Introduction

The International Maths Challenge administers two distinct online Maths Challenges. Firstly, there’s the Two-Round Open Challenge. The second is the Online Simulated Maths Challenge (OSMC), a Single Round contest exclusively held for Selected Schools worldwide. OSMC participation is by invitation only and limited to students from these designated schools.

Overview of the Challenges

  Two-Round Open Challenge Online Simulated Maths Challenge for Selected Schools
Eligibility All Students By invite only
Number of Rounds Two: Round 1 (Prelims) and Round 2 (Finals) Single
Qualification Criteria 70%ile required in the Prelims to qualify for the Finals ? NA
Winning score 80-95%ile in the Finals: Awarded the title of ELITIST

95%ile+ in the Finals: Awarded the title of CHAMPION

80-95%ile in the OSMC: Awarded the title of ELITIST

95%ile+ in the OSMC: Awarded the title of CHAMPION

Schedule Prelims: Nov 23-24 | Results: Dec 1
Finals: Dec 7-8 | Results: Dec 15
Nov 23-24 | Results: Dec 1
Registration Deadline Nov 17 2024 5 PM EST Nov 17 2024 5 PM EST
Fees Prelims – $46
Finals – $29
Without Test Practice Papers – Free
With Test Practice Papers – $19

General Information for both Challenges

Detailed Schedule
Schedule:
Nov-Dec 2024
Events / Activity
  Two-Round Open Challenge Online Simulated Maths Challenge (OSMC)
August 15 Registrations open. Registrations open.
November 17
(05.00 p.m EST)
Registration Deadline for Prelims. Registration Deadline.
November 20 IMC to send Test Day Instructions to registered students. IMC to send Test Day Instructions to registered students.
Saturday November 23 (12.00 a.m EST) to Sunday November 24 (11.59 p.m EST) ROUND 1 (Prelims):
Student can take the test anytime during this 48 hour window.
OSMC:
Student can take the test anytime during this 48 hour window.
November 25 Deadline to appeal for Tests terminated by the IMC. Deadline to appeal for Tests terminated by the IMC.
November 28 Verification of results by the IMC Academic Committee. Verification of results by the IMC Academic Committee.
December 1 Results declared by the IMC. Top 30% (70%ile+) of the candidates to progress to the Finals on Nov 23. Results declared by the IMC.
December 1 to December 4 Registration of successful candidates for the Finals.  
December 5 IMC to send Test day Instructions to registered students. IMC to open communication with parents of Elitists and Champions in regards to merchandise such as Certificates, Medals and T-Shirts. Consent sought from parents to share results with their respective schools.
Saturday December 7 (12.00 a.m EST) to Sunday December 8 (11.59 p.m EST) Finals of the Open Challenge. Student can take the test anytime during this 48 hour window.  
December 9 Deadline to appeal for Tests terminated by the IMC.  
December 13 Verification of results by the IMC Academic Committee. Performance of successful students to be shared with their school authorities and highlighted on the IMC website and social media channels. Schools to display the names of their successful students.
December 15 Results declared by the IMC.  
December 17 IMC to open communication with parents of Elitists and Champions in regards to merchandise such as Certificates, Medals and T-Shirts. Consent sought from parents to share results with their respective schools.  
January 3 Performance of successful students to be shared with their school authorities and highlighted on the IMC website and social media channels. Schools to display the names of their successful students.  
Scoring Structure

For Grades 1-6

Number of Questions Marks per Question Total Marks
20 05 100
Question type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Negative marking: None
Allotted time: 45 mins

For Grades 7-12

Sections Number of Questions Marks per Question Total Marks
Section 1
Difficulty Level – 1
12 02 24
Section 2
Difficulty Level – 2
17 03 51
Section 3
Difficulty Level – 3
05 05 25
Total 34   100
Question type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Negative marking: None
Allotted time: 60 mins
Syllabus

No test is legitimate without an accurate and well thought through syllabus. Our panel of experts have predefined the syllabus and structure according to the latest curriculum and have provided a strict guideline for the IMC to follow. While we are aware different countries have different boards, our academic team has strived hard to maintain parity in the Olympiad.

The Syllabus describes the exam curriculum in depth which will help you prepare your child for the test. You may observe that the content we cover is exhaustive, yet is well within the reach of the student. The levels of questions are relatively easier than traditional math tests and students can compete in the test without high-level advanced training.

The questions you’ll encounter may not be the typical math problems students face in school. Instead, they require a mix of strong concepts and aptitude. Check out some sample questions to get a better idea.

Score Reports
The IMC guarantees a precise score report that will effectively showcase your child’s genuine capabilities and pinpoint their strengths and areas for improvement. Following each round, the IMC Academic Committee will validate student scores and share the score report with parents as per the schedule.
Our Enhanced Score Report (ESR) helps you understand your child’s performance.

  1. v/s the TEST
  2. v/s the REST of the World
  3. v/s the REST of your home country
  4. v/s the BEST (Top 10%) of the world and
  5. v/s the BEST (Top 10%) of your home country

In other words, the ESR will be the ultimate report of your kid’s performance. Click here to check out a sample Enhanced Score Report.

Prepping for the Challenge

As your child strengthens their foundation in math concepts at school, we support their progress with our comprehensive set of 15 fully solved Test Practice Papers. These practice papers are designed to closely mimic the Maths Challenge, allowing students to practice directly on our Test Platform. This familiarity will help them feel more comfortable on the actual Test Day. Our teachers offer clear and simple explanations for the solutions, enabling students to feel more confident in the topics.

While the solutions for the first 10 papers are provided in written form, the next 5 papers, which are noticeably more challenging, feature video explanations from our teachers. This helps students grasp the solutions more effectively. The knowledge they gain here will also help them succeed in their regular school studies.

Test Day Instructions

Before the exam, the IMC will send a detailed set of instructions for your child to follow on test day. Although the login process is straightforward, these guidelines will help ensure a seamless experience.

Parents /Guardians can help younger participants (grades 1-6) with the test login process to ensure a smooth start to the exam. Just before clicking the ‘Start Test’ button, we request that your child proceed independently to ensure a secure and comfortable testing environment.

This test as a secure online proctored exam

Our high-tech proctored tests use a combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human proctors to provide a hassle-free yet highly secure online exam. Our automated proctoring utilizes your mic, webcam, and screen-sharing program. The proctor is a series of AI-powered computer algorithms programmed to flag certain suspicious behavior. These algorithms are complemented by human proctors who also closely monitor the students.

Our AI technology uses live footage from your webcam and audio from the laptop/computer to understand if the student is resorting to unfair means. The AI is trained to catch discrepancies. Here’s some of them

  • If the student moves away from the system for a considerable time, it will be reported.
  • If a second person comes within the camera frame, our AI will detect and report this.
  • If somebody else is speaking to the student or vice versa, this will be flagged by the AI.
  • If the student is reading from a different device hidden from the camera, his eye movements will be flagged.
  • If the student attempts to open another tab on his/her computer, it will be reported and flagged.
  • If a student tampers with the audio or video, it will be reported and flagged.

We understand that these rules might appear daunting. However, we intend to maintain both the test’s security and the student’s focus. As long as the student avoids misconduct and takes the test without disruptions, everything will proceed smoothly.

The IMC retains footage of the student’s test to facilitate post-test analysis. Our sophisticated Artificial Intelligence algorithm plays a key role in identifying any potential distractions or anomalies. When such situations arise, the algorithm alerts human proctors, who then report the incidents to the IMC proctoring team. Subsequent actions are determined by the IMC Board, ensuring a level playing field and fair test administration for all candidates.

Extra Assistance during the test

At the IMC, we are dedicated to ensuring the wide accessibility of our exams. We make special accommodations available to test takers who meet specific eligibility criteria and provide appropriate documentation for their requests. We have identified two student categories that qualify for accommodations during the exam:

  1.  Those with physical disabilities and
  2.  Those attending Non English-Language Schools.

The IMC Academic Committee (IMC AC) acknowledges these factors as deserving of special accommodation, and you can discover in-depth information about them within the FAQs section.

Accolades

Students ranking within the top 20% in Round 2 of the Two-Round open Challenge and the Online Simulated Maths Challenge (OSMC) are deemed winners of the Challenge.

If your child scores between 80 and 95%ile in Round 2 or the OSMC, they earn the title of International Maths Challenge ELITIST. Those scoring 95%ile or higher are awarded the prestigious title of CHAMPION. Elitists and Champions receive a merchandise package—including T-shirts, Certificates, and Medals—shipped to their home. These students also feature in our Hall of Fame and our Social Media channels.

Additionally, the IMC informs teachers and administrators at the child’s school about their performance, significantly boosting the child’s confidence. Most of our students receive their IMC certificates during school assemblies, and many winning students are highlighted in school newsletters and on websites, greatly enhancing their morale.

Registration Process

To register for the Two-Round Open Challenge or the OSMC, you need to create a login here and enroll for Round 1 (Prelims) here.

OSMC candidates will receive a school code from their school. This code will reduce the exam fee to $0 for the “Without Test Practice Papers” option and to $19 for the “With Test Practice Papers” option.

OSMC candidates may also choose to enroll in the Two-Round Open Challenge. However, the reverse is an option for students in the Open Challenge only if they belong to a Selected School. replace with However, students who enrol for the Open Challenge can register for the OSMC only if they belong to a Selected School. If you are unsure whether your child is from a Selected School, please email us your details at support@international-maths-challenge.com, and we will assist you further.

Further information about this are detailed in the FAQs and Terms and Conditions.

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