By Emily Berge-Thielmann
Simon’s Rock's math enthusiasts have been training hard since October of this year as they prepare for the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, also known as the Putnam Exam. The Putnam Exam is the foremost math contest for undergraduate students in the US and Canada. It is held annually on the first Saturday of December, which falls on December 2, 2023.
For this competition, students work individually on six challenging math problems, split into two 3-hour sessions. The Putnam Exam has been going on since 1938. In recent years, over 4000 students from over 550 schools have participated. The median score for the event is a zero, while Simon’s Rock students have an impressive record of positive scores in the past few years, shares Faculty in Mathematics Miha Habič. Habič adds: “It’s really fun to meet up with students and chip away at old problems. I think it helps them bring together all of their classes and their own creativity.”
Fellow Faculty in Mathematics Jack Burkart says the following about this year’s competitors: “This is my first year helping the Putnam Club, and it’s been fun working with the students. The problems are a challenge, even for me sometimes! In their math courses, students often get to see the most slick or elegant presentation of math. I think the competition shines a light on how progress in math and science is often very inelegant. Progress is usually non-linear and requires trial and error. For this reason, I think there is a ton of value in the skills one develops in practicing for the Putnam.”
For more information about the Putnam Exam, visit https://maa.org/math-competitions/william-lowell-putnam-mathematical-competition