The Mathematical Olympiad Handbook

Mathematical Olympiad competitions started in Hungary at the end of the nineteenth century, and are now held internationally. They bring together able secondary school pupils who attempt to solve problems which develop their mathematical skills. Olympiad problems are unpredictable and have no obvious starting point, and although they require only the skills learnt in ordinary school problems they can seem much harder. The Mathematical Olympiad Handbook introduces readers to these challenging problems and aims to convince them that Olympiads are not just for a select minority. The book contains problems from the first 32 British Mathematical Olympiad (BMO) papers 1965-96 and gives hints and outline solutions to each problem from 1975 onwards. An overview is given of the basic mathematical skills needed, and a list of books for further reading is provided. Working through the exercises provides a valuable source of extension and enrichment for all pupils and adults interested in mathematics.