You failed your math test, comrade Einstein : adventures and misadventures of young mathematicians or test your skills in almost recreational mathematics

This groundbreaking work features two essays written by the renowned mathematician, Ilan Vardi. The first essay presents a thorough analysis of contrived problems suggested to "undesirable" applicants to the Department of Mathematics of Moscow University. His second essay gives an in-depth discussion of solutions to the Year 2000 International Mathematical Olympiad, with emphasis on the comparison of the Olympiad problems to those given at the Moscow University entrance examinations. The second part of the book provides a historical background of a unique phenomenon in mathematics, which flourished in the 1970s-80s in the USSR. Specially designed math problems were used not to test students' ingenuity and creativity but, rather, as "killer problems," to deny access to higher education to "undesirable" applicants. The focus of this part is the 1980 essay, "Intellectual Genocide", written by B Kanevsky and V Senderov. It is being published for the first time. Also featured is a little-known page of the Soviet history, a rare example of the oppressed organizing to defend their dignity. This is the story of the so-called Jewish people's University, the inception of which is associated with Kanevsky, Senderov and Bella Subbotovskaya. "Two essays written by well-known mathematician Ilan Vardi, who is currently living in France, constitute the book's core. The first essay presents a thorough analysis of contrived problems given to "undesirable" applicants to the Department of Mathematics, Moscow University. The second essay is an in-depth discussion of solutions to the International Mathematical Olympiad of 2000, with emphasis on the comparison of the Olympiad problems to those of the Moscow University entrance examinations." "The second part of the book provides a historical background of a unique phenomenon in mathematics that flourished in the 1970s and 80s in the USSR. Specially designed math problems were not used to test students' ingenuity and creativity; rather, they served as "killer problems," to deny "undesirable" applicants access to higher education. The focus of this part of the book is the 1980 essay Intellectual Genocide by B. Kanevsky and V. Senderov, published here for the first time."--BOOK JACKET From The Editor / M. Shifman -- Pt. 1 -- Mekh-mat Entrance Examinations Problems / Ilan Vardi -- Solutions To The Year 2000 International Mathematical Olympiad / Ilan Vardi -- My Role As An Outsider, Ilan Vardi's Epilogue / Ilan Vardi -- Pt. 2 -- Intellectual Genocide / B. Kanevsjy And V. Senderov -- Remarks / Ilan Vardi -- Science And Totalitarianism / A. Vershik -- Admission To The Mathematics Departments In Russia In The 1970s And 1980s / A. Vershik -- Entrance Examination To The Mekhmat / A. Shen -- Pt. 3 -- Free Education At The Highest Price / K. Tylevich -- Jewish University / D. Fuchs -- Remembering Bella Abramovna / A. Zelevinsky -- Bella Abramovna Subbotovskaya / I. Muchnik. Edited By M. Shifman. Includes Bibliographical References. The recent articles of Anatoly Vershik and Alexander Shen [1, 2] describe discrimination against Jews in Soviet universities during the 1970's and 1980's.