Welcome to the British Mathematical Olympiad

• A PDF file containing lots of BMO problems from the past (1993–2018). No answers are supplied! Hints and solutions for BMO1 problems from 1996–1997 to 2010–2011 are included in A Mathematical Olympiad Primer, available from the UKMT; video solutions for BMO1 are available from 2005–2006 onwards; past paper booklets with BMO2 problems and solutions are also available.
• Information about the BMO papers and notes on BMO marking (PDF)
• The Christopher Bradley elegance prize
• The UK Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (UK MOG)
• A brief article on areal co-ordinate methods in Euclidean geometry (PDF), by Tom Lovering
• National events: events calendar, UK Olympiad Training; the annual IMO Lecture and Celebration
• International events, including reports on each year’s events: the International Mathematical Olympiad, the Balkan Mathematical Olympiad, the Romanian Master of Mathematics, the China Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, the Mathematics Ashes
• BMOS and UKMT supporters may elect to make a small tax efficient regular donation to these organizations.
• Committee information: a short history of the BMOC, list of current committee members; list of other people involved in BMOS activities
• BMO policies on use of BMO1 DVDs and on eligibility
• Contact details
• Past news and events

IMO 2018 results (12 July 2018)

The IMO papers were sat on 9 and 10 July. The results of the UK team members are shown below. We obtained one gold and four silver medals and an Honourable Mention and a score of 161 out of 252, coming 12th out of 107 participating countries. The medal boundaries were 31 for Gold, 25 for Silver and 16 for Bronze.

The achievements of this year’s UK olympiad teams will be celebrated at the Science Museum on Monday 24 September, when Professor Ursula Martin CBE will give the 41st annual IMO lecture.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

IMO 2018 problems (10 July 2018)

The IMO 2018 papers were sat on 9 and 10 July in Romania; the problems are available. The problems were submitted by Greece, Slovakia, Iran, Armenia, Mongolia and Poland respectively.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

Mathematics Ashes results (6 July 2018)

Australia has won the 11th Mathematics Ashes competition, decided on the results of today’s practice exam at the joint pre-IMO training camp in Budapest; the results for the two teams were as follows, with the UK scoring a total of 98 and Australia scoring a total of 99:

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

Balkan Mathematical Olympiad report available (3 July 2018)

The Balkan Mathematical Olympiad information now includes Dominic Yeo’s report on the 2018 olympiad.

IMO team selected (30 May 2018)

After the training camp held at Tonbridge School, 26–30 May, the team of six for the IMO in Romania has been chosen as:

The reserves are:

The Team Leader is Dr Geoff Smith of the University of Bath and the Deputy Leader is Dr Dominic Yeo of the Technion. Dr Rosie Cretney (University of Oxford) will be Observer with Contestants. The IMO will take place from 3–14 July.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

David Monk receives Paul Erdős Award (14 May 2018)

Congratulations to David Monk on being awarded the Paul Erdős Award by the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions.

Balkan Mathematical Olympiad results (10 May 2018)

The UK team in the Balkan Mathematical Olympiad in Belgrade, Serbia have achieved the following scores (each question marked out of 10). The medal cut-offs were 40 for gold, 29 for silver and 15 for bronze.

Balkan Mathematical Olympiad problems (10 May 2018)

The Balkan Mathematical Olympiad paper was sat yesterday. Problem 2, a UK submission, is by Jeremy King.

EGMO results (14 April 2018)

The UK team in the seventh European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad have achieved the following results, coming 3rd out of 52 participating teams (2nd out of 36 official European teams). The medal boundaries are 32 for gold, 22 for silver and 15 for bronze.

Our thanks to Man Group for their support of the EGMO team.

European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad Day 2 (12 April 2018)

The problems from the second paper at the seventh European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, sat today in Florence, are now available. The problems were submitted by the Netherlands, Poland and the Netherlands respectively.

Our thanks to Man Group for their support of the EGMO team.

European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad Day 1 (11 April 2018)

The problems from the first paper at the seventh European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, sat today in Florence, are now available. The problems were submitted by Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary respectively.

Our thanks to Man Group for their support of the EGMO team.

IMO squad selected (9 April 2018)

At the training camp held at Trinity College, Cambridge from 4 to 9 April, the squad of eight from which the team of six and two reserves for the IMO in Romania will be selected has been chosen as:

The Team Leader is Dr Geoff Smith of the University of Bath and the Deputy Leader is Dr Dominic Yeo of the Technion. Dr Rosie Cretney (University of Oxford) will be Observer with Contestants. The IMO will take place from 3–14 July. The final team will be selected at the Tonbridge training camp held 26–30 May.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

Balkan Mathematical Olympiad team selected (9 April 2018)

The UK has been invited as a guest nation to send a team to the Balkan Mathematical Olympiad, to be held in Belgrade, Serbia from 7–12 May. The Team Leader is Dr Dominic Yeo of the Technion, the Deputy Leader is Dr Vesna Kadelburg (The Perse School) and Jill Parker (formerly of the University of Bath) will be Observer with Contestants. After the training camp held at Trinity College, Cambridge, 4–9 April, the team has been selected as follows.

Romanian Master of Mathematics results (26 February 2018)

The UK participants in the Romanian Master of Mathematics competition have achieved the following results, coming equal 7th out of 20 teams in the team competition. The medal boundaries are 29 for gold, 22 for silver and 19 for bronze.

EGMO 2018 team (12 February 2018)

The seventh European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad will be held in Florence, Italy, 9–15 April. The UK team will be:

The reserve is Yuhka Machino of Millfield School. The Team Leader is Jo Caisová of Mayfield Primary School, Cambridge and the Deputy Leader is Jenny Owladi of the Bank of England.

Our thanks to Man Group for their support of the EGMO team.

BMO Round 2 marked (5 February 2018)

BMO Round 2 was marked in London on 3 February. The following candidates scored 25 or more out of 40.

BMO Round 2 (26 January 2018)

This year’s BMO Round 2 paper was taken yesterday.

Romanian Master of Mathematics 2018 UK participants (5 January 2018)

The UK will compete in the Romanian Master of Mathematics competition in 2018, to be held in Bucharest, 21–26 February. The Team Leader will be Alexander Betts (King’s College London) and the Deputy Leader will be James Gazet (St. Paul’s School); Mary Teresa Fyfe (formerly of Hutchesons’ Grammar School) will be Observer with Contestants. The following students will represent the UK (the four students who form part of the team competition will be determined after BMO2):

BMO Round 1 marked (3 January 2018, report added 4 January 2018, New Zealand results added 19 January 2018)

BMO Round 1 was marked in Cambridge on 8–10 December. (Some candidates from other countries also sat the paper, with their scripts being marked using the same mark schemes, and high scores from those countries are also indicated below when available.) The following candidates scored 58 or more out of 60. Gold medals are awarded for scores of 59 or more, silver medals for scores of 50 to 58, bronze medals for scores of 42 to 49, certificates of distinction for scores of 28 and above. The report for schools, with statistics on results, is also available.

The BMO2 qualifying cut-off scores are 47 for students in year 13 (England and Wales), year S6 (Scotland), year 14 (Northern Ireland); 42 for students in year 12 (England and Wales), year S5 (Scotland), year 13 (Northern Ireland); 37 for students in year 11 (England and Wales), year S4 (Scotland), year 12 (Northern Ireland); and 35 for students in lower school years. Scoring at least the cut-off on BMO1 gives free entry to BMO2 provided that the candidate is eligible to represent the UK at the IMO. Any participant in BMO1 may enter BMO2 by paying the entry fee. BMO2 will take place on 25 January.

IMO 2017 lecture video available (19 December 2017)

Video of Vicky Neale’s IMO lecture at the Science Museum is now available.

BMO Round 1 (2 December 2017)

This year’s BMO Round 1 paper was taken yesterday; video solutions are available online. Production facilities for the video were donated by the University of Bath Audio Visual Unit.

UK MOG prize winners (2 November 2017)

The following participants in the UK Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (UK MOG) scored 40 or more out of 50 and have been awarded book prizes.

UK Mathematical Olympiad for Girls markers’ report (28 October 2017)

The markers’ report for the 2017 UK Mathematical Olympiad for Girls paper is now available, including extended discussions of the problems and the approaches taken by candidates.

UK Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (6 October 2017)

The UK Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (UK MOG) paper was taken yesterday. Solutions are also available. The paper will be marked on the weekend of 14–15 October.

IMO 2017 report available (8 August 2017)

The reports on past IMOs now include Geoff Smith’s report on IMO 2017.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

IMO 2017 press release (25 July 2017)

A press release about the UK performance at IMO 2017 is now available.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.

IMO 2017 results (21 July 2017)

The IMO papers were sat on 18 and 19 July. The results of the UK team members are shown below. We obtained three Gold and two Bronze medals and an Honourable Mention and a score of 130 out of 252, coming equal 9th out of 111 participating countries. The medal boundaries were for 25 for Gold, 19 for Silver and 16 for Bronze.

The achievements of this year’s UK olympiad teams will be celebrated at the Science Museum on Monday 25 September, when Professor Ursula Martin CBE will give the 40th annual IMO lecture.

Our thanks to this year’s IMO supporter, Oxford Asset Management.