Class 6 Maths Olympiad – International Maths Olympiad conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation every year across India. It is a great opportunity for our students to test their Mathematical skills and even get recognition for this. It also develops a healthy competitive spirit amongst the students. From a young age, students are exposed to exams of national level which prepares them for similar opportunities in the future.
International Maths Olympiad is a reputed exam and students must attempt this exam at least once. The preparation for the exam is also fairly simple. However, students can make certain mistakes while preparing for the exam. Let us look at some of these common mistakes so that you can work to avoid them and strategize properly for the exam.
Table of Contents
Taking the exam lightly
Many students might feel like they do not need to study much for the exam as the syllabus is based on their course textbook itself. However, the questions in the exams are more logical and application-based, and not as direct as in your textbook. You need extensive practice for the exam to achieve a great score. Therefore do not make the mistake of taking the exam lightly or thinking that it is not a very important exam.
Not being aware of the exam pattern
You cannot appear for the exam without being aware of the exam pattern. If you do so you will be stumped when you go through the different sections of the question paper. Sections like logical reasoning and achiever’s section might feel difficult if you had not practiced keeping them in mind. Moreover, your practice needs to be aligned with the time limit of the exam. If you had not practiced keeping the exam pattern in minds you will not be able to attempt 50 questions in 60 minutes.
Not doing enough written practice
Another mistake made by the students is not doing enough written practice for the exam. Although the exam is of objective type questions where you need to choose 1 correct answer from 4 options, you will have to do calculations and work out the question on a sheet of paper. If you do not do enough written practice for the exam, your calculations might be slow and not accurate. IMO can be aced only by those students who have done a lot of practice and are therefore quick in their thinking as well as calculations.
Not going through enough question papers
Talking about practice, one may wonder how to get the essential practice for the exam? This practice and technique come with solving several question papers and giving a lot of mock tests. Those students who make the mistake of not solving enough IMO question papers or not solving them in a proper timed manner end up confused in the exam. You must solve question papers from the last 10 years for the International Math Olympiad exam. These can be IMO Class 6 2013 Question Paper or any such like question papers that you can get your hands on.
Not using the internet for your advantage
The internet is a treasure trove for students preparing for the International Math Olympiad. Whether you are studying for tests in your school or appearing for national-level exams, you can find valuable guidance, resources, tests, and all the information that you need to know before appearing for the exam. So do not make the mistake of ignoring the benefits the internet has to offer to you. Avail complete benefit by downloading question papers, giving timed mock tests, learning from online videos, etc.
Not working on the basics
You must have a good idea about the basics of Class 6 and it is essential to be able to successfully crack the International Math Olympiad exam. However, just simple knowledge of the basics is not enough. Your basic foundation should be very strong to the point that you can take the concepts that you know and apply them to a logical problem and solve it in no time. To achieve this, your knowledge about the fundamental principles of Mathematics should be very firm. So if you feel like you lack the basic foundational skills that you need to practice a lot of basic problems as well simple mathematical tricks that can help increase your calculations speed as well understanding of questions during the exam.
Not going through Olympiad books
Books that are specifically designed for the Olympiad exam are a good investment for those students who want to prepare efficiently for the International Math Olympiad. These books contain lots of sample papers, previous years’ question papers, worksheets, and lots of exercises for students to g through. Many times questions from these books appear in the exam. So if you want to polish your mathematical skills for Class 6 Maths Olympiad and want to ace the International Math Olympiad, then avoid the mistake of not investing in such good books.
Feeling intimidated by the exam
If you are not familiar with the workings of the International Math Olympiad, then chances are that you might feel scared and anxious for the exam. However, anxiety interferes with your cognitive abilities and presence of mind during the exam. Therefore focus your attention on quickly moving on from one question to another during the exam and not let any stress get to you. The result of the exam does not matter as much as the fact that you are getting an amazing opportunity to appear for a national-level exam and analyze your logical skills.
With the correct strategies and a positive mindset, you will be able to obtain a great score in the Math Olympiad. At this point in your studies, whatever you try to learn, make sure you enjoy the process. Mathematics is a big set of puzzles that you can really have fun with. This approach makes your studies more enjoyable. As a result, Math will become one of your favorite subjects. The right preparation for the International Math Olympiad also helps you in studying your yearly syllabus for the school exam.
So do give the International Math Olympiad a try to Class 6 Maths Olympiad, avoid the common mistakes, and thank us later.
