The Annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical
Competition
The Lafayette College Math Deptartment has made a commitment to field competitive teams in
the annual William L. Putnam Mathematical Competition, or Putnam
Exam. We've done well in the past few years - here's quick recap.
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2007 Exam 25th among 516 participating institutions.
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2006 Exam 33rd among 508 participating institutions.
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2005 Exam 53rd among 500 participating institutions.
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2004 Exam 53rd among 515 participating institutions.
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2003 Exam 111th among 479 participating institutions.
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2002 Exam 24th among 476 participating institutions.
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2001 Exam 54th among 453 participating institutions.
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2000 Exam 40th among 434 participating institutions.
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1999 Exam 69th among 431 participating institutions.
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1998 Exam 62nd among 419 participating institutions.
The Putnam Exam is a notoriously challenging exam consisting of 12
mind-numbing problems, 6 in the morning session and 6 in the
afternoon. These problems cut across many areas of mathematics, and
are designed to test "originality as well as technical competence,"
according to the announcement brochure.
The Putnam is usually held on the first Saturday in December. Of
the
students who take it, three are designated as Lafayette's "team,"
while the others participate on an individual basis. Thousands of
other undergraduate mathematics students throughout the United
States
& Canada take this examination more or less simultaneously at their
own institutions. The registration deadline is in mid-October;
there
is no fee for participating.
Some brochure propaganda
"The competition is open only to regularly enrolled
undergraduates in
colleges & universities of the United States & Canada, who have not
yet received a college degree. No individual may participate more
than four times.
"Prizes and scholarships are available to the highest ranking
individuals and to the five winning teams. Institutions throughout
the United States & Canada are encouraged to offer fellowships to
high
ranking contestants in the competition.
"In addition, the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam Prize will be awarded
periodically
to a woman whose performance on the Putnam Exam has been deemed
particularly
meritorious. This prize would be in addition to any other prizes
she might
otherwise win."
The Putnam Exam Home
Page
We want YOU for the Putnam Examination.
Interested? Contact
Professors Smith or Gordon.