Walking on the path to success is no less than a battle in today’s world. And apparently, there is no maximum limit to the difficulty level. So, it has become necessary for the students to pick up the books and start the preparation from an early age. Class 5 IMO is just a part of the preparation for this battle. And evidently, no one knows where it ends. Hence, hard work, a positive attitude, good health, and the right strategy are the students’ only hope in this path. International Mathematics Olympiad is a platform where the students are evaluated based on their mathematical and reasoning skills; it shows them their progress and encourages them for the subsequent steps.

This article is all about how one should prepare for Class 5 IMO, and how to make all the exertion effective. Here will be discussed everything that the aspirants require to possess and need to follow: from the syllabus to the daily routine of study, and from the books to the sample question papers. The right strategy includes all the imperatives and leaves out the excess. By following this piece of writing, the students will also be able to differentiate between what is essential and what is not. And this awareness will only strengthen their preparation.

What to Follow:

The Syllabus: All the IMO class 5 aspirants should know and follow the syllabus; they must know the chapters and the topics that they will face in the exam, and their preparation must be in accord with that. IMO class 5 syllabus follows the syllabi of various school boards of the country. In addition, they put a lot of emphasis on the fundamentals and basic understanding of the provided topics. The syllabus is as follows:

1. Mathematical Reasoning: Number and Number Name, Number Sense, Roman Numbers, Addition, Subtraction, Division, Multiplication, Multiples and Factors, LCM, HCF, Rules of Divisibility, Prime Numbers, Whole Numbers, Composite Numbers, Decimals, Fractions, Geometrical Shapes and Angles, Symmetry, Circles; Measurement of Mass, Length, capacity, area and perimeter of Square and Rectangle; Measurement of Temperature, Volume, Time and Various Operations on Time; Relationship between Seconds, Minutes, and Hours; Money, and Representation of Data in Pictorial Form.
2. Logical Reasoning: Formation of Numbers and Figures, Patterns, Direction Sense, Number Ranking, and Alphabetical Test, Series and Odd one out.

The Right Books: For IMO Class 5, the students are suggested to follow IMO Workbook for Class 5 and NCERT Class 5 Maths. Both these books are authentic; they are composed by renowned scholars and mathematicians; for the better understanding of the students, these books are written in simple language. Exercise sets provided in these books are carefully chosen by the experts to make all the concepts transparent for the students. Answer keys are also provided in these books for the students to analyze their responses and to make the subject more engaging to them.

Proper Schedule: Starting the preparation is easy, but the main task is to hold on to it till the last day. In most cases, the preparation period begins with much excitement but gradually loses its charm with time. This decline is not only discouraging, but it can turn out to be detrimental for the students. It is recommended that one must set the routine in accord with her/his capacity, to keep the vigour till the end.

Continuous Practice: Once the books and the schedule are ready, one has only to utilize her/his time as much and as smartly as possible. Mathematics is all about practice; the more one practices the closer she/he reaches to excelling in the subject. It is important to make sure that the IMO class 5 aspirants solve each question provided in the books, and leave no topic untouched. Facing difficulty is a part of the process, and overcoming these are the right way to proceed.

Sample Question Papers: Studying the books are not enough in an exam like IMO. Once the students are done with the books, their next target should be different sample questions. By solving these, the students will acquire a firm hand at solving any mathematical questions; moreover, they will gain a broad knowledge of the subject with a profound understanding of the fundamentals. A lot of sample papers are available out there, and the students are suggested to gather as many as they can.

Previous Years’ Papers: Before sitting in the real exam, the students must have an understanding of the question paper. They must be familiar with the experience of solving a real IMO Class 5 question paper. Hence, it becomes very important for them to solve the previous years’ questions. By doing this, they not only become familiar with the exam hall atmosphere, but they can see the nature and the standard of the papers beforehand. It is true that often in the IMO exam some questions are repeated, so the students will be better prepared to solve those during the examination. To make it even easier one can go through IMO PYQP for Class 5 with Answers.

What not to Follow:

1. IMO Class 5 exam strictly adheres to the syllabus. So, while preparing for this test, if one thinks that going outside the syllabus will be smart and helpful, she/he is wrong. It will be a complete waste of time, and the students will receive no questions outside the syllabus.
2. The students should be very careful with their choice of books. Following the wrong book, or a book with inauthentic content can prove to be extremely harmful.
3. One may not need a year to prepare for IMO Class 5, three months is enough. But one must be very serious and completely focused throughout that period.
4. For any IMO or any Olympiad, revision is a must. These kinds of exams are much inclined to test the conceptual understanding of the students. Thus, revising the syllabus multiple times and going through all the important topics cannot be avoided, at least from the perspective of the IMO class 5 examination.