Ananya Rajas Ranade, a proud student of Cheenta,is now a Silver Awardee in European Girls Mathematics Olympiad (EGMO) 2021 and a Bronze Awardee representing India in the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) 2021. Let's know more about her achievements:
How did you fall in love with Mathematics?
I used to take competitive exams like SOF Olympiads, Scholarship tests, etc since I was in Class 5 or 6. This gradually helped me to develop my interest in Mathematics. When I was in Grade 8, I learnt Geometry from one of the academies in Pune. It was the first time, I explored Mathematics in that great depth, so I started loving the subject more.
Since Geometry is your favourite part of Mathematics, tell us what did you really enjoy about Geometry?
The first time I learnt about the incenter-excenter configuration really excited me to learn more about Geometry.
When did you start your preparation for the Math Olympiads?
I was exposed to the PRMO and RMO in Class 9. That was also the first time I took those tests with all the preparation I had at that time. I didn't expect to clear RMO but when I saw the results that I actually did,I realized that if I seriously focus on my preparation,I would be able to make much more progress in these examinations. I joined Bhaskaracharya in Grade 9 and Cheenta in Grade 10 and both the institutes greatly helped me in my preparation.
Were you aiming to build your career in Mathematics or just exploring it for fun?
When I was in Grade 9,I was not thinking about pursuing a career in Mathematics,but as I cleared the Indian National Mathematics Olympiad (INMO) in Grade 10,my confidence grew and then I decided to actually pursue my career in the field of Mathematics.
Who is your favourite Mathematician?
My favourite Matehamtician is Ramanujan. He is an inspiration for every Indian.
What books do you Suggest for preparation for EGMO and IMO:
Number Theory:
Geometry:
Combinatorics:
Algebra:
What do you think is the most effective problem-solving strategy?
The best way to solve problems is to try a problem for a considerable amount of time rather than just keep solving one problem after another. One should look for similar problems or hints when they are stuck in a problem.
How did you improve writing the solutions to a subjective problem?
I used to first solve past year papers. Once solved,I used to compare my solutions with the officially written solutions and looked for the improvement areas.
How to get into EGMO?
Participation in an EGMO is by invitation only. The aim of the EGMO is to give more girls an opportunity to perform mathematically on an international stage,and so to discover,encourage and challenge mathematically gifted young women in all European countries. Since India has started participating in the EGMO,5 to 6 girls are selected from each region after RMO to participate in the EGMO.
Watch the full discussion here ...