This is an old course webpage
Math 101: Advanced Problem Solving
Fall 2023
Instructor: Sucharit Sarkar.
Class: M 16:00-18:50, MS 7608.
Textbook: Titu Andreescu and Razvan Gelca,
Putnam and Beyond, ISBN 9780387257655.
Useful
links: MyUCLA,
Department
page,
Putnam
materials,
Putnam
information.
Prerequisite: Math 100 or significant experience with
mathematical competitions. Enrollment is by permission of the
instructor, based on past problem solving experience, as demonstrated by your results in Math 100, the practice test (see
below), or past Putnam exams. As a good rule of thumb, to perform well in Math 101, you should be able to solve A1 and B1
problems from the past Putnam exams.
Topics: Advanced problem solving techniques and mathematical
topics useful as preparation for Putnam Competition. Problems in
abstract algebra, linear algebra, number theory, combinatorics,
probability, real and complex analysis, differential equations,
Fourier analysis. Regular practice tests given, similar in difficulty
to the Putnam Competition.
Putnam: Math 101 is an advanced preparation course for the
Putnam. (There is an easier course for Putnam, Math 100,
aimed at students not familiar with problem solving.) These
Putnam materials may be useful for
Putnam prepration. The Putnam takes place on
2023-12-02, and you must register for the Putnam
examination before that. There will be an introductory preparation session and a take-home practice exam, open to all
students (whether or not enrolled in Math 101) on
2023-09-29. (You may use the practice exam to
judge if Math 101 is a good fit for you; you should be able to solve 2/6 problems.) See
here for more information.
Homework and exams: Homework will be assigned every week and will be discussed in class; you should solve the
problems over the week, and will be asked to present the solutions in class. There will be three 3hr exams as
practice for Putnam. (There will be no additional
exams during the Finals week).
Grading: Numerical grades will be recorded in the MyUCLA
gradebook and the composite numerical grade will be computed as 33%
for each of the three Putnam practice exams. Based on that, the final
grade (P/NP or letter grade) will be assigned. Since the test problems
are very hard, solving an average of 2/6 problems is enough for B+/A-;
lower and higher scores will correspond to lower and higher grades,
respectively. If you believe a problem on a homework or an exam has
been graded incorrectly, or that your score was not correctly recorded
in the MyUCLA gradebook, you must bring this to the attention of the
instructor within 10 calendar days of the date of the exam, and before
the end of the quarter. Grading complaints not initiated within this
period of time will not be considered. Please verify in a timely
manner that your scores are correctly recorded on MyUCLA.
Schedule:
| Date |
Time |
Location |
Activity |
| 2023-10-02 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss Exam 1 |
| 2023-10-09 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss HW 1 |
| 2023-10-16 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss HW 2 |
| 2023-10-23 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss HW 3 |
| 2023-10-30 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Exam 2 |
| 2023-11-06 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss Exam 2, HW 4 |
| 2023-11-13 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss HW 4, HW 5 |
| 2023-11-20 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Exam 3 |
| 2023-11-27 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss Exam 3, HW 5 |
| 2023-12-04 |
16:00-18:50 |
MS 7608 |
Discuss Putnam |