Singapore & Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO)
A widely taken olympiad that bridges the gap between school-level math and high-level competition logic. SASMO originated in Singapore and remains one of the most prominent competitions in the Asia-Pacific region.
Quick Facts
| Coverage | Regional |
| Date | April (annually) |
| Eligibility | Primary 1 to Secondary 4 (Grade 1–10) |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Format | Online or Offline |
About
Created in 2006 by Singaporean math educator Terry Chew, SASMO is designed to be accessible to a wide range of students while still rewarding genuine mathematical thinking. Its scoring system — which penalises wrong answers in the multiple-choice section — encourages careful reasoning over guessing.
In Singapore, SASMO is often the first international-style competition students enter. Performing well qualifies students for more advanced competitions such as SIMOC and IJMO.
Structure
| Section | Problems | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Section A | 15 Multiple Choice Questions | 2 pts correct, −1 wrong, 0 blank (Total 30 pts) |
| Section B | 10 Short Answer Questions | 4 pts correct, 0 wrong/blank, non-routine logic (Total 40 pts) |
Suggested Topics
- Logic & Number Theory — Cryptarithms, Venn diagrams, Number patterns, Speed/Rate
- Geometry & Data — Area of complex polygons, Logical reasoning, Remainder theorem
Prizes
| Prize | Description |
|---|---|
| Gold Medal | Top 8% of participants |
| Silver Medal | Next 12% of participants |
| Bronze Medal | Next 20% of participants |