MATH 4040 — Patterns, Proofs, and Problems
General Information
Basic problem-solving techniques and strategies for contest problems. Contest problems differ from standard mathematical instruction in that they are "contextless": the problem does not tell you which field it is in and sometimes goes to great lengths to disguise it. Understanding how to solve contest problems has applications to research, where knowing how to work with unknown concepts, how to attack a problem fluidly from the perspective of multiple fields, and different tricks for simplifying problems is extremely useful. This course will cover topics that appear in standard competitions (e.g., the Putnam exam), including combinatorics, number theory, geometry, and calculus.
Full Cornell course description (FA26)
Credits: 4
Prerequisites and Enrollment
Prerequisites: MATH 2210 or MATH 2230 or MATH 2310 or MATH 2940; MATH 2220 or MATH 2240 or MATH 1920; or equivalents.
Recorded Offerings
| Semester | Listed instructors | Course details |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Inna Zakharevich | Roster / syllabus |
Workload and General Advice
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Course information checked against Cornell’s Spring and Fall 2026 rosters on September 18, 2026. The listed semesters are verified examples, not a complete offering history.