Medallia Blog

Not all students take the summer off! Some of them are not content with just having the summer exams, and are willing to spend a week having more tests and challenges.

The summer internship at Medallia includes quite varied work, and apart from writing interactive css graphs, I was this July as a deputy leader following the Norwegian IMO (International Mathematical Olympiad) Team, which this year was arranged in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The IMO is the oldest one of the International Science Olympiads, where bright pupils from secondary schools all over the world meet to test their skills and to have fun. In the beginning (early sixties), the competition was held in Eastern Europe and featured mainly European countries, but in the last years, the competition has been held in Mexico, Greece, Japan, UK and South Korea. This years 47th IMO was arranged in Slovenia, and featured 90 countries and an astonishing number of 498 contestants.

The Norwegian Team. From left: Børge Nordli (deputy leader), Jørgen Vold Rennemo, Atle Rygg Årdal, Aslanbek Sjamsutdinov, Nils (mascot), Espen Arild Jenssen, Knut Dagestad Rand, and Vidar Klungre.

Click on "READ FULL ENTRY" below for more details and pictures.

The official programme lasted from July 6th to July 18th, starting with the leaders selecting which problems to give. The contenstants (and me) arrived July 10th (eight hours late because of a reroute through Frankfurt), and the contest was held on July 12th and July 13th. The contest itself consists of six problems (three each day) with topics from number theory, algebra, combinatorics and geometry taught in general secondary schools. (Not always in Norway, though.) The problems are by no means solvable by any secondary school student, but requires exceptional mathematical abilities, knowledge and intuition to solve. Try for yourself: First day, Second day.

Then followed some day of coordination (grading). All national leaders must meet with coordinators and agree upon the contestants score. This can take some time, so the contestants have a lot of time to see the country and to make friends. Amongst other things, the contestants and leaders were shown the Slovenian cities of Portorož, Bled, Kranjska Gora, and of course Ljubljana.

Lake Bled, with the only (!) Slovenian island

The Julian Alps of Kranjska Gora

View of Prešeren Square (main square of Ljubljana, b.r.), Tivoli Park (u.l.) and surrounding scenery

The competition concluded July 17th with the closing ceremony at Cankarjev Dom, with closing speeches, awarding of the medalists, and local dance performance.

We went home early the next morning by plane via Prague.

The main goal for Norway in the IMO is to beat Sweden. The secondary goal is to beat all other Scandinavian and Nordic countries. The third goal is to have fun. I am sad to tell that we did not fulfill the two first goals (we only beat Denmark), but Jørgen brought home one fine Bronze Medal (best half), and Norway also got two Honourable Mentions (fully solved problem). The last goal was fully met, and I believe the last night was especially fun. (Picture from departure.)

Norwegian Team after closing ceremony at Cankarjev Dom, fulfilling the last of the three goals

This year's score is around the norm for Norway. We have no chance to stand up against China (six gold medals (best 1/12)) and those getting an amazing 42 points (full score). I was very proud of the Norwegian contestants, and Jørgen was only 1 point away from getting a Silver Medal, still having two more years to participate! I myself participated in the IMO 2000 and 2001, without even getting an Honourable Mention, and it was very interesting to follow IMO from "the other side".

All in all, the trip was very rewarding, the students were great and had a lot of fun, and we all got inspired from the mathematical aura that surrounded this very well-organized event. More information and pictures available from IMO 2006 official home page.

I hope I will get the chance to be at the next IMO in Hanoi, Vietnam, and that Norway then will beat the Swedes.