Stony Brook Putnam Seminar, 2024
Friday 6.00 - 8.00 pm
Room: Math P-131.
The Putnam Exam
The William Lowell Putnam Exam is the most prestigious math contest at the collegiate level in the U.S. This year the exam will be given Saturday Dec 7. The exam takes place in two 3-hour sessions, from 10am-1pm and from 3pm-6pm, with six problems in each session. Stony Brook has had impressive results on the Putnam in the past, including a fourth place finish in 2012 and a number of individual winners. More information regarding the Putnam and past exams with solutions are available here. The Putnam will be held in Math Tower P-131. You may register for the exam at the link. Prior registration is required to take the exam.
The Putnam Seminar
The Putnam Seminar meets Fridays during Fall term starting Sept. 6, from 6:00pm-8:00pm in Math Tower P-131. Come enjoy problem solving and free pizza!
Bibliography
Andreescu and Gelca. Putnam and beyond. Springer, NY. 2007.
J.M. Steele. The Cauchy-Schwarz master class. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 2008.
Loren Larson. Problem-solving through problems. Springer, NY. 1983.
Ravi Vakil. A mathematical mosaic: patterns and problem solving. Brendan Kelly Publishing, Burlington, ON. 2008.
Donald J. Newman. A problem seminar. Springer, NY. 1982.
G. Gilbert, M. Krusemeyer, L. Larson. A mathematical orchard. Mathematical Association of America Publishing, Washington, DC. 2012.
E. Barbeau, M. Klamkin, W. Moser. Five hundred mathematical challenges. Mathematical Association of America Publishing, Washington, DC. 1995.
Schedule and handouts
-
Sept 6.
Induction, pigeonhole. Handout
-
September 13.
Invariants. Handout
-
September 20.
Polynomials. Handout
-
September 27.
Linear algebra. Handout
-
October 4.
Real analysis. Handout
-
October 11.
Multivariable calculus. Handout
-
October 18.
Sequences and series. Handout
-
October 25.
Geometry and trigonometry. Handout
-
November 1.
Inequalities. Handout
-
November 8.
Number Theory. Handout
-
November 15.
Combinatorics. Handout
-
November 22.
Probability. Handout
-
December 6.
Practice Putnam. Handout