2013 Putnam Exam
2013 UI Putnam Team Places in Top 30%
William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition is the premier national mathematics contest for undergraduates. Virtually all of the major universities in the United States participate by fielding a three-member team and a number of other students who compete as individuals. The 74th competition was held on December 7, 2013. The University of Idaho Mathematics Department’s 2013-14 team, consisting of Peter Brown, Ben Anzis, and Thomas Jacobs, placed 142nd out of 430 teams, putting them in the top 30 percent.
The Putnam exam is notoriously difficult. It consists of only twelve problems (six problems in the morning and six more in the afternoon). The problems are difficult enough that the median national score is zero. In other words, most participants in the Putnam exam are not able to solve any of the day's problems. All three members of the University of Idaho team this year solved at least one complete problem.
In addition to the three members of the designated University of Idaho team, four math majors participated as individuals: Kileen Sutherland, Andrew Schwartzmeyer, Ronnie Macoubrie, and Ashley Maes.
All of the participating Idaho students were coached by Professor Frank Gao.
