South African Mathematics Olympiad  The premier mathematics competition in South Africa

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Organised by the SA  Mathematics Foundation

in co-operation with AMESA and SAMS 

and the SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns

Sponsored by the Harmony Gold Mining Company
 

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Background

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2. AIMS OF THE OLYMPIAD
The Mathematics Olympiad is a national competition which is aimed at developing mathematical talent and a positive image of mathematics amongst the youth of South Africa and to develop the mathematics teaching corps in doing so.
This will be achieved by:

• stimulating an interest in mathematics and problem solving through the nature of the questions;
• identifying talented students and engaging them in enrichment programmes;
• involving the teaching community at all levels in the Olympiad
• ensuring broad-based participation;
• using the results (statistics) of the competitions to identify areas of need and implement intervention programmes;  and
• developing the required skills amongst teachers so that they may use the Olympiad as a teaching source, that they will encourage their students to participate, and that they will be able to provide for the needs of the mathematically talented.

3. FORMAT OF THE COMPETITIONS
  3.1   FIRST ROUND
  3.1.1 Setting of the paper

• The SAMO committee welcomes proposals from AMESA and others for questions to be included in the paper, but accepts responsibility for setting the paper.
• The first round will have separate papers for juniors and seniors.
• Each paper will be an hour long and consist of multiple choice questions, graded in difficulty.  (With the length of the papers restricted to one hour, it becomes possible for schools to organise their timetable to allow for the first round competition to be written in school time.)
• The standard of the papers should be such that it allows for a range of abilities in order to stimulate a wide range of interest and participation.
• The National AMESA Competitions Committee submits the first round papers to the SAMO committee for final editing, translation, typing, printing and distribution to participating schools.

  3.1.2 Entries for the first round

• Students enter at their respective schools.
• The schools enter the students' names on the prescribed entry form and submit it to the Secretary of the SAMO.
• The Secretary supplies the participating schools, either with a master copy of the question paper(s) and answer sheets for duplication at the school, or the number of question papers and answer sheets required by the school.
• Entry fees:  see paragraph 3.4.

  3.1.3 Marking of the first round

• The Secretary of the SAMO Committee supplies each school with the answers for the first round.  The answer sheets are marked and scored by the teachers at the school.  (This is to encourage wide participation and involvement by teachers and students and to provide immediate feedback to schools about the performance of their students.)
• Schools will be encouraged to analyse the results and to make awards at school level in terms of the school's own philosophy and practice.
• Marked answer sheets and school analysis are submitted to the secretary of the SAMO.
• Students who achieve a prescribed qualifying mark for the first round qualify for the second round.  Schools enter full particulars of such students on the appropriate entry forms and submit it to the Secretary of the SAMO.

  3.2   SECOND ROUND
  3.2.1 Setting of the papers

• The papers will be set by the SAMO committee, but teachers, lecturers and other interested persons will be invited to submit questions.
• Junior and Senior papers will be set.  Both will consist of multiple choice questions.

• Students who achieve the qualifying mark for the first round, qualify for the second round.
• Each student that qualifies for the second round will receive a certificate.
• The Secretary of the SAMO supplies each school with the number of question papers and answer sheets in accordance with the number of entries received.

• All answer sheets are submitted to the Secretary of the SAMO and will be marked by computer.
• Results will be analysed by computer and results and statistics sent to each school.

• The top ten junior pupils will be identified and they will each receive a silver  medal and certificate.  They will also receive an invitation to participate in the final round.
• The best junior pupil will receive the Dawie du Toit Gold Medal.
• The top 100 senior pupils qualify for the Mathematics Olympiad (third round) and will each receive a bronze medal and a certificate.

  3.3    THIRD ROUND (THE OLYMPIAD)

  3.3.1  Setting of the paper

The paper will not be a multiple choice paper and it will be set by the SAMO committee, but teachers, lecturers and other interested persons will be invited to submit questions.

The top 100 students in the senior second round qualify for the third round and the top ten juniors will be invited to participate.

  3.3.4   Awards

• The top ten pupils are invited to attend an enrichment weekend at which the final awards will be presented at a banquet.
• The winner receives a gold medal and a cash prize while the other nine receive silver medals and cash prizes.

All students entering for the first round pay an entry fee which is kept as low as possible without putting the financial viability of the SAMO at risk.

5.    NAME OF THE COMPETITION

The name of the competition is be the SOUTH AFRICAN MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD, with an appropriate acknowledgement of all participating bodies.

6.     SAMO-COMMITTEE

The South African Mathematics Olympiad Committee is the organising committee of the South African Mathematics Olympiad and consists of - representatives of AMESA (The Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa), SAMS representatives (South African Mathematical Society, a society of professional mathematicians), Harmony, Mathematics educators at pre-tertiary and tertiary level appointed by the South African Academy for Science and Arts and a secretariat provided by the Academy.

7.     ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

The SAMO is run by the Academy as a distinct administrative unit.  All income derived from sponsorships and other sources are channelled to the SAMO account and all expenses in aid of the organising of the competitions are allocated to the same account.  It is the express wish of the Council of the Academy that the SAMO should be a self-financed venture.