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Q: What does Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO): IP-Friendly Guide for Parent & Student cover? A: What SASMO tests across Grades 1–12, how its two-section paper maps onto IP heuristics, and what to confirm with SIMCC because 2026 dates/fees/medal bands are not yet posted.
TL;DR SASMO runs for Grades 1–12 and emphasises Olympiad-style problem solving. Dates, fees, and paper format can change each cycle, so always check the latest SIMCC announcement before registering. For private candidates, SIMCC’s page links a registration form and notes results are released about two weeks after the last Singapore contest date.
Registration quick answer (Singapore): Register through your school or as a private candidate via SIMCC’s form. Dates, venues and fees change each cycle - confirm on SIMCC’s official SASMO page before paying: https://simcc.org/sasmo/ and https://form.simcc.org/.
1 What exactly is SASMO?
DNA
Details (verify with SIMCC’s latest instructions)
Created
SIMCC’s SASMO page states SASMO was created in 2006.
Scale
SIMCC’s SASMO page states more than 400,000 students have participated from 42 countries and territories.
Levels
Primary 1 → JC2 (Grades 1–12).
Mode
Online/paper (SIMCC page).
Awards
Medal and certificate (SIMCC page).
Paper format
Confirm timing, question count, calculator rules, and scoring in the latest official instructions from SIMCC/your school.
2 How to confirm scoring and timing (without guessing)
Start from the official instructions (SIMCC / your school): confirm the paper duration, question count, and calculator rules for your level.
Check the scoring scheme: confirm whether there is any penalty for wrong answers and whether there are tie-break rules.
Practise under matched conditions: use the same timing and marking approach as the current cycle’s instructions (avoid relying on old screenshots or third-party summaries).
3 Famous past stumpers
3.1 “Cheryl's Birthday” (2015)
A Secondary 3 SASMO Q that went viral after The Straits Times columnist asked readers to deduce Cheryl's birthday from two cryptic statements by friends Albert and Bernard. The puzzle introduced logical elimination to millions and still appears in IP interview warm-ups.
3.2 “Unlucky Locker” (2022, Sec 2)
Students maximised the product of two factors summing to 30 and proved why the optimum lands at 15 x 15. Perfect gateway to AMath calculus via discrete optimisation.
4 Why IP students should care
4.1 DSA leverage
MOE’s DSA-Sec page lists Mathematics & Computational Thinking as a talent domain. Competition records can strengthen an application, but the evidence a school values (and how it evaluates awards) varies by school and DSA category-check each school’s DSA page for the latest guidance.
4.2 Skill transfer
SASMO question style
IP WA/Promo echo
Pattern-spotting in sequences
Secondary 3 binomial-theorem WA
Wordy logic elimination
Sec 4 Venn-diagram probability
Time-pressure algebra
JC1 common tests 1mark≈1.5minrule
4.3 Negative-marking discipline
Learning when not to guess hard-codes exam metacognition that saves marks in IP MCQ papers for Physics and Chemistry.
5 Registration & logistics (Singapore)
Start from SIMCC’s official SASMO page for the latest registration instructions and any schedule updates.
Private candidates: SIMCC’s FAQ links a registration form at https://form.simcc.org/ and notes the private-candidate contest is held online (with instructions sent closer to the date).
Results: SIMCC’s FAQ states results are released about two weeks after the last Singapore contest date. For Singapore Primary 6 students applying via DSA, SIMCC’s FAQ notes you can email admin@simcc.org for early release date guidance.
6 Preparing smartly (once the circular is out)
Mirror the official 2026 timing, penalties, and calculator rules when drilling.
Emphasise “skip if unsure” only if negative marking remains in Section A.
Use past papers for pattern spotting, but adjust for any syllabus/format changes announced by SIMCC.
Build stamina with two-hour mocks after the official 2026 format and mark scheme are released.
7 Common post-contest pathways
SASMO is often used as a stepping stone into other contests and training pathways. If your child wants to continue, confirm eligibility and selection rules directly with the relevant organisers (e.g., SIMCC’s contest pages) before assuming that any specific award guarantees an invitation.
Parent note: use the SASMO score report to decide whether to deepen Olympiad track or pivot to IP syllabus mastery.
Last checked 27 Jan 2026 - updated overview and Singapore registration notes using SIMCC’s official SASMO page; verify the current year’s paper format, scoring, and award criteria from the latest official instructions.
