Problem of the Week

James Madison University
Department of Mathematics and Statistics


Rules: The "Problem of the Week" is a puzzle or problem of a mathematical nature which should be accessible to most students of "calculus age" and up. Each problem has a deadline two weeks from the date it is posted. Once the deadline for a problem has passed, the author of the best solution will receive a $5.00 gift certificate from Dave's Taverna. If there is more than one acceptable solution, the winner will be chosen at random from those.

Stay well-fed; solve the problem of the week.


Problems for Spring 2005:

  • POW #1: Cherry Soda
    • Posted 1/20/05, due 2/3/05
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: Renzo Olguin
    • Also submitted correct answers: Tanya Blackburn, Jennifer Bywaters, Naomi Scully, John Szarka.

  • POW #2: Three Hats
    • Posted 2/3/05, due 2/17/05
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: Christy Koelling
    • Also submitted correct answers: Jennifer Bywaters, Ryan Charest, Brian Henderson, Jonathan Lamanna, Dylan Love, Matthew Musgrave, Renzo Olguin, Lauren Owen, John Szarka, Nicole Wood.

  • POW #3: A Magic Square
    • Posted 2/10/05, due 2/24/05
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: Matthew Saunders
    • Also submitted correct answers: Brian Clark, Jeremy George, Renzo Olguin, John Szarka.

  • POW #4: The Thousandth Term
    • Posted 2/17/05, due 3/3/05
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: John Szarka
    • Also submitted correct answers: Matthew Musgrave.

  • POW #5: A Mathematical Crossword
    • Posted 2/24/05, due 3/14/05 (Pi Day!)
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: Greg Tumolo
    • Also submitted correct answers: Michael Albert.

  • POW #6: The Roaming Knight
  • POW #7: Divisible by 7
    • Posted 3/31/05, due 4/21/05
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: Ryan Charest
    • Also submitted correct answers: Jesse Blosser helped develop Ryan's solution.

  • POW #8: Missing the Train
    • Posted 4/7/05, due 4/28/05
    • The problem
    • The solution
    • The winner: Jeremy George
    • Also submitted correct answers: Matthew Musgrave, Renzo Olguin.





Problems of the Week for the current semester



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