University Science and Math Competitions

File: s-l1000.jpg (28KB, 500x793px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 500x793px

putnam is for babies, do the hungarian version instead

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikl%C3%B3s_Schweitzer_Competition

I did a handful of regional competitions in college, mostly team math modeling-based and a couple of programming/hack events (wasn't too good at the latter but had fun). I doubt any were as intense as Olympiad can be though.

You should just ask someone in your math or physics department or your advisor. They will know more than anyone here.

>>8273066
Wow very interesting, thank you! Non-Hungarians are allowed to compete, correct?

>>8273072
Sounds pretty fun, I am starting university this fall, so I will for sure ask. How did you usually prepare for your regional competitions? Did you use special competition textbooks or no?

>>8273081
We would study previous year problems and professor would give us practice problems. I was also doing research with some of the same people so we could talk about things while working.

My advice is to get friendly with one of your math or physics professors ASAP by going to their office hours and doing some extra work (i.e., don't just ask about how to do homework problems, but something else in the text or related to subject that shows you're interested). This will make it easy to get involved with extra-curriculars, competitions, conferences, research, etc.

You would be surprised how few students do this. I'm not particularly gifted or academically exceptional but my department helped me a lot just because I showed interest and was friendly.

europoor here, some eastern-europe olympiads ive been to
jarnik http://vjimc.osu.cz/
imc http://www.imc-math.org.uk/
i'd say the problems are on a comparable level to putnam
most people who go there don't care about preparing for the contest, it's not like you can win anything significant. If you want to git gud at maths then you're better off studying regular stuff than olympiad problems

The oral exam for the ENS in France usually comprises some pretty badass problems (the difficulty varies from candidate to candidate but there are some toughies)
Sample: http://www.ens.fr/IMG/file/concours/2015/MPI/rapports/15_mp_rap_omathu.pdf

>>8273166
Why do you think it's better to study regular stuff than olympiad problems?

>>8273218
olympiad problems, while developing problem solving abilities and exposing you to interesting aspects of math, are very contrived and often written to deceive

you can get all the pros elsewhere without the cons

>>8273218
olympiad problems are sure challenging, but don't really develop your knowledge - they rarely require anything beyond first year curriculum
It's just my feeling anyway, not a definite statement

does anyone know if there are any for physics?

good thread

bumping for interest too, any prestigious hackathons?

>>8274564
HackMIT

What about creating summup website of competitions like this, does something like that exists?

>>8275508
There are sites like TopCoder for competitive programming practice. There is also the ACM-ICPC if you want to compete internationally.

Most problems involve spotting the trick or problem quirk fast and if you don't you are screwed. In my opinion I don't think they are worth it.

Question for you guys who prepared for these contests (especially in maths and physics): how is the routine of a medallist? Wake up, study, lunch, study, dinner, study, sleep? Maybe with some classes thrown in admidst studying sessions?

>>8274564
>>8274850
I'm really sorry to be that guy, but where's the best place to lrn2hack without getting a load of malware?
I've been in CS for years but haven't looking into hacking at all

>>8273041
You can't git gud at Putnam but you can have a hope for solving one or two problems. My advice is practice past Putnam problems and try to learn the kind of theorems that might seem useful for the kinds of questions that pop up.

Another piece of advice is submit whatever you have. I had a partial proof for my first attempt at the competition last December which I disregarded but it turns out, I was only 2 steps away from the complete answer so I may have gotten a point on the test.

A prof at my school runs training sessions where we just try to solve problems together so try to look for someone interested in your department. There's a good chance at least one really likes the Putnam competition like this guy at my school.

>>8275687
I'd also like to know this

>>8275687
WeChall

>>8275691
>you can't git gud at Putnam
why?

>>8274564
>>8274850
hackathons are an absolute waste of fucking time. >>8275543 has the right idea. look around for an ACM-ICPC group in your university

>>8276674
Not really, it's good for your resume if you're looking to apply for a job - to show off what you can make in a concentrated period of time.

>>8276674
how/what do you need to do to excel at these ACM-ICPC competitions?

>>8277650
https://www.quora.com/How-should-we-start-preparation-for-ACM-ICPC

b u m p
u
m
p

>>8277362
pfffft yeah right, useless shit. got study or do actually productive projects instead of going to meme events

>>8278660
how are they meme events?

>>8273066
Based Magyar

>>8273066
Are there any other cool competitions like this Hungarian one?

I'm surprised /sci/ isn't all over this thread, I thought people actually did this type of stuff here?

>>8273041
Nobody cares about university math competitions, you getting your PhD is the competition. You solving a milennium problem is the competition. You inventing a faster fourier algorithm is the competition.

The highschool comps are for countries to show off their heavy handed state education system, and to play into the media frenzy for 'child prodigy genius' type bullshit.

>>8279826
But doesn't developing the skills to win those competitions help you very much with grad school admissions?

Do Art of Problem Solving books help in preparing for Putnam? Especially if you haven't done competition math before?

>>8280061
anyone???????

>>8280061
>>8280725
Obviously, people that have done well on the International Mathematical Olympiad have done well on the Putnam, as it's a higher level of that. Therefore, AoPS books would help.

>>8280868
But is it useful to use them when you are at university-level math? Because those AoPS books were made for high-schoolers for IMO

>>8280909
Yes, it is useful, because it teaches problem solving skills that are general in nature

JUST

DO ANY OF YOU AUTISTS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SHIT?

OR ARE YOU ONLY GOOD AT GORILLA SHITPOSTING?

REEEEE

So, if I want to begin preparing for Putnam and I haven't done competition math before, should I first begin with AoPS books, or just concentrate on Putnam exam questions?

If I should use AoPS books, which ones?

>>8284503
Some schools have their own competitions.
What the fuck are you even asking mate
Just go to your university's website
Ffs

>>8278919
you make shit on a PC, anyone with enough time can do that

make something outside of a pc and canvas, art student

>>8284613
Try The Art and Craft of Problem Solving by Paul Zeitz.

There's also a book (100-120 pages or so) by Terence Tao called Solving Mathematical Problems: A Personal Perspective.

There's a torrent that contains a whole lot of Math Olympiad Books if you're into that (I do believe some of the books in that torrent are AoPS books)

>>8279946
Winning those competitions help. Anything else dosent matter

>>8279826
>>8279946
>>8287180
Becoming a Putnam Fellow gets you graduate tuition waived at Harvard, just saying.

>>8286194
Can you please share this torrent?

>>8287229
Graduate tuition is always waived lol

>>8288435
But being a Putnam Fellow actually guarantees you a spot into Harvard Grad school

>>8288395
>>>/t/732181

You're welcome :) For anyone else, please share torrents regarding problem solving in that thread.

>>8288908
How to open the magnet links? Since they are not embedded can't open them in utorrent.

>shit gpa, school, extracurriculars
>o wait he's a putnam fellow
welp here's an interview bud! - [any good finance/tech company]

>>8288435
Untrue.

Also, Master's Degrees exist.

>>8289905
You can, read the /t/ sticky or google on how to do it in uTorrent.

>>8286194
What are the best books to use from this torrent?

>>8292258
All of them are good honestly, although the first magnet link is better for beginners IMO.

>>8274850
>tfw waitlisted then rejected at HackMIT
:( at least i get to go to HTN..hear they have some dope food

>>8275687
are you talking about computer security?
go search:
overthewire
microcorruption

>>8293875
I think >>8275687 was talking about hacking in the sense of creating something cool using technology as they do at hackathons. Honestly, take something that's new (like VR for example) and make something with it. Or create a mock ATM with a cardboard box (though I'm pretty sure this has been done already, it's difficult to come up with original ideas at hackathons desu)

>>8293875
any other good sources for learning computer security?

also
>how 2 become le ebil 4chan hAck3r

>>8294287
/netsec/ general on /g/ might be a good place to start, although it isn't a very popular general as it gets archived often. Check a 4chan archive site that archives /g/ and search for it.