All too often, through common school mathematics, students find themselves excelling in school math classes by memorizing formulas, but not their applications or the motivation behind them. As a consequence, understanding derived in this manner is tragically based on little or no proof. This is why studying proofs is paramount! Proofs help us understand the nature of mathematics and show us the key to appreciating its elegance. But even getting past the concern of "why should this be true?" students often face the question of "when will I ever need this in life?" Proofs in Competition Math aims to remedy these issues at a wide range of levels, from the fundamentals of competition math all the way to the Olympiad level and beyond. Don't worry if you don't know all of the math in this book; there will be prerequisites for each skill level, giving you a better idea of your current strengths and weaknesses and allowing you to set realistic goals as a math student. So, mathematical minds, we set you off!

All too often, through common school mathematics, students find themselves excelling in school math classes by memorizing formulas, but not their applications or the motivation behind them. As a consequence, understanding derived in this manner is tragically based on little or no proof.This is why studying proofs is paramount! Proofs help us understand the nature of mathematics and show us the key to appreciating its elegance.But even getting past the concern of "why should this be true?" students often face the question of "when will I ever need this in life?" Proofs in Competition Math aims to remedy these issues at a wide range of levels, from the fundamentals of competition math all the way to the Olympiad level and beyond.Don't worry if you don't know all of the math in this book; there will be prerequisites for each skill level, giving you a better idea of your current strengths and weaknesses and allowing you to set realistic goals as a math student. So, mathematical minds, we set you off!

The topics contained in this book are best suited for advanced fourth and fifth graders as well as for extremely talented third graders or for anyone preparing for AMC 8 or similar mathematics contests. The concepts and problems presented could be used as an enrichment material by teachers, parents, math coaches, or in math clubs and circles.

This book takes the reader on a journey through the world of college mathematics, focusing on some of the most important concepts and results in the theories of polynomials, linear algebra, real analysis, differential equations, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, elementary number theory, combinatorics, and probability. Preliminary material provides an overview of common methods of proof: argument by contradiction, mathematical induction, pigeonhole principle, ordered sets, and invariants. Each chapter systematically presents a single subject within which problems are clustered in each section according to the specific topic. The exposition is driven by nearly 1300 problems and examples chosen from numerous sources from around the world; many original contributions come from the authors. The source, author, and historical background are cited whenever possible. Complete solutions to all problems are given at the end of the book. This second edition includes new sections on quad ratic polynomials, curves in the plane, quadratic fields, combinatorics of numbers, and graph theory, and added problems or theoretical expansion of sections on polynomials, matrices, abstract algebra, limits of sequences and functions, derivatives and their applications, Stokes' theorem, analytical geometry, combinatorial geometry, and counting strategies. Using the W.L. Putnam Mathematical Competition for undergraduates as an inspiring symbol to build an appropriate math background for graduate studies in pure or applied mathematics, the reader is eased into transitioning from problem-solving at the high school level to the university and beyond, that is, to mathematical research. This work may be used as a study guide for the Putnam exam, as a text for many different problem-solving courses, and as a source of problems for standard courses in undergraduate mathematics. Putnam and Beyond is organized for independent study by undergraduate and gradu ate students, as well as teachers and researchers in the physical sciences who wish to expand their mathematical horizons.

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.

This book is an introduction to the language and standard proof methods of mathematics. It is a bridge from the computational courses (such as calculus or differential equations) that students typically encounter in their first year of college to a more abstract outlook. It lays a foundation for more theoretical courses such as topology, analysis and abstract algebra. Although it may be more meaningful to the student who has had some calculus, there is really no prerequisite other than a measure of mathematical maturity.