APSMO Maths Olympiad Preparation (Years 7-8)

To prepare for the APSMO Maths Olympiad, practise non-routine problem solving rather than syllabus drills, treat each of the four contests as feedback for the next, write short clear solution notes, and build accuracy before speed — five questions in 30 minutes rewards careful, strategic work, not rushing. The APSMO Maths Olympiad for Years 7-8 is a school-based series that builds problem-solving stamina across multiple rounds spread over the school year.

What makes APSMO different

The defining feature of the APSMO Maths Olympiad is that it is a series, not a single exam. Four short contests across the year mean a student gets repeated, low-stakes practice at performing under pressure, with feedback between each round. That structure changes how to prepare: the goal is not one big push, but steady improvement, using each contest to find and fix a weakness before the next. The questions themselves are non-routine — short to state, but requiring insight rather than a memorised method.

The three skills the contest rewards

APSMO itself signals three priorities for students, and they make a good preparation checklist:

• Treat each round as feedback for the next. Review every contest the day after, find the one or two ideas you missed, and practise those exact problem types before the next round.
• Write shorter, clearer solution notes. Because each question is one mark and time is tight, a clean, well-organised approach prevents careless loss.
• Build accuracy before speed. Five questions in 30 minutes is enough time to think; the students who do best are accurate first and fast second.

A round-by-round strategy

1. Before contest 1 (May): practise a broad mix of non-routine problems — number, geometry, counting, logic — to build a flexible toolkit.
2. Between contests: after each paper, target the specific topics that cost marks; do not re-drill what already works.
3. Across the year: keep a simple log of recurring mistakes (misreading, arithmetic slips, wrong strategy) and watch it shrink.
4. Late in the series (September): shift toward harder problems and tighter timing as confidence and consistency grow.

How to practise non-routine problems

Routine maths asks ‘apply the method just taught’. APSMO asks ‘find a method when nobody tells you which one’. The way to build this is exposure: work through many unfamiliar problems, and when stuck, study the solution and ask what clue should have pointed the way. Over time, students build a library of problem-solving moves — trying small cases, looking for patterns, working backwards — that transfer across the whole series.

Where APSMO fits

APSMO and the Australian Mathematics Competition reward the same non-routine thinking and complement each other: APSMO gives repeated practice across the year, while the AMC is a single annual benchmark. Many students do both. To build the underlying skills, see our AMC Years 7-8 preparation guide and the 8-week preparation plan, and consider the Ace Achievers AMC Foundation course for structured problem-solving practice. A free diagnostic shows where to start.

Format and dates last verified June 2026 against APSMO. Dates and arrangements change every year and are school-managed — always confirm with your school or APSMO before relying on a date.

Frequently asked questions