Over 150,000 students worldwide participate in ourfive monthly contests, given from November to March. These contests provide an incentive for students to intensify their study of math.

DIVISIONS:

• Choose from two grade-appropriate divisions:
  • Division E (grades 4-6)
  • Division M (grades 6-8)
• If a team has any 7^th or 8th graders, it must be in the DIVISION M.
• If a team has NO 7^th or 8th graders, we strongly recommend that it be in the DIVISION E.
• NO team may have any student who has completed grade 8.
• Teams may not be split between two divisions.
• While students below grade 4 will be accepted, we do not recommend it. Without proper support, younger students can easily become afraid of math, rather than excited by it

FORMAT:

• Contests are taken in the participating school.
• Each contest consists of five nonroutine problems.
• Every problem requires careful mathematical thinking and has a time limit.
• Calculators are not permitted
• When a problem introduces a more advanced concept, all necessary definitions are included.
• The detailed solution for each problem usually names the strategy required.
• Many solutions include follow-up problems and activities.
• After each contest, results are submitted to us for scorekeeping. Our records will determine which awards are to be shipped after the last contest.

TEAMS:

• Each team has up to 35 students. (Many schools have more than one team.)
• Only schools or homeschool associations, not individuals, may participate.
• Each team competes in just one division.
• Teams with members from more than one school are called "District Teams" or "Institute Teams" and are not eligible for team awards.
• The team score is the sum of the ten highest individual scores, taken after the fifth contest.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

• Each participant receives a Certificate of Participation.
• The high scorer of each team receives a trophy. (Note: An Honorable Mention troply is also available for purchase to recognize other outstanding team members.)
• Each of the top 50% of all participants in each division receives a handsome embroidered Olympiad patch.
• Each of the top 10% of all participants in each division receives a silver or gold pin.
• Each student who achieves a perfect score of 25 points receives a bronze medallion.

TEAM AWARDS:

• For each division, each team in the top 10% of all teams receives a plaque; the next 10%, a certificate.
• The grade level of a team is the highest grade level of any of its members.
• In Division E, special certificates are awarded to the top 20% of all Grade 5 Teams and also of all Grade 4 Teams.
• In Division M, a special certificate is awarded to the top 20% of all Grade 7 Teams.