British Mathematical Olympiad
Encyclopedia
The British Mathematical Olympiad forms part of the selection process for the UK International Mathematical Olympiad
team. There are two rounds, the BMO1 and the BMO2.
(1) achieve the qualifying mark in the Senior Mathematical Challenge and
(2) have a British passport, or have studied for 3 years full time education in the UK.
The paper lasts 3½ hours, and consists of six questions (from 2005), each worth 10 marks.
Candidates are encouraged to write full proofs to the questions they attempt, as a full answer to a question is worth many more marks than incomplete answers to several questions. This is because of the marking scheme: an answer is marked on either a "0+" or a "10-" mark scheme, depending on whether the answer looks generally complete or not. So if an answer is judged incomplete or unfinished, it is awarded a few marks for progress and relevant observations, whereas if it is presented as complete and correct, marks are deducted for faults, poor reasoning, or unproven assumptions. As a result, it is quite uncommon for an answer to score a middling mark (e.g. 4–6).
Roughly 1300 students sit the BMO1 paper each year, and many of these attain a very low score as a percentage of the total number of marks available—the median
score in 2004 was approximately 5 or 6 (out of 50). However, the paper is meant to be a way of selecting the best young mathematicians in the country, and is therefore very difficult. Generally only about 30–40 students will score more than 50% in BMO1, with perhaps only 1 or 2 scoring above 90%.
In 2005, UKMT changed the system and added an extra easier question meaning the median is now raised. In 2008, 23 got over 40 out of 60 and around 50 got over 30. 31 was the mark needed to get into the BMO2.
For the December 2010 paper, the mark needed for a year 13 pupil to automatically qualify for BMO2 was 28; it was 22 for a year 12 pupil and 17 for a year 11 pupil.
From the results of BMO1, 100 students are chosen to be invited to sit BMO2—generally from amongst the top scorers, although younger students scoring slightly less than their older counterparts are often chosen also. It is possible to pay £22 to sit BMO2, but the candidate must have sat BMO1.
Half of the candidates score less than 10, and it is rare for someone to score more than 35.
Twenty of the top scorers from BMO2 are subsequently invited to the training camp at Trinity College, Cambridge
for the first stage of the IMO
UK team selection.
International Mathematical Olympiad
The International Mathematical Olympiad is an annual six-problem, 42-point mathematical olympiad for pre-collegiate students and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959. It has since been held annually, except in 1980...
team. There are two rounds, the BMO1 and the BMO2.
BMO Round 1
The first round of the BMO is held in December, and from 2006 is an open entry competition, costing £16.50 to enter. However, this fee is waived for those who(1) achieve the qualifying mark in the Senior Mathematical Challenge and
(2) have a British passport, or have studied for 3 years full time education in the UK.
The paper lasts 3½ hours, and consists of six questions (from 2005), each worth 10 marks.
Candidates are encouraged to write full proofs to the questions they attempt, as a full answer to a question is worth many more marks than incomplete answers to several questions. This is because of the marking scheme: an answer is marked on either a "0+" or a "10-" mark scheme, depending on whether the answer looks generally complete or not. So if an answer is judged incomplete or unfinished, it is awarded a few marks for progress and relevant observations, whereas if it is presented as complete and correct, marks are deducted for faults, poor reasoning, or unproven assumptions. As a result, it is quite uncommon for an answer to score a middling mark (e.g. 4–6).
Roughly 1300 students sit the BMO1 paper each year, and many of these attain a very low score as a percentage of the total number of marks available—the median
Median
In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to...
score in 2004 was approximately 5 or 6 (out of 50). However, the paper is meant to be a way of selecting the best young mathematicians in the country, and is therefore very difficult. Generally only about 30–40 students will score more than 50% in BMO1, with perhaps only 1 or 2 scoring above 90%.
In 2005, UKMT changed the system and added an extra easier question meaning the median is now raised. In 2008, 23 got over 40 out of 60 and around 50 got over 30. 31 was the mark needed to get into the BMO2.
For the December 2010 paper, the mark needed for a year 13 pupil to automatically qualify for BMO2 was 28; it was 22 for a year 12 pupil and 17 for a year 11 pupil.
From the results of BMO1, 100 students are chosen to be invited to sit BMO2—generally from amongst the top scorers, although younger students scoring slightly less than their older counterparts are often chosen also. It is possible to pay £22 to sit BMO2, but the candidate must have sat BMO1.
BMO Round 2
BMO2 is normally held in early February, and is significantly more difficult than BMO1. BMO2 also lasts 3½ hours, but consists of only four questions, each worth 10 marks. Like the BMO1 paper, it is not designed to test knowledge of advanced mathematics, but rather the candidate's ability to apply basic ideas to unusual problems.Half of the candidates score less than 10, and it is rare for someone to score more than 35.
Twenty of the top scorers from BMO2 are subsequently invited to the training camp at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
for the first stage of the IMO
International Mathematical Olympiad
The International Mathematical Olympiad is an annual six-problem, 42-point mathematical olympiad for pre-collegiate students and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959. It has since been held annually, except in 1980...
UK team selection.