Key Lessons and Strategies for Winning HiMCM Modeling Competitions

1 Post-Competition Reflection

After reading a teammate’s post‑competition reflection on HiMCM 2021, I added comments focusing on four areas: modeling, programming, paper writing, and collaboration. The advice stresses clear model description, early programming preparation, academic English writing, consistent formatting, and effective team communication.

2 Competition Topics

Topic range: HiMCM – A, B; MidMCM – M, A, B. Selection principles: choose familiar problems, ensure sourceable data, and reach team consensus.

Selection process: read the problem → think → discuss → research → decide.

3 Three Levels of Paper Quality

The C‑P‑I model evaluates papers on Completion (C), Proficiency (P), and Innovation (I). Completion means fully answering the competition questions; Proficiency means using appropriate models and expressing the process clearly; Innovation adds novel or outstanding contributions. The three levels are hierarchical: C ≤ P ≤ I.

4 Four Teams

Four teams I coached last year received O, F, M, and H awards. The O/F teams selected topics quickly, spent most time on analysis and modeling, and used LaTeX fluently. The M‑award team had smooth cooperation but weak writing and programming skills, which reduced modeling time. The H‑award team had strong ability but poor coordination, leading to a rushed submission with limited innovation.

5 Five Modeling Skills

Mathematical modeling competence can be analyzed from five perspectives:

Mathematical ability – middle school, high school, advanced mathematics.

Modeling ability – elementary, important advanced, high‑level advanced models.

Programming ability – basic coding, major third‑party libraries, advanced libraries.

Writing ability – general academic writing, specific model writing, comprehensive writing.

Collaboration ability – solo, pair, multi‑person teams.

The goal is to improve all five dimensions before the competition so that contest time can focus on core modeling and innovation.

6 Six Modeling Stages

Beginners should first understand the entire modeling workflow, illustrated in the diagram below.

Beyond grasping each stage, students should complete a full modeling case, covering problem restatement, assumptions, solution, verification, and reporting. This corresponds to the C (completion) level. Subsequent systematic learning of each skill moves the work to the P (proficiency) level, and reflective practice plus team collaboration fosters the I (innovation) level.

References

HiMCM 2021 repository