I got a 3!!!

[Breakdown16]

Re: I got a 3!!!

The 50th percentile means you placed in the top 50% of the people who took the test. the 33rd percentile means you placed in the top 33% of the people who took the test. Therefore, being in the top half to the top third is in fact an improvement.

I'm actually used to seeing the other way around for most things, including standardized tests. Higher percentage = higher number of points compared to others.

[iironiic]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Ha ha, I think I saw qqwref on the list of award recipients. Congrats!

Oh wow! Didn't notice him there haha! Congrats to qqwref! :3

I'm actually used to seeing the other way around for most things, including standardized tests. Higher percentage = higher number of points compared to others.

Woops. "Percentile" wasn't the right word. I fixed it though!

[ichliebekase]

Re: I got a 3!!!

I took something like the Putnam Exam years ago, it was optional back in high school to take a glimpse into the true hard stuff. Definitely no walk in the park xD very nice job :]

[dag12]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Yeah, nth percentile means you did better than n% of the people. Crash course in math for the day!
But yeah, I'm not sure how I did lol. I haven't checked, and I haven't been to my school's math club in ages haha. Last year was ~35 I think for me.
In either case though, I wanna consider myself done with math. As a Chem major, the highest level of math I need is abstract algebra or real and complex analysis(even for like quantum field theory...)
Our school produced a Putnam Fellow this year though! What a beast.

[Guest15937]

Re: I got a 3!!!

And here I am, thinking the AIME is hard...

[dag12]

Re: I got a 3!!!

And here I am, thinking the AIME is hard...

Teehee, the AIME is easy enough to get 12+ on if your practice and look at all the past questions.
They become really patterned, especially combinatorics or number theory problems. I always did suck at geometry problems though.
Take a look at aosp and practice, practice, practice!

[iironiic]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Haha we'd be extremely lucky to have a Putnam Fellow in our school. I also wished I didn't slack too much on math back in high school, because it would've helped me in the long run. Oh well haha.

[qqwref]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Not bad. The Putnam this year was brutal, apparently the top 200 cutoff was 13 points this time and 31 in 2010. I personally got a 52 (yay top 25), but I do have a lot of experience with this kinda stuff, and I'd say you should be happy with your result.

[Vanilla Mnm]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Here was this year's (technically 2011's) exam:

http://amc.maa.org/a-activities/a7-p.../-pdf/2011.pdf

I was really confident with A4 and B2 since I have the right answers and am confident with my proofs. I guess it was not so convincing to the graders haha.

I read one of the questions & got a headache.

[robertsona]

Re: I got a 3!!!

yeah what the hell is all this

[igotrhythm]

Re: I got a 3!!!

The 50th percentile means you placed in the top 50% of the people who took the test. the 33rd percentile means you placed in the top 33% of the people who took the test. Therefore, being in the top half to the top third is in fact an improvement.

Um, I thought that 33rd percentile means you were better than 33% of the other test takers. Still, I know very well the brain-frazzling that comes with a mental workout half as intense as this.

Very good job not goose-egging (and fixing that error because lol didn't read), Wilson!

[Vanilla Mnm]

Re: I got a 3!!!

33rd Percentile means you finished better than 33% of people who took the test.

[dragonmegaXX]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Do you get a new car for winning?

[Breakdown16]

Re: I got a 3!!!

http://math.scu.edu/putnam/prizecJan.html

Some pretty sweet cash prizes, I have to admit.

[Netjet!]

Re: I got a 3!!!

Wow. That'd be cool to win :O Nice job too!