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  • "Math competitions are not just about solving problems; they are about cultivating a love for learning, creativity, and the joy of discovery."

    Richard Rusczyk

  • "The greatest reward for participating in math competitions is the satisfaction that comes from challenging your intellect and pushing your boundaries."

    Terence Tao

  • "Math competitions teach us that every problem has a solution, and that our capacity for creative thinking is the key to unlocking it."

    Maryam Mirzakhani

  • "The beauty of math competitions is that they encourage students to approach problems from multiple perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for mathematics."

    Simon Singh

  • "Math competitions are an opportunity to celebrate the pursuit of knowledge, the power of collaboration, and the thrill of discovery."

    Po-Shen Loh

  • "The value of math competitions goes beyond the contest itself; it lies in the journey of learning, the friendships forged, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from tackling challenges head-on."

    Noam Elkies

  • "It's not about winning or losing in a math competition; it's about exploring the limits of our understanding and discovering the joy of problem-solving."

    Martin Gardner

3. Time Constraints: In a normal school test, there is a fixed time frame for covering a specific set of topics, In math Olympiads, participants are given a longer duration, typically several hours, to solve a smaller number of complex problems. This allows for more in-depth thinking, and exploration of multiple solution paths. IMO – International Math Olympiad – the most prestigious high school math competition ranges across 2 days! Each day you have 4.5 hours to solve 3 problems.

4. Independent Learning: While the school curriculum relies on classroom instruction and textbooks, math Olympiad preparation often involves additional resources, such as specialised problem-solving books, past Olympiad papers, and supplementary materials. Participants are encouraged to explore and learn independently, actively seeking out challenging problems to develop their skills.

What’s the difference?

If you’re an already excelling math student, and now want to participate in math contests and olympiads. You might be wondering what is the exact difference between your common school curriculum math exams and these competitions. Well, MathBridge will explain it to you!

1. Content Coverage: school mathematics typically covers a broad range of mathematical topics, including kinematics, trigonometry, integration… and the exams can be solved with fixed procedures. In contrast, math Olympiads require a deeper understanding of fundamental concepts and always go beyond the standard curriculum. Math olympiads examine you on four and only four main sub-topics: Algebra, Geometry, Combinatorics, and Number theory. Here is a comprehensive document explaining the topics you should know : LINK. (Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t know most of it, Some of the content are too advanced and not test in New Zealand.)

2. Problem Solving: School curriculum emphasises the mastery of mathematical techniques and standard problem-solving methods. The more you practice, the better you perform. However, math Olympiads place a much greater emphasis on creative and unconventional problem-solving approaches. Olympiad problems are non-routine, challenging, and require the application of various concepts and problem-solving strategies. MathBridge Academy’s biggest advice on preparing for Math Olympiads is not mass practicing problems, but to train the different ways of mathematical thinking: Extremal principle, construction, exploiting symmetry…

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