- #1
Xevarion
- 76
- 0
Did anyone here take the Putnam exam this weekend (or administer it)? What did you think?
I had similar problems, also due to B2. Initially I could only get 1/2 in the upper bound, and not 1/8. But an hour later I realized that there was some vital piece of information in my construction that I wasn't using. Namely, I defined F(x) = [itex]\int_0^x f(t) \, dt[/itex], then because F(1)=F(0)=0, we get (by Rolle's theorem) a c in (0,1) such that F'(c)=0=f(c) (the last equality being the FTC), so now we can use the MVT or a local approximation to proceed from here. What I missed - for a very long time - was that c is an extreme point of F!Xevarion said:Personally I thought it was a reasonable test. I kinda burned out on the first half though and I screwed up part B. Spent 2 hours on B2 and didn't really work on B4 or B5 at all...
And get 1/10!Gokul43201 said:The question doesn't even ask for a proof. A good guesser (or a lucky one, like me) will see the square as the likely solution, write down the area, and move on. Total time: 1 minute, tops!
So that's how it works! If they don't ask me for a proof, I wouldn't think to give 'em one!morphism said:And get 1/10!
Yes, that's what I meant. So, I'd have scored a 0 on that one, damn!Xevarion said:Probably 0 for that problem as the answer isn't particularly hard to guess.
What do you mean by maximal? Do you mean maximal without going to the other side of the hyperbolas?
The Putnam exam is a prestigious mathematics competition for undergraduate students in the United States and Canada. It is held annually on the first Saturday in December and consists of two 3-hour sessions of challenging mathematical problems.
The Putnam exam is open to undergraduate students enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Students must be nominated by their institution to participate.
The Putnam exam consists of 12 challenging mathematical problems, split into two 3-hour sessions. Each session contains 6 problems, with a break in between. The problems are usually proof-based, requiring creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
The Putnam exam is scored out of a maximum of 120 points, with 10 points available for each problem. Each problem is graded on a scale of 0-10, with partial credit given for incomplete solutions. The top five individual scores and top five team scores are recognized as Putnam Fellows and Putnam Teams, respectively.
The Putnam exam is considered one of the most challenging and prestigious undergraduate mathematics competitions in North America. It is highly regarded by graduate schools and employers, and participation and success in the Putnam exam can greatly enhance a student's academic and professional opportunities in the field of mathematics.