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I am a student of class 10th from India and I cleared RMO stage-II this year, however could not get past through INMO. My result came just a day before INMO(cleared after reevaluation), therefore I could not do any preparation, however I am determined to clear INMO this year for any cost. I realized the level of INMO was much higher than RMO. I've got tonne of books, but they just reach a very high level in no time, and give me nothing more than a tough time. Any help would be appreciable.

Note by Ekdeep SIngh Lubana
5 years, 9 months ago

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I shouldn't be boasting this but I have attended classes of Akashnil Dutta, with Debdyuti and Subham Bhakta is a great friend of mine. I'v seen the latter two developing in front of my eyes. So I am quite the right person to write here even though I never qualified INMO. Here's what they did:

• Do Arthur Engel thoroughly. It is a standard book not only in India but across the Eastern countries. [The West have their own set of rules of playing the game]

• See what you like most; do that up to IMOTC, IMOSL level. It is very important to have a specific favourite. Be sure not to miss at least that in INMO. It is always better to do 2 fully correct rather than 4 half-solutions. All the people I mentioned above are next to God in geometry.

• Don't go for something very technically high standard and/or those which you won't completely understand like Langrange Multipliers, Prime Number Theorem, etc.

• Learn to write good proofs. You have to convey the examiner that you know what you've done.

• Lastly, a winning dogma "Great men don't do different things, they do things differently".

Peace and happy learning.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Hello! My prime weakness is Geometry and little bit combinatorics . Can you please help me to become good in these topics.? please.. Arthur angel level of geometry is very very high.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

I don't think I'm experienced enough to comment on Combinatorics. Engel's combinatorics is enough I suppose. But I've heard Path to Combinatorics is a good book. Even this year, INMO lifted a problem from there. I admit that Engel's geometry is not good for a novice. It is little different. You won't get problems like that in INMO but it is good for IMO. INMO is little old-fashioned and still gives problems on angle-chasing and trigonometric manipulations. But IMO geometry is not like that anymore. INMO will never dare giving problems like USAMO'86/p4. Firstly learn and understand the first two chapters of "Geometry Revisited". It is a classical suggestion for all geometry beginners. Then try out previous year INMO problems as well as those from "Challenge and Thrill of Pre-College Mathematics". You might also learn theory from CTPCM but personally I find it boring. Also, you can look at the geometric parts of Titu Andrescu's "103 Problems in Trigonometry". Occasionally you may try problems of Iran, Vietnam or China. They give problems like INMO but tougher. Once you're able to solve China TST 2001-2008 problems you'll know that you are going to make your country proud!

Peace and happy learning!

- 5 years, 9 months ago

of which book geometry revisited sir

- 5 years, 2 months ago

Thanks for the suggestion sir. Also , where do you think i can learn solving geometry problems using coordinate geometry , complex numbers , (Mass point geometry)..etc.?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Complex Number

• Complex Numbers from A to. . . Z by Titu Andreescu

• the article "Complex Numbers in Geometry" of imomath website

The others, there are no specific books addressing these problem solving strategies but I would suggest you to avoid mass point geometry(barycenters). For coordinate do the usual IIT stuff and then you may glance through the classic book "Conics Section Treated Geometrically". If you are really keen to these stuff then you can get pretty awesome pdfs on a Google search.

I'd say to crack INMO problems first try Euclidean Geometry, constructing, extending lines, etc. If it doesn't work, use cos rule and sine rule and you have high chance of getting the answer. Also, application of complex numbers is only reliable if everything happens on a certain circle and there are many points on the circle. It will lead you nowhere if there are many circles. Coordinate geometry bashing is more important in solving problems where you give an answer like AIME or even Brilliant. If you want to 'prove' something using coordinate geometry then there will a problem of dealing with a lot of variables.

Peace.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Sir are you on any social networking website.?? if yes then tell your id to me , and if not then please give your email-id sir..

- 5 years, 9 months ago

I am not registered to any social networking site. My email: official.abhishek.de[at]gmail[dot]com.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Sir what is China TST and CTPCM? and where can I get geometry revisited book? it ain't available on flipkart

- 5 years, 9 months ago

TST(Team Selection Tests) are a series of tests which students have to give after qualifying for their National Olympiad(in our case INMO). Those who get through the TST, they get to represent their country in IMO. Later the TST problems are sent to IMO committee in the IMO long list. China TST is considered one of the toughest pre-calculus exams much tougher than IMO itself, especially the years 2002-2008. CTPCM is simply the famous Indian book "Challenge and Thrills of Pre-College Mathematics".

- 5 years, 9 months ago

- 5 years, 9 months ago

if you have somebody in your relations living abroad you can ask them to get it for you. MMA(mathematical association of america) publishes it

- 4 years, 2 months ago

you can search for its PDF...its available

- 5 years, 9 months ago

hi sommesh, do you have the PDF version of 'Challenge and Thrill of PreCollege Mathematics'. Can you please send me a copy of the pdf file to my email ID--- kumarashutosh.nerist@gmail.com. Please Please help me because I am unable to open some webpages due to online restrictions.

- 5 years, 8 months ago

Hi Abhishek sir, Im from karnataka, do you think that reading art and craft of problem solving is enough for RMO? what books do you suggest?

- 5 years ago

Well,madhyamik's going to end this tuesday,this year I could'nt crack RMO cause I was too preoccupied with scoring decent marks in arts group.Jehetu tumi bangali tai banglae boli,:P brilliant e 1st bangla use korchi,ISI er kache je Ramanujan School Of Maths ache okhane ki RMO preparation korano hoy? Kolkata'r kachakachi RMO n INMO prep kothao korano hoy ki?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

mone hoye je RMO ar INMO r preparation hoye, aami o jante cheyechhi je ki konu Institute bole achhe na ki Kolkataye Forgive my Bengali, only 3 years here, personally i am not a bengali for non bengalis - is there any insti for RMO , INMO prep in Kolkata?

- 3 years ago

Translation for the sake of formality-Since you're a bengalee I'd like to speak in bengali,is there any coaching institute for RMO near kolkata?and does ramanujan school of maths have classes for RMO prerp?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Anyway, I just wanted everyone to get a fair share of this conversation. Yes, RSM is good; by good I mean very good. Of the 6 class 12 students who got RMO, 5 are from RSM. IMO medallist Debdyuti is from RSM. But their main teacher(Sayar Karmakar, a student of ISI) has got into a foreign university and has resigned. There's another, Cheenta Ganit Kendra (they have a website, so you can check), but its not as good as RSM at least as of now. Also several students of ISI tutor kids for pocket-money and there's another man called KCD(Keshab Chandra Das) who teaches near Jadavpur. But he is old now and more into IIT than ISI or RMO.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Thank you,so atleast for now the best place to go is RSM?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

I understand you are eager; but I think it is good to maintain a certain level of of formality here. I've added my email id, its better you contact me there.

Peace.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

I hope now you won't hesitate to answer...

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Sir which book do you think is good for inequalities , I am currently working on Pham-him-king secrets in inequalities ( in computer) and solving problems in AOPS.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

You are lucky that you know about these books at this young age. It was distributed during IMO 2007. Have faith in it(since its going to be a tough read) and you can later have a look at "Geometric Inequalities" by Nicholas Kazarikoff and "Geometric Problems on Maxima and Minima" by Titu Andreescu since PHKing avoids some geometric inequalities. Also, since you'are in AoPS you'll surely know Sayan Mukherjee(Potla);if you're thinking about inequalities, he's your man;

Peace.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

are there any good institutes for the preparation of RMO in Delhi and could u suggest some books for rmo preparation? it would be a really great help!

- 5 years, 9 months ago

i think there would be LOADS of good centres as IMOTC is held there..:p

- 5 years, 9 months ago

No; IMOTC is held in Mumbai. And sorry, I don't know any institute in Delhi; but Cheenta Ganit Kendra has online classes.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

which books are good for algebra,number,theory and combinatorics resp. ??for basics and then for advanced?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Please see above. For complete beginners you need follow Excursions in Mathematics, CTPCM, past papers of RMO and Arthur Engel (in that order).

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Excursion(Modak, Katre) is hardly available online. Not even in the market. I have heard that many people sent in their DDs and MOs for the book to Pune but never got a reply. I do not want to risk it, as expecting a book will take a month for postal communication(atleast 15 days)

- 3 years ago

sir, excursion in mathematics by stanley and ogilvy?

- 4 years, 2 months ago

excursion in mathematics is by whom??

- 5 years, 9 months ago

I suggest you excursion more than Problem premier . if you do excursion in fine manner ( like solving all the problems) then no-one can stop you to clear RMO

- 5 years, 9 months ago

excursion in mathematics is better or problem primer for beginners?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

and the books u mentioned have enough theory for solving the problems?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Hello Cody,

Just pick up a book and start!! Your effort is important, not the book. Excursion or Problem Primer are equivalent, but as the name suggests Problem Primer has less of theory.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

who is the author of excursion in mathematics ?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Modak, Katre

- 3 years ago

oh thanks,you seem to know a LOT about olympiads...just curious,where did you attend classes of Akashnil Dutta?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Firstly, before his IMO gold, he once lectured students in a math-camp in Barasat. And, later, in the RMO camp, he taught us inversion and since I was interested in geometry, I interacted with him quite a lot.

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Sir I've got a favorite subject, Number Theory... and to some humor point I did do 4 half solutions in this year INMO... but I do understand what you say, I greatly appreciate it... and I ain't next to God but I would say fine in Geometry...

- 5 years, 9 months ago

you solved 4 and half problem in this year INMO , then you would have top the exam indeed !

- 5 years, 9 months ago

NO!!!!! I solved 4 questions, each half... that's what I mean...

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Solving one problem fully would have given you more marks then solving 4 half problems :D

- 5 years, 9 months ago

LOL!!! no actually out of 4, 2 had 2 cases and I solved one case of each exactly correct, so I'm pretty much sure that I got marks more than one question at least :-D

- 5 years, 9 months ago

no they don;t give marks in this way ,

- 5 years, 9 months ago

then how is the marking done?

- 4 years, 2 months ago

im not able to solve ctpcm wat should i do

- 4 years, 10 months ago

What are the inequalities accepted for writing RMO

- 7 months ago

can u name those books pls pls pls

- 3 years, 2 months ago

i am in 9 presently, want to clear RMO next year, i have ctpcm, but is there any book which starts from basics, and is easy to understand.

- 4 years ago

Hi Abhishek sir, Im from karnataka, do you think that reading art and craft of problem solving is enough for RMO? what books do you suggest?

- 5 years ago

Same with me , you are in class 10th right.?

- 5 years, 9 months ago

Hello I am also in class 10 and I had qualified for RMO last time but failed to qualify for inmo scoring 28 marks only...

- 3 years, 6 months ago

Yes indeed and I'm happy enough to make it till RMO but this year I'm getting past INMO, for any cost

- 5 years, 9 months ago

anyone can tell me the name of any good book for ploynomials? it is troubling me the most. And i just wanted to ask that if i can use trigonometric methods for solving geomtry problems in the rmo.

- 4 years, 9 months ago

Edward J. Barbeque is good...Also try Venkatachala's...

- 11 months, 1 week ago

Sorry a typo....Barbeau

- 11 months, 1 week ago

@Ekdeep SIngh Lubana Does Re-evaluation help? Can you pls tell me what was ur score before and After RE-Evaluation Coz i M going for it now Thanks

- 2 years, 1 month ago

hey guys, i am in std 10 at present even i tried for RMO last year but failed.however i really want to crack it this year. please help.

- 4 years, 6 months ago