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If you are a primary school student who loves math and wants to challenge yourself, you might be interested in the math competitions organized by the Singapore Mathematical Olympiad for Primary Schools (SMOPS). SMOPS is a national math competition that aims to identify and nurture young mathematical talents in Singapore. SMOPS consists of three rounds: the Preliminary Round, the Special Round and the Invitation Round. In this article, we will give you an overview of each round and some tips on how to prepare for them.

The Preliminary Round is the first and most accessible round of SMOPS. It is open to all Primary 6 students in Singapore who register through their schools. The Preliminary Round consists of 25 multiple-choice questions that test your basic math skills and problem-solving abilities. You have 90 minutes to complete the paper. The top 4% of the participants will qualify for the Special Round.

The Special Round is the second and more challenging round of SMOPS. It is open to the qualifiers from the Preliminary Round and some invited students from other countries. The Special Round consists of 20 short-answer questions that test your advanced math skills and logical thinking. You have 120 minutes to complete the paper. The top 50% of the participants will qualify for the Invitation Round.

The Invitation Round is the final and most prestigious round of SMOPS. It is open to the qualifiers from the Special Round and some invited students from other countries. The Invitation Round consists of 5 long-answer questions that test your creativity and originality in solving complex math problems. You have 180 minutes to complete the paper. The top performers will receive medals and certificates, and may be selected for further training and participation in international math competitions.

To prepare for SMOPS, you need to have a solid foundation in math concepts and skills, as well as a passion for problem-solving. You can practice by doing past papers from SMOPS and other math competitions, such as the Singapore Mathematical Olympiad (SMO), the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) and the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). You can also join a math club or enrichment program at your school or outside, where you can learn from your peers and mentors. Most importantly, you need to have fun and enjoy the process of learning and discovering new things in math.

We hope this article has given you a glimpse of what SMOPS is all about and how you can prepare for it. If you are interested in joining SMOPS or learning more about it, you can visit their website at https://smops.sg/ or contact them at [email protected]. We wish you all the best in your mathematical journey!