Class Six Maths Olympiad can be a daunting experience for students. The International Mathematics Olympiad by over lakhs of students from all over India and even more so internationally. Amidst all this competition, it is essential to stay on top of your game. There are many mistakes that students preparing for this competitive exam can make, and this guide can help you avoid them.
Do not wait until the last minute to start the preparation:
Students’ most common mistake while preparing for the International Mathematics Olympiad or any other competitive exam is that they wait until the last minute to start preparing. It can mess up the schedule, as students can take up a lot of time for one topic and be left with little time to cover the rest of it. It is one oversight that can also lead to students feeling unprepared as the exam draws near. On the other hand, planning can also leave plenty of time for students to revise topics covered a long time ago or to solve additional question papers.
Do not trust just any website for information:
on many websites that can steer students preparing for competitive exams in the wrong direction. It is, therefore, essential to stick to taking information only from authentic websites. Dates of examination and other relevant information about the olympiad should lead to secure websites. Fraudulent websites can have inaccurate data that can mislead or provide the wrong information, such as the examination date or date of the false exam. A similar issue can also occur with the forms or the syllabus.
Neglecting practice:
Another common mistake students make to appear for the International Mathematics Olympiad is to neglect practice time. Maths is a subject that can be very easy to master with the proper amount of practice dedicated to practicing sums and problems. Students, however, neglect this part of the preparation over theoretical concepts. Practicing questions can also help understand a topic better, and it can highlight the issues or areas that the student might need help in. later, students can ask their teachers or parents for help.
Avoiding mock tests:
Mock or practice tests can help students analyze their standing in the competition and pinpoint the areas that need work. Avoiding these is usually a mistake. Practice papers can give an insight into what kind of questions and what topics should be the most important. Students can refer to the Class 6 IMO Question Paper 2016 for a general idea about the overall question types asked in the competitive exam.
Limiting the study to school course:
School coursework and the exam pattern on subjective type questions. Meanwhile, the competitive exams have objective-type questions having high-order thinking skills. Therefore, limiting to school courses while preparing for the olympiad. Understanding lessons while being taught at school is essential. Still, at the same time, it is necessary to refer to other reference books with more HOTS questions that enhance the student’s problem-solving ability and prepare them for the IMO exam.
Over-exerting yourself:
Hard work is necessary for acing an exam, but it is also essential to not over-exhaust oneself while pursuing the exam preparation. Between study breaks and all-time devoted to studying should be well managed via a well-developed schedule. It can lower the strain and help keep track of the syllabus covered, and the amount of coursework left before the exam. In conclusion, these are some of the common mistakes that students preparing for the olympiad should avoid. However, some valuable tips should be kept in mind while preparing for the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO). It can help students to streamline their focus and prepare better for the exam.
Devise a well-planned schedule or timetable to divide time sustainably between school homework, tests, leisure, and physical activities. Do you have a lot of anxiety over the paper before it starts, and your heart begins to sound like a machine? It is the worst thing that may happen during a test since it raises the possibility of making mistakes. Make an effort to relax. Clarify any questions you have about each class, plan ahead of time to minimize fear, get plenty of rest at night, and be confident. It will help you relax throughout the exam and improve your results. Download and solve as many question banks and mock papers as possible. It gives students an edge over their peers as they are more prepared to handle the exam stress, are well versed with the paper pattern, and expect the questions asked.
- It is essential to invest in question banks more than in academic books. Practicing sums are the best-assured way to clear the International Maths Olympiad.
- Take notes during classes and regularly revise them to stay on top of the syllabus and avoid wasting time learning the same topics again at home.
- To self-analyzing the progress made and allocate time to work on the complicated topics or questions that the students make most mistakes. This method can help improve the areas that the student might lose points on later in the examination.
- During the exam, always read your questions thoroughly before attempting to answer them. Multiple-choice questions can be misleading and can cause confusion which may lead to making a mistake.
- Always time yourself while taking practice tests to become aware of their timings and where they need to speed up. It will also tell them what topics consume more time and need work. Timing themselves can also give students confidence and judge their ability to finish the actual paper on time.
- Be very adamant about the time devoted to learning formulas. The foundation of mathematics and practice is its formulas, and messing these up can be the most significant source of mistakes in an examination. While preparing for the International Maths Olympiad, focus on allocating enough time to revise formulas.
- Always start preparing for any exam early, stay ahead of your peers and gain an advantage of time over them.
