The Mani-Cretin Mathematical Examinations

The Mani-Celadin Mathematical Examinations refer to a series of secondary school mathematics competitions hosted by the Mani-Celadin Mathematics Association (MCMA), and, since 2022, by providentialscience (SSS).

PSC

PSC, which stands for Providential Science Competition, is a secondary competition in the natural sciences that is held three times per year. It covers topics such as chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, etc. Although the variety of subjects covered in the PSC does require contestants to have a wide range of knowledge, the ultimate goal of the PSC is for students to be exposed to the various scientific reasoning skills needed for different science subjects, and be engaged in a process of creative thinking. The problems on the PSC can mostly be solved using middle school level content knowledge, however, some of the problems can be extremely challenging to solve within the time limit. The PSC is administered by the providentialscience and MCMA.

MCOMT

The MCOMT is held twice a year and is the largest of the competitions administrated by the MCMA. The paper is in a fill-in-the-blanks format with a total of eight questions. Each question is worth 5 points, and all questions are to be completed within the designated 40 minutes. The difficulty of the MCOMT lies somewhere in-between introductory and intermediate, covering the entire secondary mathematics curriculum (though with a focus on algebra). The aim of the MCOMT is for students to solve interesting problems within their problem-solving capabilities, thus fostering interest in mathematics as well as proficiency in problem solving. The competition is suited for all secondary students, especially those who have an interest in mathematics.

Since June 2023, the MCOMT has undergone major changes. It is now administered online with 6 questions to be solved in 30 minutes, and participants can attend at most once per contest period (lasting for two months). The questions are randomly selected from a prepared problem bank and are all similar in difficulty. The problems on the MCOMT have become challenging, however requiring minimal calculations and (some questions) requiring very little mathematical knowledge. They focus much more on problem solving and logical reasoning, hence providing good practice even for non-math oriented students.

MCIME

The MCIME, also known as "MCOMT Invitational", is an annual competition for high-scorers on the MCOMT. Participation in the MCIME is by invitation only. Different from MCOMT, the MCIME consists of 4 problems which must be completed within 3 hours, followed by 2 open-ended "explorational" problems to be completed within 1 day. An organised and logical proof is required for each question. The MCIME is more difficult than the MCOMT, however the knowledge required to solve these problems does not exceed the standard secondary school curriculum.

Since 2023, high scorers on the MCIME can directly attend the PMO and PIMO, and the MCMA doesn't have arrangements to continue holding the MCIME.

Sign Up

Will be posted in Contests and Programs when contest period(s) begins. Chinese students should still sign up for PSC through sssofficial@sina.com or providence641@gmail.com