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The Australian Mathematics Trust is a non-profit organisation under the Trusteeship of the
University of Canberra. It
conducts a number of mathematics enrichment activities, all via schools. Most schools
take part in some of these activities,
and if you are a parent and wish your child to be involved, the best person to see is
the maths teacher or head of mathematics
at your school. Also, questions about student results should be directed to your school.
The Australian Mathematics Trust is the only organisation providing a complete pyramid of enrichment programs,
ranging from suitable for the average student, providing the only pathway to representing Australia
at International Olympiads in Mathematics and Informatics. Problem solving is an important adjunct
to the curriculum, including the proposed national curriculum, and the Australian Mathematics
Competition provides a unique way of confidential reporting to parents and schools on student
performance in mathematics and problem solving (requiring use of language at the sharpest end) for
all school years from year 3 to year 12.
There is a pyramid of activities in mathematics and informatics, ranging from events for students of all standards
under normal class conditions with teacher supervision, to representing Australia at international level.
The events are discussed in more detail below. However they can be illustrated as such:

Mathematics Pyramid: Open Events
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Pre-Olympiad: Mathematics content within curriculum, with problem solving |
Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)
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Olympiad: Working in schools with teachers, enriching mathematical knowledge |
Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians: Challenge Stage
Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians: Enrichment Stage
Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad
Mathematics Pyramid: Invitational Events
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AMOC Invitational Events |
AMOC Senior Contest
AMOC School of Excellence
Australian Mathematical Olympiad (AMO)
Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO)
AMOC Selection School
IMO team mentoring
Pre-IMO School
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International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) |
Entry numbers start at several hundred thousand at the base of the pyramid (AMC),
through tens of thousands in the
Challenge, to a hundred in the Australian Mathematical Olympiad and to just 6 in the IMO team.

Informatics Pyramid: Open Events
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Pre-Olympiad: Curriculum knowledge with problem solving |
Australian Informatics Competition (AIC)
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Olympiad: Programming knowledge needed |
Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIO)
Informatics Pyramid: Invitational Events
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AIOC Invitational Events |
AIOC School of Excellence
Australian Informatics Invitational Olympiad (AIIO)
French Australian Regional Informatics Olympiad (FARIO)
Asian Pacific Informatics Olympiad (APIO)
AIOC Selection School
Pre-IOI School
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International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) |
Entry numbers start at several thousand at the base of the pyramid (AIC), through a couple of hundred
in the AIO, and to just 4 in the IOI team.
Intellectual Property
All problems for Australian Mathematics Trust events are set to the highest standards. Uniquely, they are
- Original problems,
- composed in Australia,
- by teams of Australia's most experienced teachers and academics,
- working in problems committees as volunteers, and
- heavily moderated by further volunteers for mathematical and typographical accuracy.
Memberships of the Problems Committees for these open events are found in the following pages:
The object of this page is to inform parents about the various events associated with the Trust, which ones are generally
available, the benefits and how to enter.
The Trust administers activities in Mathematics and Informatics as described below.
Invitational Arrangements
For invitational events, invitations are issued by either state directors or the national director of training in the case of mathematics, or by the national director of training in the case
of informatics.
In order to be considered for an invitation in mathematics,
it is necessary to have records of outstanding results in the
Note that in order to receive an invitation for the Mathematics Olympiad
Program it is highly desirable that a student has recorded a number of consistent results in
both the AMC and the Challenge and Enrichment Programs leading to AIMO over a number of the lower secondary years. In order
to be selected in the Australian IMO team it is normal for a student to have passed through more than one cycle of programs,
so commencement in the above activities at least though years 8 to 10 is recommended. The AMC and Challenge
are available in upper primary and participation at this level is definitely helpful.
To be considered for an invitation
in informatics it is required to have an adequate result in the Australian
Informatics Olympiad (AIO).
Mathematics: Open Events
The major events open to the public have links provided below. Whereas the events are described in more detail in the linked
pages it could be stated that the major advantage in formal entry and participation in all three of the major,
large activities, i.e.
is that all students receive formal recognition of their work by an appropriate certificate from the Trust, all activities
are conducted Australia wide, and all are activities carefully written and moderated by experienced teachers and academics working
as volunteers.
The Trust regards the certification process as a vital outcome. Those students who participate
and submit assessment in events
such as the Challenge and Enrichment programs will receive a certificate
issued by the Trust, reflecting the wider level of
achievement reached by the student. This certification, which is nationally
recognised and understood, will prove invaluable
in student folios and enhancing student academic profiles, and is the only
certificate a student can present to prove their
involvement and level of achievement in these events.
As a non-profit organisation the Trust keeps fees to a minimum, but
further, the Challenge activities receive external support,
including the support of the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE), and so these entry
fees are in effect subsidised. Those who participate
in the Enrichment Stage receive the text book, which otherwise would
cost more than the whole entry fee for participating in the
program. These books contain valuable enrichment mathematics which
students can keep as reference in their later study.
Mathematics: Invitational Events
The AIMO, open to students up to Year 10, is the highest open event and
the best way of identifying students to be invited to
take part in activities of the Australian
Mathematics Olympiad Program . Students who wish to be
identified for this program are strongly advised to ensure that
they write the AIMO before they have completed Year 10. To write
the AIMO there is no formal prerequisite, but participation in the
Noether Enrichment Program is most advised. In fact participation
in any of the Challenge or Enrichment Programs in earlier years will
clearly be of advantage.
Generally, about 100 students, up to Year 12 level, nationwide,
are selected by AMOC State Directors, particularly on the basis
of AIMO results, but also Australian Mathematics Competition results,
to write the AMOC Senior Contest
(held in August) and/or the Australian Mathematical Olympiad
(held in February). Of these the top 25 approximately will be invited to
attend training camps, where advanced instruction is given and teams
are selected to represent Australia in the International
Mathematics Olympiad.
Students and parents who wish to discuss eligibilty for participation
in these events are welcome to contact their State
Directors, whose names are to be found at the AMOC web site. If necessary, contact details for
AMOC State Directors can be obtained from the Trust's office at (02) 6201 5136.
Informatics
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