If you are searching for a place to start your NMOS preparation, then you have come to the right place! This ultimate guide to acing the NMOS will help you to get started in your preparation for the 2024 NMOS.
But first, what is NMOS?
NMOS stands for the National Math Olympiad of Singapore (NMO∑), organised yearly by NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. The competition began in 2006 to stretch students’ mathematical potential.
Eligibility for NMOS
Students who are keen to participate in NMOS will be pleased to know that the NMOS is open to all students in Singapore (including international schools). The only caveat is that students will have to be registered by their primary schools and individual registrations are not allowed.
Latest Update: As of 2024, the NMOS will be opened to Primary 5 students only.
Important Contest Details
Registration Fee: $22 (inclusive GST, as of 2023)
Registration Period: 25 March – 19 April 2024
Date of Competition: 16 July 2024
Date of Results: Results are released directly to schools
This year, the NMOS is will be held in a single round.
| Preliminary Round | |
| Format | Written and held in Primary Schools |
| Type | Short Answer Questions |
| Duration | 90 mins (1.5 hours) |
With the release of the latest NMOS rules and regulations, what does this mean for my child? Are there any new changes that I will need to take note? Catch our 2024 NMOS Changes: What Does It Mean For Me? webinar happening on 10 March 2024.
We highly encourage you to join this webinar to keep updated on the latest changes in 2024 NMOS.
(As the 2024 NMOS changes happened in end February 2024, please check back on this blog post for the latest analysis)
In the meantime, let’s also take a look at our analysis of the past 6 years.
How were marks awarded previously?
Previously, in the Preliminary Round, there were more questions with lower weightage as follows:
- 1-mark: 10 questions
- 2-mark: 10 questions
- 3-mark: 10 questions
- Total score: 60 marks
In the Special Round, there would be fewer questions with higher marks per question. In 2023, we also saw a change in the type of question tested in the Special Round.
- 2023: 5 x 3-point questions, 5 x 4-point questions and 10 x 5-point questions
NMOS Awards
Students were ranked according to their combined scores in the NMOS Preliminary Round and the NMOS Special Round. The top twenty students will be shortlisted to join the IMSO training squad. There will also be a special category to rank female students.
While the medal criteria are not specified on the NMOS website, around the top 1.5% of participants (80+ students) will receive a Gold Medal.
Think Academy’s Predictions
You previously needed around 80 points (for both rounds) to enter the top 30 and 65 points for the Gold Medal. From analysing past year’s NMOS Preliminary Round, students who aim to enter the NMOS Special Round should strategise on making sure they get full marks for all 1-mark and 2-mark questions.
So how should you prepare for the NMOS – NMOS Analysis (2018-2023)
1. The key difference between NMOS and RMO
Out of all the Upper Primary Math Olympiads (NMOS, RMO, and APMOPS), the NMOS is considered the easiest. Unlike the RMO, the question types in NMOS usually only have a single and clear focus. Since most of the questions are testing on single knowledge points, the basic-level questions can be solved with ease if they have had prior exposure to such problem-solving strategies.
2. Ensuring a NMOS Silver is as easy as mastering PSLE content
After analysing the NMOS past year papers from 2018 to 2023 and assigning difficulty levels (1-3), what we found is that 70% of the paper tests students on the difficulty level of 1-2.
To achieve NMOS Silver previously, you would need to score for the Level 1 and 2 questions. The good news? Most of Level 1 and Level 2 difficulty questions in the NMOS Preliminary Round are questions that are similar in difficulty with the PSLE.
3. Master Number Theory and Geometry
From analysing the NMOS Preliminary Round, up to 34% and 20% of the Level 3 questions were testing on Geometry and Number Theory respectively. While you might not need to complete these questions if you are aiming for a Silver Medal, these questions would have boosted your chances of attaining a Gold Medal.
4. Increase in difficulty level of questions in NMOS Special Round
It’s no surprise that the difficulty level of all the modules tested in the NMOS Special Round will increase. But through our analysis, we saw Number Theory and Combinatorics taking a large proportion of the NMOS Special Round (19% and 14% respectively).
Think Academy’s Suggested Strategy To Prepare for NMOS
With 30 questions to complete in 90 minutes, time is of the essence. Our curriculum specialist and experienced Math Olympiad coach, Teacher Yuxin, recommends the following strategies for the NMOS Preliminary Round.
- Take the first 5 minutes to skim through the paper, marking out all the problems you can confidently complete
- Focus on questions that you can complete confidently. Skip questions that require you to spend more than 90 seconds to devise with a problem-solving strategy
- Spend 50 minutes on the first 20 questions and 40 minutes on the remaining 10 questions
The best time to start your NMOS preparation is now!
- Singapore’s First And Only Comprehensive NMOS Guide Book
- Build foundation, master problem-solving methods, and cultivate ability to apply knowledge flexibly
Register for your copy here.
For students with a strong interest and aptitude for Math Olympiad, build strong foundations in Math Olympiad towards winning awards at Singapore’s top Math Olympiad with our Math Olympiad (CO) course and short-term classes.
Don’t miss this webinar where we will share with you the latest changes to the 2024 NMOS and what it means for you and your child who is preparing for the NMOS happening on 10 March 2024, 7.30pm on Youtube Live.
