USA and International Mathematical Olympiads 2001 [Paperback]

Titu Andreescu (Editor), Zuming Feng (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2002

The Mathematical Olympiad examinations, covering the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) and the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), have been published annually by the MAA American Mathematics Competitions since 1976.

The IMO is the world mathematics championship for high school students. It takes place annually in a different country. The IMO competitions help to discover, encourage and challenge mathematically gifted young people all over the world.

The USAMO and the Team Selection Test (TST) are the last two stages of the selection process leading to representing the United States of America in the IMO. The preceding examinations are the AMC 10 or AMC 12 and the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). Participation in the AIME, USAMO, and the TST is by invitation only, based on performance in the preceding exams of the sequence.

Through the AMC contests and the IMO, young gifted mathematicians are identified and recognized while they are still in secondary school. Participation in these competitions provides them with the chance to measure themselves against other exceptional students from all over the world.

Editors, Andreescu and Feng provide remarkable solutions developed by the examination committees, contestants, and experts, during or after the contests. They also provide a detailed report of the 1995-2000 USAMO/IMO results, and a comprehensive guide to other materials emphasizing advanced problem-solving. This collection of excellent problems and beautiful solutions is a valuable companion for students who wish to develop their interest in mathematics outside the school curriculum and to deepen their knowledge of mathematics.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Zuming Feng teaches at Phillips Exeter Academy. He is a coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) Team, a member of the USA Mathematical Olympiad Committee, and an assistant director of the USA Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program. He received the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished High School Mathematics Teaching from the MAA in 1996.

Titu Andreescu is the Director of the American Mathematics program of the Mathematical Associaton of Americ a (MAA). He also serves as chair of the USA Mathematical Olympiad Committee, head coach of the USA Intl. Mathematical Olympiad Team, and Director of the Mathematical Olympiad program. He won the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished High School Mathematics Teaching from the MAA in 1994

Product Details

• Paperback: 130 pages
• Publisher: Mathematical Assn of Amer (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883858096
• ISBN-13: 978-0883858097
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,878,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best problems ever created, December 22, 2003

By 

Charles Ashbacher - See all my reviews

This review is from: USA and International Mathematical Olympiads 2001 (Paperback)

Problems that are used in the mathematical Olympiads are a very select set. They must of course be challenging, but not too challenging. Since they are to be taken by high school students, most areas of mathematics are off-limits, severely restricting the range of solution techniques. Subtleties can be used in the problem, but only to a well-established point. I enjoy reading them, because these restrictions make the writing of such problems an art form.
This collection contains the six problems used in the 2001 United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the nine problems used in the 2001 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) American team selection test and the six problems used in the 2001 IMO. It is designed as study material for those preparing for possible competition in future Olympiads.
The problems themselves take up only the first seven pages of the book. Hints to the solutions take up the next four pages and formal solutions the remaining eighty-eight pages. Problem credits, a glossary of key theorems and previous Olympiad results complete the book. Reading these problems is an exercise that all mathematicians should engage in. They are some of the best ever written, sometimes knowing that the solutions require only "simple" mathematics makes them all the more difficult to find. I often think of potential solution strategies, only to reject them as using techniques officially out of bounds. I encourage everyone to take a look at these problems.

Published in the recreational mathematics e-mail newsletter, reprinted with permission.