Mathematical olympiad

{{Short description|Math competition}} {{Use American English|date = November 2024}} {{multiple issues| {{Additional citations|date=January 2025}} {{Better sources needed|date=January 2025}} }} A '''mathematical olympiad''' is a mathematical competition where participants are examined by problem-solving<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://maths.uok.edu.in/Main/ViewPage.aspx?Page=674fb9f3-e3b8-4c9e-bec3-a3a5400213cd|title=Mathematics, University of Kashmir|website=maths.uok.edu.in}}</ref> and may win medals depending on their performance. It is usually aimed at pre-university students, and therefore, much of olympiad mathematics consists of elementary mathematics, though solutions may involve the use of calculus or higher-level mathematics. The biggest mathematics olympiad is the International Mathematical Olympiad.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/euestudante/educacao-basica/2023/07/5110703-brasileiro-de-16-anos-leva-ouro-em-olimpiada-de-matematica-no-japao.html|title=Brasileiro de 16 anos leva ouro em olimpíada de matemática no Japão|first='Denise|last=Britto'|date=July 21, 2023|website=Educação básica}}</ref> Since they measure some mathematical abilities of the students,<ref name="unesco" /> They identify talented or gifted students in mathematics, who often receive opportunities for scholarships at universities.<ref name="unesco">https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000110203</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.obmep.org.br/apresentacao.htm|title=Olimpíada Brasileira de Matemática das Escolas Públicas - OBMEP {{pipe}} Somando novos talentos para o Brasil.|website=Olimpíada Brasileira de Matemática das Escolas Públicas - OBMEP {{pipe}} Somando novos talentos para o Brasil.}}</ref>

== History ==

The concept of mathematics competitions dates back to the late 19th century. A one-off competition for 70 primary school students was held in Bucharest in May 1885, but little is known about it.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Kenderov |first=Petar S. |date=2022 |title=Mathematics competitions: an integral part of the educational process |journal=ZDM – Mathematics Education |language=en |volume=54 |issue=5 |pages=983–996 |doi=10.1007/s11858-022-01348-4 |issn=1863-9704 |pmc=8970973 |pmid=35382411}}</ref> A better-documented Eötvös Competition in Hungary became one of the earliest organized contests in 1894.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.icmihistory.unito.it/wfnmc.php#:~:text=Nevertheless%2C%20the%20E%C3%B6tv%C3%B6s%20competition%20in,students%20or%20teachers%20was%20allowed). |title= The history of WFNMC |last= Kenderov |first= Petar |date= |website= |access-date=2024-11-25 }}</ref> Romania followed with another competition, this time for secondary school students, in June 1898.<ref name=":0" /> USSR introduced regular math olympiads in the 1930s, and the predecessor of the Putnam Competition started in 1938 in the US.<ref name=":0" />

The success of these national competitions eventually led to the establishment of the International Mathematics Olympiad, which has grown from 7 participating countries in 1959 to over 100 countries in recent years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://olympiads.win.tue.nl/imo/|title=International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO)|date=2008-02-01}}</ref>

== Curriculum == Modern olympiad mathematics can be split into four categories: algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and number theory. Algebra is restricted to elementary algebra, number theory is restricted to elementary number theory, and geometry is usually restricted to Euclidean plane geometry.<ref name="k630">{{cite book | last=Chen | first=E. | title=Euclidean Geometry in Mathematical Olympiads | publisher=American Mathematical Society | series=Problem Books | year=2021 | isbn=978-1-4704-6620-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AwE_EAAAQBAJ | access-date=2025-01-10 | page=}}</ref> While never required, the use of non-elementary techniques like calculus, linear algebra, algebraic number theory, algebraic geometry and projective geometry is allowed, and can often lead to more elegant solutions.

== List of mathematics olympiads == {{Main|List of mathematics competitions}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Campbell, James; Cho; Seokhee; Tirri, Kirsi . "[https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1301497 Mathematics and Science Olympiad Studies: The Outcomes of Olympiads and Contributing Factors to Talent Development of Olympians]" * {{cite journal | last=Karp | first=Alexander | title=Thirty years after: The lives of former winners of mathematical Olympiads | journal=Roeper Review | volume=25 | issue=2 | date=2003 | issn=0278-3193 | doi=10.1080/02783190309554204 | pages=83–87}} * {{cite journal | last=Kenderov | first=Petar S. | title=Mathematics competitions: an integral part of the educational process | journal=ZDM – Mathematics Education | volume=54 | issue=5 | date=2022 | issn=1863-9690 | pmid=35382411 | pmc=8970973 | doi=10.1007/s11858-022-01348-4 | doi-access=free | pages=983–996 | url=https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11858-022-01348-4.pdf | access-date=2025-01-10}}

==External links== *[https://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/advice-on-mathematics-competitions/ Terence Tao on mathematics competitions]

{{math-competition-stub}} Category:Mathematics competitions