Mathematical Contest
20 Feb, 2026
The Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM/ICM) is an international mathematical modeling competition sponsored by the American Mathematical and Applied Society. Its mission is to encourage university teachers and students to elucidate, analyze, and propose solutions to various practical problems with an open scope. Through this structure, it encourages teachers and students to actively participate and emphasizes the process of achieving complete model construction. The competition is held annually, typically in early February.
In 1985, with the support of the National Science Foundation, a university-level competition named "Mathematical Modeling Competition" was founded. The first competition attracted 90 teams from 70 universities in the United States. In 1988, it was renamed to its current name. In 1992, it expanded to 292 teams from 189 universities. In 2014, the scale of participation reached 7,783 teams from 19 countries and regions. In 2022, the number of participating teams increased to 27,205 from 22 countries and regions, with Chinese students accounting for over 99%.
The competition is divided into two types: MCM and ICM, and follows a unified standard. Participating teams select topics through the official MCM website, which covers six types of problems: A (Continuous), B (Discrete), C (Big Data), D (Operational Research/Network Science), E (Environmental Science), and F (Policy) . The content of the competition questions involves fields such as economics, management, environment, resources, and ecology. Teams consisting of three members are required to complete the entire process from model establishment, solution, verification, to paper writing on the designated problem within four days. The competition sets grades such as Grand Prize and Grand Prize Nomination, and is known as the "Olympics of Mathematical Modeling".
MCM/ICM is a competition with extensive international influence and scope. The content of the competition covers a wide range of topics, boasts high academic value and recognition, and helps broaden horizons and enhance problem-solving abilities. It promotes communication and cooperation among students from diverse backgrounds.
In 1985, with the support of the National Science Foundation, a university-level competition named "Mathematical Modeling Competition" was founded. The first competition attracted 90 teams from 70 universities in the United States. In 1988, it was renamed to its current name. In 1992, it expanded to 292 teams from 189 universities. In 2014, the scale of participation reached 7,783 teams from 19 countries and regions. In 2022, the number of participating teams increased to 27,205 from 22 countries and regions, with Chinese students accounting for over 99%.
The competition is divided into two types: MCM and ICM, and follows a unified standard. Participating teams select topics through the official MCM website, which covers six types of problems: A (Continuous), B (Discrete), C (Big Data), D (Operational Research/Network Science), E (Environmental Science), and F (Policy) . The content of the competition questions involves fields such as economics, management, environment, resources, and ecology. Teams consisting of three members are required to complete the entire process from model establishment, solution, verification, to paper writing on the designated problem within four days. The competition sets grades such as Grand Prize and Grand Prize Nomination, and is known as the "Olympics of Mathematical Modeling".
MCM/ICM is a competition with extensive international influence and scope. The content of the competition covers a wide range of topics, boasts high academic value and recognition, and helps broaden horizons and enhance problem-solving abilities. It promotes communication and cooperation among students from diverse backgrounds.