Make preparations for IMO with these strategies

by Brian Fernandes
•
December 18, 2021

IMO stands for International Mathematical Olympiad, which is an international championship organized for Mathematics intended for High school students. This Olympiad is held every year in different countries. 

The very first International Math Olympiad was held in Romania, in the year 1959, with the participation of 7 countries. And, gradually IMO has been expanding to over 100 countries from the continent. The IMO Board is responsible for the annual organization of the competition and is necessary for them to ensure that the particular country that hosts the IMO strictly adheres to the regulations and traditions of IMO. 

Moreover, it has been often observed that there are some complexities involved with the subject of Mathematics, which is generally the most interesting and scoring subject of all. But due to the negligence of the students, there arises a fear for maths amongst them. 

Before the International Mathematical Olympiad gained popularity, it used to be a much smaller competition. The very first IMO which was organized in 1959 had observed the participation from only 7 countries, namely Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Soviet Union. And since then, IMO has been organized annually. 

In the very first IMO, there were no stable formats for organizing this competition. But, as this competition became popular and expanded to other nations, there were established rules and regulations, which became stable and unchanging. The participation rule is such that, each country that participates in this Maths Olympiad, send a team comprising of 6 members. These 6 contestants compete individually without any cooperation or support from the other teammates. Also, a team leader is assigned from each country whose role is to participate in the problem selection, and thus he/she is being kept separated from the team of their respective country. And, a deputy leader who is in charge of the contestants from their respective countries. 

The International Mathematical Olympiad is a competition organized for two days, in which each day the competition has a time limit of four hours thirty minutes, in order to solve three problems; for a total of six. The range of difficulty is considered to increase up to the last question, i.e. the very first question is the simple one, whereas the last question is considered to be the toughest. Though there are many notable exceptions for the difficulty of the questions given. Moreover, the marking pattern is such that, each problem is 7 points which makes up a total of 42points for all the questions provided. The number of points which is scored by the contestant is dependent upon the result of negotiation and agreement made among the problem coordinators assigned by the host country. Also, the team leader as well as the deputy leader makes an effort to defend the interest of the candidates from their respective countries. 

Thus, this system of grading ensures a comparatively objective grade which is seldom off by more than two or three. 

There are no restrictions for the student to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad, and so any student irrespective of their standards can make their preparations for these Olympiads. The IMO Maths Olympiad Class 10 Sample Paper 1 is of immense help for the students who are making preparations for participating in the IMO. These provide insight into the examination pattern, and the marking scheme which is of immense help to the students to make effective preparations for the upcoming Olympiad. 

Apart from these preparation materials, there are also some certain strategies that are found to be helpful to the candidates who are making their preparations for this International Olympiad. Some of the strategies are:

  • Follow the right syllabus: The questions that are set in the Olympiad are based on the school curriculum of the particular standard. Thus, it is necessary to have a clear idea regarding the syllabus, as this will help the participants in the Olympiad as well as in their academics too.
  • Adhere to the correct books: It is necessary to follow the study materials from the right books. This means, quality over quantity, i.e. it must be ensured by the participants that they refer to the correct books, as 5his will help them to reduce hassle while making preparations as well as reduce the chances of getting confused. The right books for such preparation must cover all the topics and contents which are relevant to the IMO syllabus. Moreover, the study materials chosen must be inclusive of previous year papers, workbooks, Olympiad Skill Development System, mock test series and many other helpful materials. For easy reference, the IMO Maths Olympiad Class 10 Sample Paper 1 is helpful for the students of class 6, in order to prepare effectively for their respective maths Olympiad. 
  • Strategically plan everything: To participate in such a competition that has an international presence, it is necessary for the participants that they plan out a strategy and execute it properly. Having a well-established strategy will help the participants to outperform the others. Just, for example, it is necessary to follow a timetable and maintain a regular study regime which would make sure that the student is getting the concepts crystal clear and is building a firm foundation of it. Also, it is necessary to devote enough time for regular academics along with making preparations for the mathematics Olympiad. And, it is necessary to ensure that the candidate takes proper rest and, the proper diet must be maintained in order to have a healthy body and mind.
  • Focus on grasping the concepts: The questions which are provided in the Mathematical Olympiad are designed in a concept-oriented manner. Mathematics is an application subject, thus it is necessary for the candidates to have a clear understanding of the particular concepts in order to perform well in the Olympiads. Thus, it is necessary for the candidates to follow a regular revision regime, which will ensure that they are getting a firm grasp of the concepts.
  • Practice, practice, and practice: As being said, practice makes a man perfect. Thus, it is necessary to practice the numerical more often in order to perform better in the Olympiad. Moreover, practicing results in enhancing one’s time-management ability which is of immense help to appear for these competitive maths Olympiads.

Therefore, these are some strategies that must be followed by the participants in order to prepare well for the Olympiad. Moreover, it is often advised to participate in such Olympiads as these will help the students to perform better in their academics too. Hence, the participants must prepare well, as well as maintain good health and a healthy mind while preparing hard for these Olympiads.