Over 300 challenging problems in algebra, arithmetic, elementary number theory and trigonometry, selected from Mathematical Olympiads held at Moscow University. Only high school math needed. Includes complete solutions. Features 27 black-and-white illustrations. 1962 edition.
Over 300 challenging problems in algebra, arithmetic, elementary number theory and trigonometry, selected from Mathematical Olympiads held at Moscow University. Only high school math needed. Includes complete solutions. Features 27 black-and-white illustrations. 1962 edition.
A unique collection of competition problems from over twenty major national and international mathematical competitions for high school students. Written for trainers and participants of contests of all levels up to the highest level, this will appeal to high school teachers conducting a mathematics club who need a range of simple to complex problems and to those instructors wishing to pose a "problem of the week", thus bringing a creative atmosphere into the classrooms. Equally, this is a must-have for individuals interested in solving difficult and challenging problems. Each chapter starts with typical examples illustrating the central concepts and is followed by a number of carefully selected problems and their solutions. Most of the solutions are complete, but some merely point to the road leading to the final solution. In addition to being a valuable resource of mathematical problems and solution strategies, this is the most complete training book on the market.
See also A SECOND STEP TO MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD PROBLEMS The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is an annual international mathematics competition held for pre-collegiate students. It is also the oldest of the international science olympiads, and competition for places is particularly fierce. This book is an amalgamation of the first 8 of 15 booklets originally produced to guide students intending to contend for placement on their country's IMO team. The material contained in this book provides an introduction to the main mathematical topics covered in the IMO, which are: Combinatorics, Geometry and Number Theory. In addition, there is a special emphasis on how to approach unseen questions in Mathematics, and model the writing of proofs. Full answers are given to all questions. Though A First Step to Mathematical Olympiad Problems is written from the perspective of a mathematician, it is written in a way that makes it easily comprehensible to adolescents. This book is also a must-read for coaches and instructors of mathematical competitions.
This is a challenging problem-solving book in Euclidean geometry, assuming nothing of the reader other than a good deal of courage. Topics covered included cyclic quadrilaterals, power of a point, homothety, triangle centers; along the way the reader will meet such classical gems as the nine-point circle, the Simson line, the symmedian and the mixtilinear incircle, as well as the theorems of Euler, Ceva, Menelaus, and Pascal. Another part is dedicated to the use of complex numbers and barycentric coordinates, granting the reader both a traditional and computational viewpoint of the material. The final part consists of some more advanced topics, such as inversion in the plane, the cross ratio and projective transformations, and the theory of the complete quadrilateral. The exposition is friendly and relaxed, and accompanied by over 300 beautifully drawn figures. The emphasis of this book is placed squarely on the problems. Each chapter contains carefully chosen worked examples, which explain not only the solutions to the problems but also describe in close detail how one would invent the solution to begin with. The text contains a selection of 300 practice problems of varying difficulty from contests around the world, with extensive hints and selected solutions. This book is especially suitable for students preparing for national or international mathematical olympiads or for teachers looking for a text for an honor class.
There was once a bumper sticker that read, "Remember the good old days when air was clean and sex was dirty?" Indeed, some of us are old enough to remember not only those good old days, but even the days when Math was/un(!), not the ponderous THEOREM, PROOF, THEOREM, PROOF, . . . , but the whimsical, "I've got a good prob lem. " Why did the mood change? What misguided educational philoso phy transformed graduate mathematics from a passionate activity to a form of passive scholarship? In less sentimental terms, why have the graduate schools dropped the Problem Seminar? We therefore offer "A Problem Seminar" to those students who haven't enjoyed the fun and games of problem solving. CONTENTS Preface v Format I Problems 3 Estimation Theory 11 Generating Functions 17 Limits of Integrals 19 Expectations 21 Prime Factors 23 Category Arguments 25 Convexity 27 Hints 29 Solutions 41 FORMAT This book has three parts: first, the list of problems, briefly punctuated by some descriptive pages; second, a list of hints, which are merely meant as words to the (very) wise; and third, the (almost) complete solutions. Thus, the problems can be viewed on any of three levels: as somewhat difficult challenges (without the hints), as more routine problems (with the hints), or as a textbook on "how to solve it" (when the solutions are read). Of course it is our hope that the book can be enjoyed on any of these three levels.
Over 300 unusual problems, ranging from easy to difficult, involving equations and inequalities, Diophantine equations, number theory, quadratic equations, logarithms, more. Detailed solutions, as well as brief answers, for all problems are provided.
"102 Combinatorial Problems" consists of carefully selected problems that have been used in the training and testing of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) team. Key features: * Provides in-depth enrichment in the important areas of combinatorics by reorganizing and enhancing problem-solving tactics and strategies * Topics include: combinatorial arguments and identities, generating functions, graph theory, recursive relations, sums and products, probability, number theory, polynomials, theory of equations, complex numbers in geometry, algorithmic proofs, combinatorial and advanced geometry, functional equations and classical inequalities The book is systematically organized, gradually building combinatorial skills and techniques and broadening the student's view of mathematics. Aside from its practical use in training teachers and students engaged in mathematical competitions, it is a source of enrichment that is bound to stimulate interest in a variety of mathematical areas that are tangential to combinatorics.
This unique book presents mathematical competition problems primarily aimed at upper elementary school students, but are challenging for students at any age. These problems are drawn from the complete papers of the legendary Leningrad Mathematical Olympiads that were presented to the city’s Grade Five students. The period covered is between 1979 – the earliest year for which relevant records could be retrieved – and 1992, when the former Soviet Union was dissolved. The respective chapters reflect the famous four-step approach to problem solving developed by the great Hungarian mathematics educator Gyorgy Pólya. In Chapter One, the Grade Five Competition problems from the Leningrad Mathematical Olympiads from 1979 to 1992 are presented in chronological order. In Chapter Two, the 83 problems are loosely divided into 26 sets of three or four related problems, and an example is provided for each one. Chapter Three provides full solutions to all problems, while Chapter Four offers generalizations of the problems. This book can be used by any mathematically advanced student at the upper elementary school level. Teachers and organizers of outreach activities such as mathematical circles will also find this book useful. But the primary value of the book lies in the problems themselves, which were crafted by experts; therefore, anyone interested in problem solving will find this book a welcome addition to their library./div