Pricing

The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition is the premier mathematical competition at the undergraduate level in North America. This volume, the third to cover the competition, contains the 192 problems from the years 1985-2000, as they appeared in the competition, with solutions and extensive commentary.

It is unlike the first two Putnam volumes and unlike virtually every other problem-based book, in that it places the problems in the context of important mathematical themes. The authors highlight connections to other problems, to the curriculum, and to more advanced topics. The best problems contain kernels of sophisticated ideas related to important current research, and yet the problems are accessible to undergraduates.

The heart of the book is in the solutions, which have been compiled through extensive research. The authors present the best solutions from the American Mathematical Monthly, Mathematics Magazine, past competitors, and from many problem enthusiasts. Often the authors have simplified these solutions, or have developed new solutions of their own. Multiple solutions are common. In editing the solutions, the authors have kept a student audience in mind, explaining techniques that have relevance to more than the problem at hand, suggesting references for further reading, and mentioning related problems, some of which are unsolved.

In addition to problems and solutions, the book contains:

• a hint to each problem, separate from the full solution;
• background information about the competition;
• a list of winning individuals and teams, with current information about the career paths of winners;
• a topic index;
• Putnam Trivia for the Nineties, by Joseph A. Gallian; and
• Some Thoughts on Writing for the Putnam, by Problems Committee member Bruce Reznick.

The authors of this volume are active research mathematicians who are renowned also for their expository skills. They were themselves winners of the Putnam Competition in most of the years covered by the volume: together they achieved the rank of Putnam Fellow eleven times.

This volume will appeal to students, teachers, and professors, or anyone interested in problem solving as an entrée to beautiful and powerful ideas.