International Mathematical Olympiad, referred to as IMO, is an international competition with mathematics as its content and middle school students as its object. It has a history of more than 30 years. As an international competition, the International Mathematical Olympiad was put forward by international mathematical education experts, which exceeded the level of compulsory education in various countries and was much more difficult than the college entrance examination. According to experts, only 5% of children with extraordinary intelligence are suitable for learning the Olympic Mathematics, and it is rare to reach the top of the international mathematical Olympics all the way.

Now, IMO has become the most influential academic competition in the world, and it is also recognized as the highest level mathematics competition for middle school students. The math contest in China started at 1956. At the initiative of famous mathematicians such as China and the Soviet Union, initiated by chinese mathematical society, the four cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Han took the lead in holding high school mathematics competitions. The Olympic Mathematics is relatively in-depth, and the vigorous development of mathematical olympiad has greatly stimulated children's interest in learning mathematics, which has become a useful activity to guide them to be positive, explore actively and grow healthily.

There are many practical problems, such as counting, graph theory, logic, pigeon hole principle and so on. To solve this kind of problem, it is generally necessary to analyze and summarize the mathematical significance of the actual problem, abstract the actual problem into a mathematical problem, and then use the corresponding mathematical knowledge and methods to solve it. In this process of constructing mathematical model, students' ability to look at and deal with practical problems from a mathematical point of view can be effectively cultivated, students' awareness and ability to solve practical problems with mathematical language and models can be improved, and students' ability to reveal mathematical concepts hidden in practical problems and their relationships can be improved.

In this creative thinking process, students can see the practical function of mathematics, feel the charm of mathematics and enhance their sensitivity to the beauty of mathematics. Today, with the emphasis on quality education, this educational function of Olympic mathematics has more important practical significance.