Which is the most prestigious math Olympiad?
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is a mathematical olympiad for pre-university students, and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. It is one of the most prestigious mathematical competitions in the world. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959.
Each solution is intended to be in the form of a mathematical proof. Since there are 6 problems, a perfect score is 42 points.
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is considered the toughest olympiad exam.
- Terence Tao (Australia), in 1986 at age 10 years, 363 days.
- Raúl Chávez Sarmiento (Peru), in 2009 at age 11 years, 271 days.
- Akshay Venkatesh (Australia), in 1994 at age 12 years, 241 days.
The SAFEST Olympiad is a joint training competition for South African and Estonian IMO teams.
The most famous Olympiads are The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), The International Biology Olympiad (IBO), The International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) and The International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO).
The USAMO is significantly more difficult and harder to qualify than its counterpart. The structure of the Olympiad test is a grueling 9 hour, 6 problem long proof-based contest, where contestants submit proofs and solutions to some of the hardest math problems in the world.
Team China participated online and scored a perfect total of 252, highest possible in the Olympiad. This is only the second time that a team had recorded a perfect score in IMO history, after Team USA did so back in 1994.
2023 Elections: Peter Obi wins Imo.
Which country has the hardest math? The United Kingdom, The United States of America, etc are the countries having one of the best education systems. But when it comes to having the hardest math, China and South Korea top the list.
Which country has the hardest math Olympiad?
Each year, a total of 6 × 42 = 252 points are available to each country. So China's average score of 206.2 is quite impressive (especially to anyone who has ever tried to solve an IMO problem 😅). After China, the next 3 strongest countries have been USA, Russia and South Korea.
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is more than a math competition for high schoolers: It's also a springboard for subsequent success. The MIT delegation that annually dominates the Putnam Mathematical Competition is largely composed of alumni of the IMO and related math competitions.

Building Life Skills
As you train for the highest level of Math Olympiad competitions, you'll build independence and improve your study skills. You'll also improve your ability to organize and communicate your thoughts. Each of these skills is essential for success in the future, both in college and in your career.
The Program
We offer two divisions; the Elementary division is for grades 4, 5 and 6, and the Middle School division for grades 6, 7 and 8. You may enroll up to 35 students per team.
Winning formula: USA tops International Math Olympiad for first time in 21 years. In 1980, the United States hockey team pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, beating a powerhouse Soviet squad, 4-3, on its way to winning the gold medal.
Rank | Country | Honorable Mention |
---|---|---|
1 | China | 2 |
2 | United States | 1 |
3 | Russia | 0 |
4 | South Korea | 7 |
The Olympiad Ranking of the students is a mathematical analysis of their academic scores compared to the scores of other students. The Ranking for Olympiad exams is determined considering the scores of both rounds. The scores are converted into ranks.
AMC is one of the largest and most prestigious math competitions globally. Each year, over 300,000 students compete in AMC. Scoring in the 120 range (out of 150) is considered to be a high achievement and it allows for you to enter into the USA Mathematical Olympiad. The competition locations are available here.
The toughest problem ever asked in any International Mathematical Olympiad competition hands down has to be problem 6 of IMO 1988. Before explaining why this problem drags the credit of being the most complicated problem ever, let's first understand what the problem was.