A Word by the Author

Russian mathematicians have suggested that mathematics is gymnastics for the brain. Mathematics
Olympiad is similarly practiced ferociously in China by a majority of the student population, all for
a coveted place in one of the elite high schools.
Children who exhibit certain traits and penchant for numbers at the age of 5 or 6 years old, or even
earlier, have great potential to be mathematical olympians among their peers – provided they are
groomed via a systematic, rigorous and routinized training.
Singapore was ranked 3rd in Mathematics in a recent TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study) survey, after Hong Kong and Taiwan. Notably, China was not among the list
of countries surveyed.
The most prestigious local competition is RIPMWC (Raffles Institution Primary Mathematics
World Competition). Meant for primary 6 students or younger, the top 50 to 60 or so participants are
selected from Round 1 to compete in Round 2. Thereafter, 6 top participants emerge to take part in
the world competition for primary school mathematics in Hong Kong. Another popular competition,
also for primary 6 students, is APMOPS (Asia Pacific Mathematical Olympiad for Primary Schools),
which has been organized by Hwa Chong Institution since 1989. Awards are given at the end of two
rounds of competition based on merit: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
At the primary 5 level, the yearly NMOS (National Mathematical Olympiad of Singapore)
competition has also captured the attention of parents, who eye NUS High as their preferred
secondary school since 2006.
The first series of books Maths Olympiad: Unleash the Maths Olympian in You! published in 2007
and 2008, has served as an ideal companion to students looking to establish a strong foundation in
mathematics – be it for PSLE preparation or in hope that they might one day take part in the various
local and international competitions. The books are, therefore, also first-choice materials for parents
of primary 3 students looking for quality content in gifted programme training.
In this edition, you will find the following new additions:
• Observation
• Number Puzzles
The objective is to cater to increasingly intelligent children who have been exposed to a wide variety
of topics. Some of these topics, which overlap with the local mathematics syllabus, have also been
adopted by schools here for students to practice on.
I feel extremely privileged and honoured to be able to continue serving students in this field. My
latest series Solve Exam-Type Mathematics Word Problems in 28 Essential Lessons is currently
out on shelves.
For related courses and workshops, please visit
terrychew.com.sg.
Terry Chew
(2017)

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 Foreword
Occasionally, in some difficult musical compositions there are beautiful,
but easy parts - parts so simple a beginner could play them.
So it is with mathematics as well.
- Professor Sherman K. Stein -

Mathematical Olympiad is widely practised in some countries due to the following

characteristics:
• the wide range of topics that link mathematics to most everyday events,
• the witty and tricky nature of the problems that bring out the best in students’
thinking skills and creative imagination,
• the ability to encourage students to use more than one method to solve the
problems, thus stimulating them to think outside the box,
• and to equip them with abundant knowledge to devise their own methods in
problem-solving due to the extensive training and exposure.

This book consolidates the materials that I have used to teach my students over
the years. Although the problems are of Mathematical Olympiad type, I believe all
students can benefit by working on them. Built on and beyond the school syllabus,
the importance of attitude and enthusiasm surpasses that of capability in learning
Mathematical Olympiad.
Many children whom I have guided and their parents alike are mesmerized by the
materials presented in this book.
I hope you and your child will be too!
Terry Chew
(2008)

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 CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Looking for a Pattern------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Chapter 2 The Story of Gauss--------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Chapter 3 Using Model---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

Chapter 4 Problems with Planting Trees-------------------------------------------------------- 30

Chapter 5 Solve by Comparison and Replacement-------------------------------------------- 41

Chapter 6 Counting--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 51

Chapter 7 Tricks in Addition and Subtraction-------------------------------------------------- 58

Chapter 8 Tricks in Multiplication--------------------------------------------------------------- 66

Chapter 9 Age Problems--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 76

Chapter 10 Working Backwards------------------------------------------------------------------- 88

Chapter 11 Chicken-and-Rabbit Problems------------------------------------------------------- 97

Chapter 12 Logic----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 106

Chapter 13 Make a List----------------------------------------------------------------------------116

Chapter 14 Excess-and-Shortage Problems---------------------------------------------------- 126

Chapter 15 IQ Maths------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 133

Chapter 16 Catching Up--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 145

Chapter 17 Encountering-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 153

Chapter 18 Digits, Numbers and Multiples----------------------------------------------------- 162

Chapter 19 Cryptarithm--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 172

Chapter 20 Perimeter of Squares and Rectangles---------------------------------------------- 180

Chapter 21 Observation--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 190

Chapter 22 Number Puzzles---------------------------------------------------------------------- 201

SOLUTIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------S1 - S26

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 1 Looking for a Pattern

EXAMPLES
1 Find the missing numbers in the number patterns.
(a) 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, ( ), ( ), ...
(b) 1, 4, 9, 16, ( ), ( ), ...
(c) 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ( ), ( ), ...
(d) 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, ( ), ( ), ...
Solution:
(a) 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, ...
×2 ×2 ×2 ×2 ×2 ×2

(b) 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, ...

1 = 1 × 1 16 = 4 × 4
4 = 2 × 2 25 = 5 × 5
9 = 3 × 3 36 = 6 × 6
(c) 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, 42, 56, ...
+4 +6 +8 + 10 + 12 + 14

(d) 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, ...

+3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3

2 Find the missing numbers in the number patterns.

(a) 24, 3, 21, 6, 18, ( ), ( ), ...
(b) 8, 1, 10, 2, 12, ( ), ( ) ...
(c) 28, 2, 24, 4, 20, ( ), ( ), ...
(d) 1, 8, 3, 10, 5, 12, ( ), ( ), ...
Solution:
+3 +3

(a) 24, 3, 21, 6, 18, 9, 15, ...

–3 –3 –3

+2 +2 +2

(b) 8, 1, 10, 2, 12, 3, 14 ...

+1 + 1

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 +2 +2

(c) 28, 2, 24, 4, 20, 6, 16, ...

–4 –4 –4

+ 2 +2 +2

(d) 1, 8, 3, 10, 5, 12, 7, 14, ...

+2 +2 +2

3 Find the missing numbers in the number patterns.

(a)
5 12 8 18 A B

10 16 40

(b)
18 12 24 16 A B

15 20 10

Solution:
(a) 5 × 2 = 10 (b) 18 – 3 = 15
10 + 2 = 12 15 – 3 = 12
8 × 2 = 16 24 – 4 = 20
16 + 2 = 18 20 – 4 = 16
A × 2 = 40 A – 5 = 10
A = 20 A = 15
40 + 2 = B 10 – 5 = B
B = 42 B=5

4 Which of the following patterns is not the same as the rest?

(a) 2, 2, 4, 6, 10, 16, 26, ...
(b) 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ...
(c) 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, ...
Solution:
Pattern (c) is not the same as patterns (a) and (b).
In patterns (a) and (b), each term is the sum of the two preceding terms.
In pattern (c), each term is added by 3.

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 PRACTICE
1 Find the missing numbers in each number pattern.

(a) 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, ( ), ( ), ...

(b) 6, 9, 13, 18, 24, ( ), ( ), ...

(c) 1, 3, 9, 27, ( ), ( ), ...

(d) 1, 3, 6, 8, 16, 18, ( ), ( ), ...

2 Find the missing numbers in the Pascal Triangle.

1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) 1

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 3 Find the missing numbers.
(a)
3 12 7 28 6 A

11 6 14 9 12 B

(b)
4 11 8 6 10 6

1 8 9 A B 12

4 Find the missing numbers by filling in the correct answers.

(a)
1 2 3 6

4 5 6 15

7 8 9

(b)
7 4 5 15

8 6 10 20

9 5 8

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 5 Find the missing numbers by filling in the correct answers.
(a)
2 4 3 2 4 6
3 18 5 25 3

(b)
1 16 2 21 4
4 3 3 5 5 6

6 Find the missing numbers in each pattern shown below.

(a) 2, 2, 4, 8, 14, ( ), ( ), ...

(b) 2, 2, 4, 6, 10, ( ), ( ), ...

(c) 2, 4, 12, 48, ( ), ( ), ...

(d) 5, 3, 10, 4, 15, ( ), ( ), ...

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 7 Find the missing numbers in the Number Triangle.

2 4

3 6 9

4 ( ) ( ) 16

5 ( ) 15 ( ) 25

6 ( ) ( ) 24 ( ) ( )

8 Look at the Number Triangle shown below.

2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 10

... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ...

(a) How many numbers are there in the 6th row?

(b) What is the second number from the left in the 8th row?

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 CHAPTER 1
1. +6 +6 +6 (c) 2, 4, 12, 48, 240, 1440, ...
(a) 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24, ... ×2 ×3 ×4 ×5 ×6
+5 +5 +5 +1 +1

(b) 6, 9, 13, 18, 24, 31, 39, ... (d) 5, 3, 10, 4, 15, 5, 20, ...
+3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +5 +5 +5

(c) 1, 3, 9, 27, 81, 243, ...

7. 1
×3 ×3 ×3 ×3 ×3
2 4
(d) 1, 3, 6, 8, 16, 18, 36, 38, ... 3 6 9
+2 ×2 +2 ×2 +2 ×2 +2 4 8 12 16
5 10 15 20 25
2. 6 12 18 24 30 36
1
1 1 8. (a) 6
1 2 1 (b) 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 28
Numbers in row 8 are:
1 3 3 1
29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36
1 4 6 4 1 The second number from the left in the 8th row
is 30.
1 5 10 10 5 1
9. (a) 1, 3, 6, 18, 21, 63, 66, ...
3. (a) 3 × 4 = 12 11 – 6 = 5 ×3 +3 ×3 +3 ×3 +3
7 × 4 = 28 14 – 9 = 5 (b) 1, 3, 9, 27, 81, 243, ...
6 × 4 = A 12 – B = 5
×3 ×3 ×3 ×3 ×3
A = 24 B=7 (c) 1, 5, 17, 53, 161, 485, ...
(b) 4 + 8 = 1 + 11 = 12 1 × 3 + 2 = 5 5 × 3 + 2 = 17
8 + A = 9 + 6 = 15 A=7 17 × 3 + 2 = 53 53 × 3 + 2 = 161
10 + 12 = 22 = B + 6 B = 16 (d) 2, 7, 27, 107, 427, ...
2 × 4 – 1 = 7 7 × 4 – 1 = 27
4. (a) 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 27 × 4 – 1 = 107 107 × 4 – 1 = 427
4 + 5 + 6 = 15
7 + 8 + 9 = 24 10. 1, 2, 6, 15, 31, 56, 92, 141, ...
+ 1 + 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + 36 + 49
(b) 7 – 4 = 3 3 × 5 = 15
8 – 6 = 2 2 × 10 = 20 1×1 2×23×34×4 5×5 6×6 7×7
9 – 5 = 4 4 × 8 = 32
11. 54 321 × 9 = 488 889
654 321 × 9 = 5 888 889
5. (a) 2 + 4 = 6 3 × 6 = 18
3 + 2 = 5 5 × 5 = 25
12. 5 × 2 = 10 = 4 + 6
4 + 6 = 10 3 × 10 = 30 7 × 4 = 28 = 16 + 12
(b) 1 + 3 = 4 4 × 4 = 16 6 × ? = 42 = 18 + 24
2 + 5 = 7 3 × 7 = 21 ? = 42 ÷ 6 = 7
4 + 6 = 10 5 × 10 = 50
13. The numbers in the 20th term are:
×3 +3
6. (a) 2, 2, 4, 8, 14, 22, 32, ...
(20, 60, 63)
+ 0 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10
20 + 60 + 63 = 143
(b) 2, 2, 4, 6,10, 16, 26, ...
Each term is the sum of the two preceding 14. (a) Row 12
terms. (b) Column A

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