OBMEP exam-day guide
OBMEP · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID or registration proof
OBMEP is organized in Brazil by IMPA and is normally applied at the student's own school, with identification handled locally. Bring whatever document your school or the local coordinating office asks for (often a school ID or a document with your registration number). Confirm with the provider which document is accepted.
Printed or written confirmation of your registration number
The answer sheet is usually identified by name and registration number, so have these written down on paper rather than relying on your phone. Confirm with the provider whether the number is pre-printed on the answer sheet or must be filled in by hand.
Two or more black or blue pens and a spare
Answers are typically written in pen; bring at least two pens of a color your school allows and test them beforehand. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is permitted for scratch work or diagrams.
Pencil and eraser for rough work
Rough work helps on multi-step problems, but keep the final answer in the required medium. Verify locally whether rough work must be done on the question booklet only.
Ruler and compass
Some problems involve lengths, areas, or geometric constructions, and a ruler is useful for reading scales and drawing clean figures. Check the allowed-materials list with the provider before bringing any other instrument.
Water bottle and a light snack
Hydration and a small snack before the test support concentration. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed at the desk during the exam.
Know the exact start time and room
Arrive early enough to find the room and settle. Confirm the start time, room, and how early you should arrive with your school or the local coordinating office.
Read the official instructions for the current edition
Number of questions, duration, and answer-sheet format can change between editions and phases. Read the regulation for your edition on the official OBMEP site and confirm anything unclear with the provider.
Leave your phone off and stored away
Electronic devices are generally not allowed during the test. Confirm the provider's rule on where devices must be kept and what happens if one is seen.
Plan your transport and a backup
If the test is at a site other than your usual school, plan the route and a backup option. Confirm the address and arrival window with the provider.
Sleep and eat normally the night before
A full night of sleep and a normal breakfast are more useful than last-minute cramming. Avoid trying new foods or unusual routines on exam day.
Bring a watch if clocks may not be visible
A simple watch helps you pace yourself. Confirm with the provider whether watches, especially smartwatches, are allowed in the room.
Plan the day
Review your summary sheet of formulas, theorems, and typical techniques rather than rereading everything. Redo a handful of problems you previously got wrong, timed, and check the official regulation for your edition so there are no surprises about duration, question count, or answer-sheet format. Confirm with the provider any point you cannot resolve from the published rules.
Do one full timed practice set under exam conditions, then review errors by category (misread problem, algebra slip, geometry reasoning, time management). Write a short list of the two or three habits that cost you the most points and a concrete countermeasure for each, such as underlining what the question asks before computing.
Prepare your materials: pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, compass, ID or registration proof, water, and snack. Pack them the night before the last day so the morning is calm. Check transport times and, if the site is unfamiliar, confirm the address and arrival window with the provider.
Stop learning new material. Light review only: reread your formula sheet and your list of recurring mistakes. Set out clothes and materials, charge nothing you will need to bring (phones are usually not allowed), and go to bed at your normal time.
Reconfirm the start time, room, and what to bring with your school or the local coordinating office. If anything about the format or allowed materials is unclear, confirm with the provider now rather than on exam morning.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive with time to spare, and use the waiting time only for a calm glance at your formula sheet, not for new problems. Keep devices off and stored as required. Once seated, read the instructions on the cover and check that your answer sheet shows the correct name and registration number.
Scan the whole paper briefly to see the distribution of topics and difficulty, then start with problems you can solve confidently to build momentum. Note the total time and decide a rough per-question budget, leaving time to transfer answers and to revisit flagged items.
Work in passes: solve the straightforward problems first, flag the rest, then return to harder ones. On each problem, restate what is asked, list the given data, and only then choose a method. If a computation grows ugly, check whether you misread the question or missed a simpler structure.
Guard against careless loss: reread each question for units, ranges, and whether the answer must be an integer, and sanity-check results (parity, magnitude, special cases). Keep the answer sheet in step with your booklet, and in the last ten minutes verify that every item is marked as you intend and that no answer was left blank by accident.
Rules to check
Identification and eligibility are handled locally by your school or the coordinating office. Bring the document they specify, and confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted.
Follow the invigilator's instructions about start and end times, seating, and materials. If an instruction seems inconsistent with the published regulation, ask before the test begins rather than assuming.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, are generally not permitted during the test. Confirm with the provider where devices must be stored and what the consequences of a violation are.
Answer in the medium the answer sheet requires, typically pen for final answers, and keep rough work separate from final answers. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is allowed for final answers or diagrams.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test and do not look at another candidate's paper. Raise your hand and wait for the invigilator if you need something.
If you must leave the room, follow the invigilator's procedure; in many settings leaving is only allowed with an escort and lost time is not restored. Confirm the break and restroom policy with the provider.
Scoring and any tie-breaking or qualification criteria are set by the official regulation for your edition. Read that document rather than relying on secondhand descriptions, and confirm details with the provider.
If you believe there is an error in a question or a problem with the room, report it to the invigilator immediately and follow the official appeal procedure described in the regulation. Confirm the deadline and channel with the provider.