Fall 2009
Instructor: Igor Fulman
In this course we will learn how to solve very difficult mathematical problems. Often times, such problems require very little beckground. The course was originally designed to prepare students for the Putnam Exam, but it is not required that the students take the Putnam. Students will learn problem-solving techniques and encounter problems that are not just applications of material learned in class. They will also get practice in presenting solutions in front of a (small) group.This course meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays in EDB room L1-32 from 1:30 to 2:45. The course number is MAT 194, 294, 394, or 494, depending on whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior. (This enables you to take the course more than once.)
The schedule numbers of the course are following:
MAT 194 -- 74565;
MAT 294 -- 77055;
MAT 394 -- 78772;
MAT 494 -- 78187.
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The format of the seminar will be the following. Each student will choose his/her point value of the course from 1 to 4 points. The point value will mean expected level of participation. For example, 1 point would require just attending the seminar with the pass/fail grade. On the other side, 2 or 3 or 4 points would require a student to present complete solutions of certain number of problems out of the problems considered on the seminar. The student will be required to present his/her solutions in class, and/or write them up. The solutions will be graded, and the student will get a letter grade, depending on the number and difficulty of solved problems and quality of the solutions.
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