Frequently Asked Questions

The information on this page is intended to supplement the Simon Marais Mathematics Competition Rules, and should be read in conjunction with those rules.  For convenience we include references to relevant rules at the end of each FAQ.
Key dates for 2023
By 31 July:
Universities apply to participate, nominating local coordinators
By 8 September:
By 22 September:
Local coordinators to submit lists of participating students in the East Division
Local coordinators to submit lists of participating students in the West Division
14 October: 
March 2024​
Date of Competition
Prize money release
Frequently Asked Questions
​(students):
  • Can I take part in the competition? If you are an eligible undergraduate student at a university within the defined time-zones, you may be able to enter the competition. This requires your university to apply to participate by the deadline, so make sure your mathematics lecturers know about it. (2.1, 2.2)
  • How do I register to take part? Assuming your university has successfully applied to participate, there will be a local coordinator there managing the registration of students at that university. They will have a registration form for you to fill out. (3.2)
  • What are the entry fees? In 2023 there are no entry fees for Universities or students.
  • What kind of problems will there be in the competition? The style of problems will be broadly similar to those in other competitions such as the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition (see http://kskedlaya.org/putnam-archive/) and the International Mathematics Competition for University Students. They will be challenging problems that require creative thinking. See also Problems page and Rules 5.1 to 5.5.  
  • What areas of mathematics feature in the competition? Topics that are found in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum at most universities, such as algebra, analysis, combinatorics, geometry, number theory and probability. However, the competition is primarily a problem-solving competition and not designed to assess knowledge of mathematical content, even if that may occur indirectly in the process of problem-solving.
  • Is it worth entering as a first year student? We believe that university students at any level will benefit from the experience of participating in the competition. Our intention is that participants at any level will be able to understand almost all, and hopefully all, of the problem statements. (2.2)
  • What does it mean to enter as a pair? With the agreement of your local coordinator, you can enter the competition jointly with another eligible student from your university. You will then be able to discuss the problems together and submit your solutions jointly. For the purposes of prizes, the pairs entrants are treated separately from the individual entrants, although they are answering the same problems. (3.2.3, 4.10, 4.13 5.3, 7.2, 7.5)     
  • Is the competition available in languages other than English? Not at present: all exam papers will be set in English, and all submitted responses must be in English. (8.3)​
Frequently Asked Questions
​(local coordinators):
  • What does a local coordinator do? The main duties are to manage the registrations of participating students from that university, to submit the requested student information by the deadline, and to arrange for the students to sit the competition there under exam conditions. (3.1.4 to 3.1.8, 3.2.5, 3.2.6, 4.5, 4.8 to 4.17) 
  • How can I publicise the competition at my university? Local coordinators are in the best position to know how to reach the students at their university; a student mathematics society, if one exists, would be a natural group to contact. This competition has distinctive features, such as the pairs competition running in parallel with the individual competition, and the generosity of prizes available in both competitions, that may make it attractive to a wide pool of students. (7)
  • How will the pairs competition work? Registering pairs of contestants entails providing a suitable room for them to sit the competition (including possibly a single large enough space), where they can discuss the problems with each other without being overheard. In view of the need to reserve enough rooms and find enough assistants to supervise those rooms, it may be advisable for local coordinators to set an earlier internal deadline for pairs entries. We urge local coordinators, as far as possible, to allow students to choose whether to enter as an individual or a pair. (3.2.3, 4.10, 4.13)
  • Can I help the students with the problems? Before the competition day, you are free to arrange as much training as you wish to help students prepare. During the competition, you must ensure that competitors receive no outside assistance of any kind. In particular, you cannot answer requests for clarifications, translations or explanations of the problems except after obtaining explicit consent from the Organisers via the designated exam-day contact. (4.8, 4.9) 
  • Can I enter some smart school students? They are eligible provided they are enrolled in a course or unit of study at your University equivalent to at least 10% of a full-year enrolment. However, please make sure they are aware that their participation in the competition as a high school student would still count towards the lifetime limit of four entries. (2.2)