Olimpiad Matematik Kebangsaan

[jagandecapri]

hei guys....i went to the olimpiad matematik kebangsaan 2009(sulong category) and the question was damn hard............does anyone has any idea how exactly those who win in this competition prepare themselves? Is it that they have some innate talent?.....wonder how anyone can win in this competition.....

[amoebaleong]

Originally Posted by jagandecapri

hei guys....i went to the olimpiad matematik kebangsaan 2009(sulong category) and the question was damn hard............does anyone has any idea how exactly those who win in this competition prepare themselves? Is it that they have some innate talent?.....wonder how anyone can win in this competition.....

Youngyew had written some tips for Maths Olimpiad before. http://www.recom.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3641

I believe that most students who score well in OMK have special training in their schools. This is because OMK covers materials that are beyond school syllabus like number theory.

[youngyew]

I am not sure how the questions are like nowadays, but back in my days most questions were do-able with the most basic geometry theorems (cosine rules etc), high school algebra and logical deductions. Admittedly if you know some of the tricks it would make things much easier, and to an extent it is dependent on the quality of the preparation you get in your school.

[markwongsk]

The standard increased after during the 2000-2006 era... but it has declined since 2007 onwards... This year's questions were relatively easier (nope, you don't need to know fermat's little theorem, or last theorem or anything out of the textbook which is terribly difficult)... My students were able to answered some of them =)

[tsar]

I hear Singapore's one is MCQ, so be thankful ours at least still retains some degree of the actual competition.

[jagandecapri]

i managed to answer a few questions too which are mostly based on ones understanding.....but the bahagian B which is all proving is way too hard.....first and foremost, NOONE IN SCHOOL HAS THAUGHT HOW TO WRITE EVEN BASIC PROVES!!!!!

[gman]

Originally Posted by tsar

I hear Singapore's one is MCQ, so be thankful ours at least still retains some degree of the actual competition.

really? i heard that in singapore, the olympiad consists of 2 rounds. in the first round, you are required to answer about 25 questions (if i am not mistaken) by just writing the answer with no need to show the proof. if you do well enough, then you can proceed to the second round which will require you to show your working and proof clearly.

[markwongsk]

Originally Posted by jagandecapri

i managed to answer a few questions too which are mostly based on ones understanding.....but the bahagian B which is all proving is way too hard.....first and foremost, NOONE IN SCHOOL HAS THAUGHT HOW TO WRITE EVEN BASIC PROVES!!!!!

that's why it's an olympiad... people should take the initiative to study proving methods by themselves... Nvm, you have the experience now =) Can start preparing for next year

[youngyew]

There are some books available for olimpiad type preparation.

Locally I know of a book produced by Suhaimi one of the ex-IMO contestants and the current IMO team leader. Read more here:

http://suhaimiramly.wordpress.com/20...ort-updates-6/

There are also some books / resource about past OMK questions and solutions, but I don't know much about them so you might have to dig it out by yourself.

As for foreign book, this book is my all-time favourite:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Craft-Prob.../dp/0471135712

Yes, expensive, but very enlightening and helpful. Even if you are not preparing for Maths Olympiad, this book is still very empowering and eye-opening.

[chiunlin]

OMK was MCQ in the old days (in the 80's). I still have a copy of some of the questions from those times.

For those who went to OMK 2009, mind sharing what the questions are?