Congrats to the '17 Williams Football team on defeating Amherst and going 6-3.

Congrats to Williams College for winning the Directors' cup again, we're now 20 of 22.

New athletics facilities dedicated Saturday October 11th; many math majors among the athletes, pictures and news here.

One may wonder why the contest page begins with a nod to more standard sports. For years the results of the Green Chicken contest have been announced at the football game (if we have a home game that day). Many people were curious about why this happens. Dick Quinn, Associate Director of Communications for Sports Information, said it best: If you keep score and mention Williams, I care! To me, this exemplifies what makes Williams so unique and special, this powerful sense of community. --SJMiller
 

Weekly math puzzle night dinners are Mondays at 6pm in Dennett in Mission.

Green Chicken Contest: Saturday, October 28, 2017. (click here for motivational music)

The 40th Green Chicken Competition was hosted by Middlebury College on Saturday, October 28th. Ten Williams College students participated and successfully defended the Green Chicken. The top scorers in the Williams College team were: Ian Banta, Will Howie, Markus Feng, Michael Curran, and Richard Wu (picture here). The upperclassmen returned and led Williams to a successful defense of the Green Chicken in 2014, 157 to 109 (led by John Bihn, Sam Donow and Granger Carty; exam and solution here, pictures here). In 2013 no seniors or juniors participated for Williams, but fortunately our school has depth! Our all frosh/soph team of Philip Brockman, David Burt, Sam Donow and Ben Kaufman stepped up and retained the Green Chicken in another tight match, defeating Middlebury 165 to 142 (exam here, solutions here, and picture here). In 2012 we retained the chicken 125 - 118, with an all underclassman team of Jack Bequeaith, Sam Donow, Jared Hallett and Samantha Petti: picture here.

MATH COMPETITION NEWS:   Over 2% of the campus took the Putnam in 2013! Remote VirginiaTech math competition: Saturday 9-11am (email sjm1@williams.edu)

Green Chicken Announcement: The annual Williams - Middlebury Green Chicken Math is usually in October / November. As the name suggests, we do math problems and whichever team has the higher score gets the Green Chicken. There are problems at all levels, interesting discussions and of course food (hopefully not green chicken, but they choose the menu this year). Related to this and the Putnam (early December) we weekly meet to discuss math puzzles and problems. Currently we meet at Dennett Private Dining Room in Mission on Mondays from 6 to 7pm (if you don't have a meal plan we can guest you in).

Good problems to look at (for now) are from the U of I practice Putnam exams, U of I math contests, and of course last year's Putnam exam. For the last few meetings, I've brought in some problems no one has looked at and we've brainstormed together.

Check out the blog at:  http://blogs.williams.edu/greenchicken    

Summer REU (research experiences for undergraduates) links: http://www.ams.org/employment/reu.html and http://www.maa.org/students/reustuff/pages/reu.html and  http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.cfm?unitid=5044.

PUTNAM STRATEGIES (work in progress -- help appreciated!): click here.

PUTNAM / Problem Solving Independent Study: click here for the homepage.

For more information, contact Professor Miller at sjm1 AT williams.edu.

Previous Contests        Useful Links        Pictures        Contact Info        History        Results        Motivational Music

Previous Contests and related exams / riddles (thanks to F. Zhu for posting)

2025: 2020: 2015: exam     solution 2010: exam and solution 2005: exam 2000: exam    1995: exam 1995: exam 1989   1984   1979
2024: 2019: 2014: exam and solution 2009: exam 2004: exam and solution 1999: exam 1994: exam 1994: exam 1988   1983   1978
2023: 2018: 2013: exam   solution 2008: exam and solution 2003: exam 1998: exam 1993: exam 1993: exam 1987   1982    
2022: 2017: exam    solution 2012: exam and solution 2007: exam and solution 2002: exam 1997: exam 1992: exam 1992: exam 1986   1981    
2021: 2016: exam   solution 2011: SOMEONE HELP! 2006: exam 2001:  solution 1996: exam 1991: exam 1991: exam 1985   1980    

Useful links

Pictures

Contact information: Steven J Miller (Steven.J.Miller AT Williams.edu)

Articles about the green chicken

Results of previous competitions

Previous Contests        Useful Links        Pictures        Contact Info        History        Results

 

2013: Winning Williams Team: Philip Brockman, David Burt, Sam Donow and Ben Kaufman; Faculty Advisors: Michael Biro, Ed Hansen, Steven Miller and Mihai Stoiciu.
2013 Participants: Phillip Brockman, David Burt, Sam Donow, Mary Gong, Ben Kaufman, Alexander Kastner, Ryan Kwon, Zander Majercik, Gabriel Ngwe, Dylanger Pittman and Sarah Wu.

2012 top scorers: Jared Hallett, Samantha Petti, Jack Bequeaith and Sam Donow.