Formatting Conventions

Welcome to the Math Contest Repository! To ensure consistency and clarity, please adhere to the following formatting conventions when submitting or solving problems. The grader is usually very strict with answers and your answer typically must exactly match the intended answer.

Number Answers

Express numerical answers as plain numbers. For example, write "42" instead of "forty-two."

Fractions

Represent fractions using the format x/y. For instance, write "3/4" for three-fourths.

Square Root

Use sqrt(x) to represent the square root of x. For example, sqrt(9) equals 3.

Additional Conventions

• Use proper mathematical notation for operations (e.g., + for addition, - for subtraction, * for multiplication, / for division).
• Indicate units for measurements (if applicable).
• For geometric shapes, provide necessary dimensions and angles, unless otherwise stated.
• Use parentheses to clarify the order of operations in complex expressions.
• Clearly define variables and constants used in your solutions.
• For inequalities, use standard notation (e.g., > for greater than, < for less than, ≤ for less than or equal to, ≥ for greater than or equal to).
• Specify the domain and range (with D:{} and R:{}) when dealing with functions if they are asked for.
• Use factorial notation (!) for factorials (e.g., 5! represents 5 factorial).
• For trigonometric functions, use standard abbreviations (e.g., sin for sine, cos for cosine, tan for tangent).
• Clearly state any assumptions made in your solution (for manually-graded submissions).
• Provide step-by-step explanations for complex problems (for manually-graded submissions).
• For logarithmic expressions, use the common logarithm (log) and specify the base (using underscores, e.g. log_2) if not 10.
• Always round to two decimal places unless otherwise stated.

Thank you for contributing to the Math Contest Repository and maintaining a standardized format for mathematical expressions and solutions.