Illinois Middle School Math Olympiad
The Illinois Middle School Math Olympiad (IMSMO or ILMSMO) is the premier mathematical proof-writing contest intended for top middle school students who reside within Illinois. This contest was founded by Max Gurinas, with the first contest happening in May 2024.
IMSMO |
Region: Illinois |
Type: Proof |
Difficulty: 2-6 |
Difficulty Breakdown:
Problem 1/6: 2 |
Format
The Illinois Middle School Mathematics Olympiad (IMSMO, or sometimes called ILMSMO) is an invitation-only proof examination that is administered to 80 of the brightest minds within Illinois who, at the time of administration, is enrolled in 8th grade or earlier.
The test itself consists of 10 questions, broken up into 2 sessions. Each session is 2 hours long, with a 2-hour break in between. All problems can be solved using standard techniques from early high school curricula, namely Algebra I and Geometry. The problems call for extensive understanding of concepts along with creativity to be solved. No calculators or other devices are allowed during the examination periods, but compasses, rulers, scratch paper, and writing utensils are allowed. Qualification is based off of Mathcounts, AMC, and AIME scores, which may be submitted through a registration form to allow organizers to determine who qualifies.
Prizes
Due to the high subjectivity of mathematical proof writing, the top 10 finishers are all awarded prizes. 1st Place is awarded 1000 dollars, 2nd place is awarded 500 dollars, places 3-5 is awarded 200 dollars, and places 6-10 is awarded 100 dollars. Prizes for top 10 also include T-shirts.