions in 40 minutes, no calculator, 1 point each, no penalty30 multiple-choice questions in sixty minutes, no calculator, +4 correct, -1 wrong, 0 skipped
TargetFour pairs, 6 minutes per pair, SAT-approved calculatorEight questions of 10 points in pairs, ten minutes per pair, calculators allowed
TeamFour students, ten questions, 20 minutesUp to six students, ten questions, twenty minutes, 10 points each
Countdown or RelayCountdown: head to head, one question at a time, no calculatorRelay: teams of up to three, three linked questions, three minutes, answers 0 to 99
Power roundNot listedProof-based team round of one hour, out of 100, at US state and national championships
Individual scoreSprint + 2 × Target, maximum 46Sprint + Target, maximum 200
Our arithmetic: time per question in each format
FormatQuestions and timeSeconds per question
mathleague.com grade 7 (2018-19 sample)35 in 30 minutesabout 51
mathleague.com grade 4 and Algebra Course 1 (2018-19 samples)30 in 30 minutes60
mathleague.org middle school Sprint30 in 40 minutes80
mathleague.org high school Sprint30 in 60 minutes120
mathleague.org middle school Target2 in 6 minutes180
mathleague.org high school Target2 in 10 minutes300

What the relay teaches

In a mathleague.org high school relay, each student gets all three questions. The answer to the first is plugged in where the second says "TNYWR" (the number you will receive), and the second answer feeds the third. Correct answers score 2, 3 and 5 points, and the sheet is handed in after three minutes.

The weighting rewards accuracy early in the chain, because a wrong first answer makes the next two wrong. Teams that check question 1 twice before moving on usually do better than teams that rush.

The middle school link to MATHCOUNTS

mathleague.org says its middle school "problems and contest formats" are designed to also prepare students for MATHCOUNTS, and the round names and timings line up. It also states it "is not affiliated in any way with MATHCOUNTS".

Our separate MATHCOUNTS guide covers that series round by round, so a student doing both has one set of habits to learn.

Sources: mathleague.org middle school test descriptions, high school test descriptions and middle school program, and the format notes printed on mathleague.com 2018-19 sample contests, checked October 31, 2026. No contest question is reproduced. The seconds per question are ours.

Scoring and strategy, ours

Should you guess on a Math League contest?

On mathleague.com papers and mathleague.org middle school rounds, yes: a blank scores nothing and a wrong answer costs nothing. On the mathleague.org high school Sprint, guess only after ruling out at least one choice.

The high school Sprint gives +4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. Suppose a student has k answer choices left and picks one at random. Our calculation of the average result is (1/k) × 4 + ((k − 1)/k) × (−1) = (5 − k)/k points. The table shows what that means.

Our calculation: average points from a random guess under +4 / -1 scoring
Choices leftAverage points per guessVerdict
6−0.17Skip
50.00No gain on average; skip unless you have a hunch
4+0.25Guess
3+0.67Guess
2+1.50Always guess

Where no penalty applies

mathleague.com sample papers state that a correct answer is worth 1 point and unanswered questions get no credit. mathleague.org middle school rounds give one point per correct answer "with no penalty for questions that are skipped or answered incorrectly". In both, every blank is a lost chance.

So the plan for those papers is simple: watch the clock, and in the last minute fill every remaining answer.

The bigger lesson

mathleague.com sample papers remind students that a contest has no passing or failing score, and the grade 4 sample says few students reach 80 percent correct. A student who expects to finish everything will panic at question 20 of 35.

We teach students to read the scoring rule before the first question, set a target for the number they will attempt, and treat the rest as a bonus. Every later contest has its own rule, and the habit of reading it first carries over.

Scoring rules from mathleague.org test description pages and the mathleague.com 2018-19 sample contests. The guessing formula and table are our own arithmetic; the number of choices on a given mathleague.org paper is not stated on the pages we read.

Practice set, ours

Eight Math League style practice problems

Written by our teachers for this page, at the level of grade 6 to 8 contests and early high school contests. They are not taken from any Math League paper; both organizations sell their own past contests, and mathleague.com posts free samples.

Our practice set (answers checked in Python on October 31, 2026)
#LevelOur problemAnswer
1Grade 6What is the smallest positive whole number divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6?60
2Grade 6How many positive divisors does 72 have?12
3Grade 7The average of five numbers is 12. One number is removed and the average of the other four is 10. Which number was removed?20
4Grade 7What is the sum of the interior angles of a hexagon, in degrees?720
5Grade 8How many three-digit numbers have digits that add up to 5?15
6High schoolIf x + 1/x = 3, what is x2 + 1/x2?7
7High schoolWhat is the remainder when 350 is divided by 8?1
8High school relay (ours)Q1: How many primes are less than 20? Q2: Let T be TNYWR. Find T2 − 10. Q3: Let T be TNYWR. Find the sum of the digits of T.8, then 54, then 9

How we would teach problem 5

Write the number as digits a, b, c with a at least 1. Set a′ = a − 1, so a′ + b + c = 4 with every digit at least 0. Counting the ways to split 4 into three ordered parts gives 15 (the "stars and bars" count of 6 choose 2).

A grade 8 student who lists them by hand will also get 15, more slowly. The lesson is to notice the shift that turns a restricted count into a free one, a trick that reappears all through high school contests.

How we would teach problem 6

Square both sides: (x + 1/x)2 = x2 + 2 + 1/x2 = 9, so x2 + 1/x2 = 7. No need to find x, which is not a whole number.

Students who try to solve for x first lose two minutes on a sixty-second question. Spotting that the question asks for a combination, not the value, is the habit Math League high school papers reward.

All eight problems, the relay chain and the explanations are ours. mathleague.com publishes free sample contests with solutions from 2004-05, 2012-13 and 2018-19; mathleague.org sends a free contest problem set to anyone on its mailing list.

A season plan, ours

From September to the spring championships

Our suggested plan for a student in either league. Adjust the months to the contest dates your school or region uses.

Our Math League season plan
WhenFocusThe sign it is working
SeptemberArithmetic, fractions and number sense without a calculatorTwenty quick questions in ten minutes, almost no slips
October to DecemberCounting, divisibility, ratios and basic geometryCan explain a solution aloud, not just get it
January to FebruaryFull timed papers at the right lengthFinishes the attempted questions with time to check
March to MayTeam rounds, relays and championship-style setsChecks question 1 of a relay twice before moving on

If the contest is next week

Sit one full sample paper at the official time limit, then spend the rest of the week only on the questions that were missed or slow.

Read the scoring rule out loud the day before, so the guessing decision is already made.

If this is the first contest year

Start with the free sample papers to see the level, then build number sense before speed.

Our middle school competitions guide compares MATHCOUNTS, Math Kangaroo and MOEMS, which many Math League students also enter.

The full list

Math courses for Math League students

Grouped by grade band, from the first grade 4 contest to the high school relay.

I

Contest math

Grades 4 to 12

LCP / CON / 01

Middle school math competitions

Sprint, target and team practice.

Open the syllabus

LCP / CON / 02

Math olympiad and competitions

After Math League, the AMC.

Open the syllabus
II

School math underneath

Grades 4 to 9

LCP / SCH / 03

Algebra foundations

For the Algebra Course 1 contest.

Open the syllabus
III

High school

Grades 9 to 12

LCP / HS / 01

High school mathematics

Algebra 2, geometry and precalculus.

Open the syllabus

LCP / HS / 02

Statistics and probability

Counting and probability for contests.

Open the syllabus

LCP / HS / 03

Math through coding

Check a counting answer with Python.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Live contest math classes for US students

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekdays

After school, in your own time zone.

Weekends

Good for a full timed paper.

1-on-1

Paced to one child and one contest date.

Scoring first

Each lesson starts with the rule for the contest ahead.

Real time limits

Fifty-one seconds, eighty or two minutes a question, as the paper sets.

Team practice

Relays and team rounds rehearsed in breakout groups.

Original problems

Written by us; official papers are for families to buy or download.

All fifty states

Online, so the league does not need to be local to us.

Batch size

Fifteen to twenty students in a group, or one student alone.

Student work

Projects from our students

Math, coding and AI work our learners have published. The student labs page has the rest.

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Fees

Fees

Each league charges schools or families its own registration; our monthly fee covers only the classes. Families can start in the fall and stop after the last contest of the season.

Free first class

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Group batch

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a month, billed in US dollars

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One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A private contest coach
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  • Problems chosen for one student
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Questions from parents

Math League contests: what parents ask

What is the Math League contest?

There are two. The Math League (mathleague.com), formed in 1977, sends contests for grades 4 to 12 to schools to take in class. mathleague.org is a separate organization that runs local contests and championships for grades 3 to 12.

When are the Math League high school contests in 2026-27?

The Math League lists six: October 20, November 17 and December 15, 2026, then January 12, February 9 and March 16, 2027. Alternate dates one week later are allowed for schools with conflicts.

When is the 7th and 8th grade Math League contest in 2027?

The Math League schedule gives the third Tuesday in February, February 16, 2027, or the fourth Tuesday, February 23, 2027. The registration deadline is December 31, 2026.

Can you use a calculator on Math League contests?

For mathleague.com in 2026-27, a July 4, 2026 notice allows calculators without a QWERTY keyboard this school year, with a no-calculator rule from next year. On mathleague.org, sprint rounds forbid calculators and target and team rounds allow them.

How is the mathleague.org high school sprint scored?

Four points for each correct answer, one point off for each wrong answer and nothing for a skip, across 30 multiple-choice questions in sixty minutes. By our calculation a guess pays on average only once at least one choice is ruled out.

How long is a Math League contest?

The mathleague.com 2018-19 sample papers allow 30 minutes, for 30 questions at grade 4 and Algebra Course 1 and 35 at grade 7. A mathleague.org contest is longer, with several rounds such as a 40-minute middle school sprint.

Can a homeschooled child take Math League contests?

Yes. The Math League mails an unofficial homeschool package in May, or a family can arrange official entry through an accredited local school. mathleague.org lets parents or outside coaches act as the contact.

Does my child need a team?

No. The Math League says there is no minimum number of students. mathleague.org scores each student individually, though a school needs at least two students on each middle school test to be eligible for sweepstakes awards.

Where are free Math League practice tests?

mathleague.com posts sample contests with solutions from 2004-05, 2012-13 and 2018-19, and mathleague.org emails a free contest problem set to anyone who joins its mailing list.

Which days and times can my child take classes?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Are you part of Math League?

No. Modern Age Coders has no connection with The Math League (mathleague.com) or with mathleague.org, and we do not register students for either. Families and schools enter directly.

Elsewhere on this site

More on competition math

Other contests Math League students often take, and help by grade.

Middle school math competitions

MATHCOUNTS, Math Kangaroo and MOEMS compared.

MATHCOUNTS preparation

The series mathleague.org middle school contests mirror.

Math Kangaroo preparation

One March morning, no penalty for wrong answers.

AMC and olympiad tutoring

Where strong high school Math League students go next.

US competitions calendar 2026-27

Coding, math and AI contest dates in one place.

Homeschool math

A full math program at home.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: US math and coding competitions guide

Math contests

Coding and robotics

Projects and next steps

More guides: US state math tests by state · US gifted and selective school tests · US math placement and college readiness tests · Homeschool and school math curricula guide

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Tell us your child's grade and which Math League the school uses. The teacher runs a short timed set at that level and shows you which topics need work before the next contest.

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