Regulations
Introduction
The Mathematics A-lympiad is being organized by the Freudenthal institute under
the auspices of the Dutch Education Committee for Mathematics of the Mathematics
Association. The Mathematics A-lympiad consists of a preliminary round at school
and an international final round. The problems for the Mathematics A-lympiad are
designed by the Mathematics A-lympiad Committee; this Committee is also responsible
for the assessment of the results of the final round.
Composition of teams
Participants of the Mathematics A-lympiad are teams consisting of three or
four students from 5HAVO or 5/6VWO, who all take the Mathematics A (applied
mathematics) class.
The level of students from other countries should be comparable.
During a limited period of time, the teams are required to write a report containing
the solution of the problem (which changes yearly).
Entry
Each school may enter the Mathematic A-lympiad with one or more teams. One
of the teachers of the participating school is responsible for the organization
in the school, the selection of the candidate-reports and the assessment of
a number of reports of the preliminary round.
In countries outside the Netherlands, a 'contactperson' will take care of organization
of the A-lympiad in his/her country, on the same base, with support from the
Dutch organization. Translation of the assignment is one of the things that
should be taken care of.
Preliminary round
Every year, the preliminary round takes place at the schools on a Friday in
November, supervised by the teacher who entered the teams into the competition.
The amount of time available is from 9 am till 4 pm (on the Dutch Antilles and
Aruba from 7.30 am till 2.30 pm). Use of books and computers is allowed, whilst
writing the report. The school receives one envelope per team, containing four
copies of the problem. The envelopes are to be unsealed at the start of the
preliminary round, at 9 am (or 7.30 am), in the presence of the students.
Sending in results: the Netherlands
Schools that enter the comptetition with ten teams or less may send in
two reports to compete for a place in the final round. Schools that enter
more than ten teams may send in three reports.
Reports that are competing for a place in the final round should be
sent in fivefold. They must be one-sided, A4-format, written with black
pen or printed, and not bounded. The names of the students and of the school
should be mentioned on the cover. No later than Tuesday after the preliminary
round, the solutions should be sent by express to:
Freudenthal institute
att. Mathematics A-lympiad Committee
Aidadreef 12
3561 GE Utrecht
The Netherlands
The reports pass into the ownership of the Freudenthal institute.
Assessment of the solutions of the preliminary round: the Netherlands
Within two weeks after the preliminary round, the organizing teacher will receive
no more than eight reports. His/her school will not be amongst these reports.
The reports should be 'graded' by quality: the best on top, the worst on the
bottom. Based on this judgement, the Mathematics A-lympiad Committee decides
which teams will enter the final round. All participating schools will be informed
about the results.
Results and assessment preliminary round outside the Netherlands
Participating countries decide which team they will send to the final round
in the Netherlands.
Final round
For the final round, twelve Dutch teams will be invited.
Also one (or two) team(s) of every participating country will be invited, under
the condition that all expenses are on their own account.
Every team will work on the same assignment in their own language.
Every year, the final round takes place in the middle of March at a central
location in the Netherlands. The final round will be held from Friday 11.30
am till Saturday 2 pm. The participating teams must have the same composition
as in the preliminary round. The Mathematics A-lympiad Committee assesses the
reports of the final round, which means that reports in a foreign language should
be translated into English (or Dutch, if possible) asap after the final round..
Prize-giving day will be in the end of April.
In situations not foreseen by these regulations, the Mathematics A-lympiad
Committee will act accordingly.