Mathematical Olympiad In China

Mathematics Olympiad In China 

China's journey in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) began in 1985, when two students were sent to participate in the 26th edition of the competition. Since 1986, China has consistently fielded a team of six students, with the exception of 1998, when the event was held in Taiwan. Up until 2006, China ranked first in team performance 13 times, with the majority of its participants earning gold medals. This remarkable success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of Chinese students, the support of their school teachers, and the rigorous training provided by national coaches. Additionally, the country's educational system, particularly its focus on foundational skills in science education, has played a significant role in fostering this achievement.

While the eastern regions of China have seen rapid development in mathematical competitions, the western regions have lagged behind due to differences in education, culture, and economy. To promote mathematical competitions in West China, the China Mathematical Olympiad Committee launched the China Western Mathematical Olympiad in 2001. The top two winners from this competition earn a spot on the national training team. As a result, two students from this region have made it to the national team and won gold medals at the IMO.

Interestingly, since 1986, the Chinese national team has not included a female student. To address this, the China Mathematical Olympiad Committee introduced the China Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad in 2002. The top two winners of this competition are also granted direct entry into the national training team, promoting greater female participation in mathematics competitions at the highest level.

China Mathematical Olympiad (CMO) has different question patterns for different rounds of the competition :

First round

The first round of the CMO has short-answer questions and word problems. For example, in the 2016 CMO, the first round had 8 short-answer questions and 3 word problems. The time limit for this round was 120 minutes, and the full score was 120 marks.

Second round

The second round of the CMO has word problems, including one in plane geometry. For example, in the 2016 CMO, the second round had 4 word problems. The time limit for this round was 150 minutes, and the full score was 180 marks.

China Girls' Mathematical Olympiad

The China Girls' Mathematical Olympiad has 4 problems on each of two consecutive mornings. Each problem is worth 15 points