All About Math Olympiad Training & Questions
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There are probably two main catagories in Olympic maths questions. One is more like higher level maths, in the sense that it is not just algebra and calculations. They start with a description of life problem, and students are required to translate the question into a calculation, then solve it. This translation part involves quite some skill sets but interesting. The other main one is logic analysis, more invlove some common logic thinking like if, then, what else. I say this is fun is because it is more like solving a puzzle, and most questions are closer to life and even written to catch kids’ interests, it is more fun.
I am not exactly sure about the normal syllabus, as my girl still in K1, but for sure it helps logic thinking skills that will benefit the students for life time. But if the student is already finding problem with normal maths, this is maybe too difficult. I understand that there are quite some these questions in gifted program exam and also PSLE maths paper, so looks like this is a trend. -
As part of the ‘golden batch’ of NYPS that swept all the olympiads in 2004, I believe I can share some experiences primary olympiad students face.
The first competition of the year was the RI math competiton. The NYPS math teacher gave us past year papers to solve and picked the top 8. We had never saw this kind of problems before, so we rushed in blindly. In that sense, we had to rely on our wits to solve the questions (we knew gauss theorem, but that was it).
Our team of 8 ended up with the top 3 spots (I was 3rd) and 7 in the top 15, and this domination was preserved the whole year.
I did try IQ training and found it too easy. All those math ‘schools’ generally teach little tricks and try to impress little kids, but it can only go so far. I remember there was a Sakamoto world competition, where students from Sakamoto all over Asia were coming in to take part. I took part in it for fun and finished 2nd behind a Korean (and might have won if I remembered how many days there are in a month).
Perhaps training now has advanced, but in my opinion, what they can do is give familiarity with problems (its like a ten year series of olympiad kind of thing), but they cannot guarantee success.
Furthermore, in secondary school, the problems become much more varied and harder to ‘memorise’. Its there where talents emerge out of nowhere (no SMOPS or whatever, and finishing strongly in SMO, for instance) and those who really put in a lot of individual hard work shine.
So yeah, send your child for training if you want a platinum to beef the portfolio, but to really suceed in math, one needs a lot of talent, a lot of hard work, or both. -
2009 AMC 8 Perfect Scores in Singapore:
grade First Name Last name school city state country
7 ALVIN TAN Hwa Chong Institution, HCI Singapore Singapore
7 MING EN CHO Hwa Chong Institution, HCI Singapore Singapore
8 WEI HENG BAY Hwa Chong Institution, HCI Singapore Singapore
8 JONATHAN ANG Nus HS of Math and Sci Singapore Singapore
8 ZHEN JIE LOW Nus HS of Math and Sci Singapore Singapore
6 GLENN EE JE HONG Open Section Singapore Singapore
Congratulations to them on their perfect scores on this year’s tough test! -
wmd:
Are they all boys?2009 AMC 8 Perfect Scores in Singapore:
grade First Name Last name school city state country
7 ALVIN TAN Hwa Chong Institution, HCI Singapore Singapore
7 MING EN CHO Hwa Chong Institution, HCI Singapore Singapore
8 WEI HENG BAY Hwa Chong Institution, HCI Singapore Singapore
8 JONATHAN ANG Nus HS of Math and Sci Singapore Singapore
8 ZHEN JIE LOW Nus HS of Math and Sci Singapore Singapore
6 GLENN EE JE HONG Open Section Singapore Singapore
Congratulations to them on their perfect scores on this year's tough test! -
In my opinion, the AMC8 is too easy for most Sec 1 and 2 students. Though pegged at grade 8 (supposedly Sec 2), many primary school students, some as young as P3 and P4, are taking it and manag to perform quite well. Schools like RGS and RI don’t even bother to sign up their students for it. In other schools like HCI and NUSH, a lot of students don’t bother to sign up for AMC8 too.
If more Maths geeks in Singapore are to sign up for AMC8, I think the list of perfect scorers will be more than 50!
Same for University of New South Wales Maths competition, the standard for secondary school level competition is also not high. Some schools (e.g. RGS, NUSH) don’t sign up their students for them, as it is quite meaningless to produce a long list of medal winners for the school. -
Sorry for my ignorance. The only thing I know about competitions like Maths Olympiad is the name. My DS3 has been selected for SMO training in school and I expect him to go for competitions after that. Can someone enlighten me what's the fuss about? I mean, what are the competitions that's popular and what are the training available. I didn't know that there are private training centres etc cos DS3 only sign up and go for competitions when told to in both primary and secondary schools.
So far, he only went for one competition in P5 in ACS and now SMO training. Other than these, he has not taken any courses or special training outside school syallbus. 
Now, I feel that I'm a bad mother cos I'm not kiasu enough to sign up him in those centres or find out more about various competitions to let him participate. :oops: :stupid: :stupid: Anyway, are these competitions important? I mean how will it helps the child in his portfolio?
DS3 wants to be a Maths Lecturer when he grows up. Think it's time I make plans for him. :scared: -
I am thinking of signing my DS up for Maths Arena in Tampines? Is that center any good? Anyone’s kid in there?
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tutormum:
My DS3 has been selected for SMO training in school and I expect him to go for competitions after that.
May I ask if your son is in p5 or p6?
Thanks. -
starlight1968sg:
He is in sec 1 this year.tutormum:
My DS3 has been selected for SMO training in school and I expect him to go for competitions after that.
May I ask if your son is in p5 or p6?
Thanks. -
I am searching for the same for my brother…Did you got the best answer??
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