Jewish Problems

You might want to check out Moscow State's "Jewish Problems" (hard math problems to throw in people's way): https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

jmountNov 2, 2026View on HNParent context

Russian-style competition math has something of a sad history, see for example https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 (This is not an argument that whatever “Russian-style” math program espoused here is “bad,” it’s additional historical context that HNer’s may be interested in.)

TimorousBestieMay 28, 2026View on HNParent context

America used to do that, but Jewish students started taking (and doing well on) the test, and later Black and Asian students had the audacity to be brilliant too. This led to America's "holistic" college admissions process. For what it's worth, the USA isn't unique in adapting…

MengerSpongeNov 30, 2025View on HNParent context

In a similar vein, linked are math questions Russian universities would give to Jewish students to filter them out in entrance exams. https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

terminalbraidOct 21, 2024View on HNParent context

> like we are stuck in a cargo-cult mentality where we are just doing things because that’s what the big companies do, and if it works for them it must be what we need to do. Absolutely. They do leet code -- we must as well. Google is laying people off -- so must we. Steve Jobs…

rdtscMay 7, 2024View on HNParent context

Some European test systems were rigged as well. https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

mynegationFeb 25, 2024View on HNParent context

One of my grandmothers, born about 100 years ago in Romania (she’s not with us anymore), told me many times she was denied from pursuing math education because of then Nazi policies of “numerus nulus” i.e. the exclusion of jews from public universities. There’s a fascinating…

gregsadetskyJan 21, 2024View on HNParent context

I don't support the idea the guy was spouting, but there is an interesting article about "Jewish problems", which were questions asked to undesirable (including Jewish) candidates at universities in the Soviet Union (in this case Moscow State University after 6 days' war) - PDF…

isbvhodnvemrwvnAug 23, 2022View on HNParent context

But also pretty good at excluding for example Jews from certain prestigious schools, see: https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

TrackerFFJun 8, 2022View on HNParent context

I’m referring to the easy looking, tricky to solve problems. I’ve heard them referred to by that term because they have been used at Moscow University to discriminate against Jewish students but I don’t know if they have other names. There is some discussions and examples of…

ZnafonJun 5, 2022View on HNParent context

Your theory has been seen before in other contexts - https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 The Mathematics Department of Moscow State University, the most prestigious mathematics school in Russia, was [around 1975] actively trying to keep Jewish students (and other “undesirables”)…

elahiehNov 27, 2021View on HNParent context

https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

molesyMay 7, 2021View on HNParent context

Similarly, https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 - the "Jewish Problems" that were extra-hard maths questions used to find an excuse to prevent certain students from getting into university.

mnw21camNov 27, 2020View on HNParent context

Your comment reminds me of the ‘Jewish Problems’ math exam. https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

daniellarussoSep 22, 2020View on HNParent context

You can find here https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 infamous "Jewish Problems" that were given to select applicants during entrance exams to the math department of Moscow State University. They were designed to prevent Jews from getting a passing grade.

playing_coloursAug 14, 2020View on HNParent context

They used to present applying Jews with special problems: https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 This practice was supposed to end with sovient union — but my school, which always had a fair share of jews that applied to math department in MSU, taught those in 00s, and athough…

golergkaAug 14, 2020View on HNParent context

For more ridiculous math problems I want to submit: The Jewish Problems[0]. These were used when Jewish people were trying to get into grad school in Russia in the '70's. Basically designed so Jewish people wouldn't get in. [0] https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

godelskiJul 5, 2020View on HNParent context

Tanya Khovanova has a paper https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 with a list of some more of these problems with easy solutions that are hard to find. She calls them "Jewish Problems" because they were used by USSR universities to discriminate against Jewish applicants. The…

OscarCunninghamOct 17, 2019View on HNParent context

There's lots of sneaky ways they tried to limit Jewish access to higher eduction in Russia. Jewish Problems, for example: https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

narratorOct 1, 2019View on HNParent context

This reminds me of Jewish Problems[0], designed to "prevent Jews and other undesirables from getting a passing grade" at the entrance exams to the math department of Moscow State University. [0] https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

spythonSep 11, 2018View on HNParent context

> "Leningrad University’s maths department had a quota of two Jews per year among 350 students. Its Moscow equivalent was more zealous and actively investigated all candidates for traces of a Jewish background. Students with Jewish sounding names were refused entry, just in…

394549Jun 26, 2018View on HNParent context

I would not take excuses like this for rejecting a candidate, especially a highly qualified/skilled candidate, at face value. Despite the pervasive rhetoric about wanting the "best" or hiring only the "best," both individual interviewers and companies as a whole are often afraid…

NumberSixNov 12, 2017View on HNParent context

You might have a fun time with the "Jewish Problems". http://arxiv.org/pdf/1110.1556.pdf

nordsieckMar 4, 2016View on HNParent context

See also: http://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

11001Jan 2, 2014View on HNParent context

I'm not sure if you are making an intentional reference to this or not, but it does make an interesting counter-point to the assertion that mathematics is a meritocracy: http://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 "This is a special collection of problems that were given to select applicants…

CritoNov 25, 2013View on HNParent context

Regarding immigration: I don't know if there was much selection bias as we were in the immigration queue for 10 years before being selected. The Anti-Defamation League told Bill Clinton that the situation in Russia was getting worse (1996), and he increased the annual quota of…

ivoloMar 7, 2013View on HNParent context

Some basic facts about college admission in the United States: 1) Most colleges admit large numbers of students who are officially reported as "race/ethnicity unknown." 2) The definition of "race" categories in current United States regulations is arbitrary, acknowledged by the…

tokenadultMar 8, 2013View on HNParent context

Here you go: http://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

shmerlNov 9, 2012View on HNParent context

About a year ago I read a paper that listed a number of those "Jewish Problems" (ambiguous or hard problems given at entrance exams). For those interested - http://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556

liniNov 7, 2012View on HNParent context

Guess they should use "Asian Problems"? http://arxiv.org/abs/1110.1556 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3096793

eneveuFeb 3, 2012View on HNParent context

> ...these problems are distinguished by having a simple solution that is difficult to find. Like the place to view the problems, for me at least: PDF http://arxiv.org/pdf/1110.1556v1

staunchOct 11, 2011View on HNParent context