Avoid these mistakes while preparing for class 10 maths Olympiad

Avoid these mistakes while preparing for class 10 maths Olympiad

It is well known that “there is no substitute for hard work”. Students have to work very hard while preparing for the Olympiad exams to get the championship title. Not all students who take up this exam will be successful. The one preparing with the right strategy with smartness will be in the top 20% at the international level. The reason for the failure is that most students make mistakes in some way or the other during the preparation process or during the time of the examination.

Let us explore the common mistakes to be avoided while preparing for Olympiad exams.

1. Unfamiliar with the curriculum
2. Improper strategic plan
3. Failing to read the question properly
4. Lack of hard work
5. Not having enough practice
6. Making silly mistakes
7. Taking stress
8. Studying too much
9. Distracting Moments
10. Time Management

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  Unfamiliar with the curriculum:

On the first impression, it is observed that many students are unaware of the syllabus that is designed for the Olympiad exams. It is a common thought that the examination and the syllabus will be of their school level which is the common reason for failure. A point to be understood is that it is an examination that is conducted at the international level. So one has to be familiar with the syllabus and that can be identified from the Olympiad website for all class levels. https://sofworld.org/ may be referred. You can also refer to IMO Maths Olympiad Sample Question Paper 2 Class 10.

• Improper strategic plan :

It is very important to follow a proper strategy by making a detailed study plan well in advance and sticking to it properly. Many students fail in this aspect and they begin to prepare without any plan initially and end up missing the important concepts which lead to failure in the examination. This is a major mistake to be avoided substantially.

• Failing to read the question properly:

It is very important to read the question and understand the same properly before solving any problem. Even though one has practised to an extent it is wise to read every question twice during the exam. This is because questions may be looking familiar but when solving one may get stuck up in the middle. Also ignoring the sentences in the word problems should be avoided. If so there is a high chance of losing the score in the examination. It is also advised that the students should also look into the options carefully and pick the correct one.

• Lack of Hardwork :

Some students just enrol for the sake of others in this examination but put in less or no effort. Remember that, any examination should not be taken lightly especially the Olympiad exam which is conducted at the international level. When it comes to mathematics one cannot compromise practising by putting in more effort because it is the key to ensuring success. On the other hand, some students are overconfident in imagining that they can crack the exam in one go. Since it is also conducted for class 10, the questions will be of a higher level and also it will be complex. It is very important to give attention to minute details and henceforth working hard pays off.

• Not having enough Practice:

Once you are familiar with concepts do not be overconfident. Keeping in touch with the theorem, formula and solving problems from various sources will be an excellent way to be in the top 20%. This is the major reason for the students not coming out successfully in the examination. The practice also helps to increase the speed of your examination which makes you sit for the exam confidently. There is also less possibility of committing mistakes at the time of examination. One may refer to IMO maths Olympiad  sample question paper 2 for class 10 using the link https://www.vedantu.com/olympiad/imo-maths-olympiad-sample-question-paper-2-class-10

• Making silly mistakes:

It is a commonly heard word from a student that “ I have made a silly mistake” which costs you in the exam. Especially while solving problems in mathematics it is eventual to do mistakes but not in an examination like Olympiad. If there is a small change in value say an answer to a question is 5468 but it is wrongly misinterpreted as 6485 it will be of huge difference. One must also take care of signs when it comes to solving an integer problem. Similar way negative value results in negative marks. So Students should take care of these common mistakes.

• Taking Stress:

Stress is a common term that we often hear from the young generation today. Experts say that the use of electronic gadgets for a longer period and getting addicted for so long is the main cause of stress and that too with the young generation. When it comes to solving complex problems in mathematics students take too much stress if they are not able to arrive at the right solution. A student doesn’t have to solve all the problems in the examination and therefore there is no need of panicking by taking a lot of stress. Along with hard work, a little smartness is essential to clear this exam. So managing the stress is equally important by staying optimistic throughout the examination process.

• Studying too Much:

Excess of anything is dangerous and studies are no exception. As this is a mathematics exam practising a sufficient amount of problems will yield good results but when it goes above the threshold students due to anxiety may tend to lose interest, forget the concepts already learned, misinterpret the formula, do miscalculations thereby pulling down their level of preparation.

• Distracting Moments:

Distraction is the main cause of failure. As the students are still in their teenage they wanted to explore and excel at various activities. Unfortunately, this leads to a different track other than studies. It is highly encouraged that the aspirants of the Olympiad are first made aware of how and why the examination is important so that students are focused on their preparation till the end of the examination.

• Time Management:

Whatever be the occasion it is always advised to be on time. Once when a student is enrolled for the Olympiad examination he/she should be trained to manage time efficiently. But unfortunately, students fail to manage time during the examination in most cases is the cause of failure. To manage and make the best effective use of time during an exam is that one can take up several mock tests online as technology has become a high boon for the younger generation especially.

To conclude, Success is not defined in a day. It is achieved by learning from the mistakes and rectifying them to an extent and also following the expert’s advice thereby staying optimistic.