Did you know solving math competition problems activates more areas of the brain than regular classroom math — especially those linked to creative thinking, memory, and decision-making? Studies have shown that students who engage in competitive problem-solving show increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex of the brain.
That means just participating in math competitions literally trains your brain to become sharper, more adaptive, and more resilient — even if you don’t get every answer right. Whether you win or not, every problem literally makes you smarter. Welcome to the world of international maths competitions — where the real prize isn’t about winning, but growing your brainpower.
And in this blog, you’ll find your no-fluff, straight-to-the-point, and helpful guide on how to prepare for the World Maths Championship.
Why Preparation Matters
For a competition as nerve-racking and skill-dependent as the World Maths Championship, practice and preparation are the keys to being a refined mathlete that’s ready to take on a challenge.
By knowing what to expect, and how to deal with tricky questions that are meant to fry your brain with confusion, you can know exactly how to tackle these brain-freezers without losing your nerves.
Know the Format—Breakdown of rounds, question types, time limits
By knowing how things work and function at an international math competition beforehand, actual practice and preparation can be way easier and more manageable.
The World Maths Championship by GEMA is a platform that provides online math contests for students from Grades 1–8, which allows them to showcase their mathematics skills, gain global recognition, and build confidence through engaging competitions.
The World Maths Championship 2025 is to be held on the 31st of July and 18th of August, and the last dates for registration are 27th July 2025 for the 31st July exam date and 14th August 2025 for the 18th August exam date.
Given below is the format of how the questions and registration process works:
Question Format:
- Multiple Choice and Fill-in-the-Blanks
- Mix of Easy, Average, and Difficult questions
- You may skip questions without penalty
- No negative marking
- You can navigate freely; move forward or backward between questions
Rules:
- Pen and paper allowed for rough work
- Calculators are not permitted
- Participants are to ensure a quiet, uninterrupted environment during the exam
Question Count & Duration:
- Grades 1–4: 35 questions (15 easy questions, 15 average questions, and 5 hard questions)
- Grades 5–8: 50 questions (20 easy questions, 20 average questions, and 10 hard questions)
- Time Limit: 60 minutes
Modes of Participation:
- Pen & Paper Mode: Through participating schools
- Online Mode: For students registering individually
Registration Fee:
The registration fee for the World Maths Championship is $15 per student.
Grade-Specific Study Plans — Tips On How To Study For Every Grade Level
The syllabus for the international World Maths Championship is based on CBSE/ICSE/IB, which includes concepts such as number sense, arithmetic, logical reasoning, geometry, data handling, and measurement as key topics.
By referring to the list below, students, parents, and teachers can know which topics to emphasise during study lessons.
Key Topics for Grades 1–4:
- Number Sense & Operations
- Place value (tens, hundreds, thousands), counting, and skip counting (by 2s, 5s, 10s)
- Addition & subtraction (up to 3-digit numbers)
- Word problems, estimation, and rounding
- Geometry & Measurement
- 2D & 3D shapes (name, edges, vertices, faces)
- Length, weight, capacity comparisons
- Time (reading clocks, elapsed time) along with days, months, and seasons
- Symmetry and simple angles (Grade 3-4)
- Basic Multiplication & Division
- Times tables (up to 10 for Grade 3, 12 for Grade 4)
- Simple division and inverse relationship with multiplication along with word problems using multiplication/division
- Fractions
- Halves, thirds, quarters (Grade 1–2)
- Equivalent fractions, comparing fractions (Grade 3–4)
- Adding/subtracting simple fractions
- Data Handling & Patterns
- Tally charts, bar graphs, pictographs
- Number and shape patterns and Venn diagrams
Key Topics for Grades 5–8:
- Advanced Arithmetic
- Multi-digit multiplication & long division
- Order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS) and integers (including negative numbers)
- Factors, multiples, LCM, HCF
- Geometry & Measurement
- Perimeter, area (rectangles, triangles, circles), volume, and surface area (Grade 7–8)
- Angles (types, measurement, angle sums)
- Coordinate geometry (plotting points), symmetry, reflection, and rotation
- Fractions, Decimals & Percents
- Conversion between fractions, decimals, and percentages
- Percentage increase/decrease, discount, profit/loss
- Data & Statistics
- Graphs (bar, line, pie, histograms)
- Mean, median, mode, range
- Basics of probability (Grade 7–8)
- Algebra & Logical Reasoning
- Simple equations (Grade 6–8)
- Expressions and variables
- Patterns and sequences (arithmetic & geometric)
- Word problems involving multiple steps
- Mental math and reasoning puzzles
Given below is a study guide that breaks down the key topics for each grade group and offers a daily preparation plan that tackles different topics based on the syllabus provided for Grades 1–4 and Grades 5–8:
Daily study plan for Grades 1–4 focusing on concepts and practice
- Monday: Focus on place value and skip counting to build number sense.
- Tuesday: Practice addition and subtraction through both direct sums and simple word problems.
- Wednesday: Focus on learning how to read clocks and understanding the calendar, including days and months.
- Thursday: Shapes, lengths, or weights using objects and diagrams.
- Friday: Work on graph reading, making tally marks, and identifying number patterns.
- Saturday: Understanding basic fractions like halves and quarters, and identification of coins and values.
- Sunday: Revision of all topics with mock tests.
Daily study plan for Grades 5–8 focusing on concepts and practice
- Monday: Focus on arithmetic skills with multi-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
- Tuesday: Practice long division, factorisation, and identification of prime and composite numbers.
- Wednesday: Fractions, decimals, and percentages, including conversions between them.
- Thursday: Practice problems based on perimeter, area, and volume, and real-world geometry problems.
- Friday: Interpretation of data from bar graphs, pie charts, and line plots.
- Saturday: Practice algebra basics, including expressions, simple equations, and patterns.
- Sunday: Mixed-topic mock tests and review of weak areas.
Top Five Free Practice Resources for Math Competition Preparation
This list comprises the best five free practice resources that provide free math practice problems for Grades 1–8 preparing for math competitions like the GEMA World Maths Championship, maths olympiads, or any math contests. These resources, combined with one’s study plan (like the one given above), can help students practise a mix of concepts, logic puzzles, and timed problems regularly.
1. Khan Academy www.khanacademy.org
Khan Academy offers structured, grade-wise math courses with interactive lessons, videos, and practice exercises, which is perfect for building a solid foundation across all grades.
2. NRICH Maths https://nrich.maths.org
NRICH features fun, challenging math problems and puzzles designed to improve reasoning and problem-solving. It offers problems filtered by difficulty and age group which is ideal for Grades 1–8.
3. Math Kangaroo www.mathkangaroo.org
Math Kangaroo is a website that provides free past papers and sample questions by grade. These are great for students aiming for GEMA-style logic-based multiple-choice practice.
4. SplashLearn www.splashlearn.com
For enrichment of students along with fun, SplashLearn features interactive and visual math practice games for Grades 1–5, aligned to key concepts like addition, shapes, measurement, and data.
5. Art of Problem Solving www.artofproblemsolving.com
Offers free access to Alcumus, a smart practice system for middle schoolers (Grades 5–8), and community forums with Olympiad-level challenges and math games.
Mental Preparation Tips for Test Day
- Know The Rules: Understand the format (MCQs, no negative marking, ability to skip or return to questions). This helps you use your time and energy wisely.
- Read the Paper First: Do a quick scroll through all questions to locate easy ones. Solve those first to secure quick marks, then return to harder ones.
- Time Management: Don’t spend more than 1–2 minutes on any single question. Mark it, skip it, and come back later if time allows.
- Rough Work: Always use pen and paper for calculations, visual problems, and patterns — don’t rely on mental math alone, even for easy ones.
- Double-Check Answers: If a question includes units (cm, kg, hours), make sure your answer matches. For MCQs, eliminate clearly wrong choices before selecting.
- Avoid Overthinking: Go with logical steps. If the question seems confusing, break it into parts and focus on what’s actually being asked — not what it “might” be asking.
But most importantly, stay calm. A calm mind solves problems faster. Pause, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and refocus if you feel yourself overthinking and panicking.
Final Checklist — One Week Before
Before every big day, revision is key to remind yourself of everything you might have missed or forgotten. Here’s a concise final checklist for one week before the GEMA World Maths Championship:
- Revise Key Topics: Focus on core areas and weak spots each day.
- Mock Tests: Take 2 full-length timed mocks; review your mistakes.
- Solidify Your Exam Strategy: Know how much time to spend per question, practise using rough paper for calculation steps.
- Prioritise Weak Areas: Spend more time on topics you’ve struggled with in mock tests.
- Verify Rules and Regulations: To avoid confusion on the test day, confirm exam date, time, access codes (for online), or school reporting instructions.
Now That You’re Ready
This blog consists of all the essentials and must-know facts about how to register, prepare, and study for the international World Maths Championship. Hopefully, this blog serves as a helpful guide on how to navigate the world of math contests.
Lastly, download our free practice workbook now at our website.