MTH 149S, Fall 1997
Problem Solving Seminar 
W 3:55 - 5:10, 218 Physics
Greg Lawler, 128B Physics

Office Hours: 1:30 - 3:00 M, 10:15 - 11:45, W

This course is designed to prepare students for mathematical competitions such as the Putnam and the Virginia Tech Contest. There will be regular homeworks and students will be required to take the two competitive exams, the Putnam and the Virginia Tech.

Students who do not take the course are still eligible to participate in the Virginia Tech and Putnam competitions; see Greg Lawler for more information.
 

Virginia Tech Results

Here are the results of the 1997 Virginia Tech competition. Duke took second, third, and fourth place and had eight of the top sixteen places. Congratulations to John Clyde (2nd), Andrew Dittmer (3), Nathan Bronson (4), John Hyde (8), Carl Miller (9), Sarah Dean (11), Noam Shazeer (13T), Christopher Beasley (15T).
 

Competition Schedule for 1997

Virginia Tech --- Saturday, November 1, 8:30 - 11:00 am

Putnam --- Saturday, December 6, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Assignments

During each class a set of problems will be handed out. The will be worked on in class and solutions to some of them will be discussed then. Students will then be required to write up solutions to these problems (including problems not solved before the class period ends, if possible) to be submitted at the next meeting. Copies of the problems will be available here in postscript and pdf formats. The pdf versions are easiest to read at 200% magnification.

Problem Set 1 (Sept. 3) postscript file , pdf file
Problem Set 2 (Sept. 10) postscript file , pdf file
Problem Set 3 (Sept. 17) postscript file , pdf file
Problem Set 4 (Sept. 24) postscript file , pdf file
Problem Set 5 (Oct.1) postscript file , pdf file
Special Timed Problem Set 5 postscript file , pdf file
Problem Set 6 (Oct. 8) postscript file , pdf file
Problem Set 7 (Oct. 15)  postscript file ,  pdf file
Problem Set 8 (Oct. 22)  postscript file ,  pdf file
Problem Set 9 (Oct. 29)  postscript file ,  pdf file
Problem Set 10 (Nov. 5)  postscript file ,  pdf file
Problem Set 11 (Nov. 12)  postscript file ,  pdf file
Problem Set 12 (Nov. 19)  postscript file ,  pdf file
Problem Set 13 (Dec. 3)  postscript file ,  pdf file

Competition Links

Recent Duke successes in competitions
Kiran Kedlaya's competition page
International Mathematics Olympiad (with links to sites for national high school olympiads)
Information on Virginia Tech Competition (follow the "competitions" links)

Return to: Greg Lawler's home page

Last modified: 5 December 1997