New Zealand Mathematics Olympiad

The hardest mathematical problems in the world.

The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is a high-powered annual international mathematics competition for secondary students. Teams of up to 6 students per country meet in July every year to face 3 questions in 4.5 hours on Day 1 and another 3 questions in 4.5 hours on Day 2. These students are among the most able mathematicians in their country and consequently the questions are diabolically difficult. In fact they are the hardest problems conceived annually. But the difficulty doesn't totally come from the mathematical topics that are covered. The difficulty arises from the cunning way that solutions need to be crafted: the insight that is required to bring together apparently unconnected pieces of relatively simple mathematics.

The NZ Mathematical Olympiad Committee seeks to find such students, offer them training and mentoring as well as camps and other challenges.
The IMO is always a high profile goal that it was hoped would help to achieve the wider goal of increasing the mathematical ability of all New Zealanders while encouraging students to achieve their potential.

For more information and stories and pictures of past teams performance visit our website.