Richard Rusczyk
Richard Rusczyk | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 21, 1971 Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University |
| Known for | Art of Problem Solving |
| Spouse | Vanessa Rusczyk |
| Awards | World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions Paul Erdös Award (2014) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Art of Problem Solving [1] |
Richard Rusczyk (/ˈrʌsɪk/); born September 21, 1971) is an American mathematician. He was the founder and chief executive officer of Art of Problem Solving Inc. and a co-author of the Art of Problem Solving textbooks. Rusczyk was a national Mathcounts participant in 1985, and he won the USA Math Olympiad (USAMO) in 1989. He is one of the co-creators of the Mandelbrot Competition, and a former director of the USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS). He also founded the San Diego Math Circle.
Early life
[edit]Richard Rusczyk was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1971.[1] He signed up for the MathCounts program when he was in middle school. As a high schooler, Rusczyk was a part of his high school math team and took part in the American Mathematics Competitions.[2] Rusczyk would later go on to win the USA Math Olympiad (USAMO) and make the alternates for the USA team for the International Math Olympiad (IMO).[3] Rusczyk would later go on to attend Princeton University, which he graduated from in 1993.[4] After graduating from college, Rusczyk went to graduate school which he would later quit to pursue becoming a high school teacher.[5]
Art of Problem Solving
[edit]Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) is an educational organization founded in 2003 by mathematician Richard Rusczyk. It provides textbooks, online courses, and community resources designed to help middle and high school students strengthen their mathematics and problem-solving skills, particularly in preparation for competitions.[6]
History
[edit]Between 1993 and 1994, Richard Rusczyk and Sandor Lehoczky authored the first two volumes of the Art of Problem Solving series, designed to prepare students for mathematical competitions by teaching concepts and problem-solving methods rarely taught in schools.[7] These books later gave their name to the company Rusczyk founded in 2003.[8]
After working for four years as a bond trader at D. E. Shaw & Co., Rusczyk created the Art of Problem Solving website, which offers online courses, forums, a wiki, and interactive games such as For the Win (FTW) and Reaper.[9]
Initiatives
[edit]Rusczyk founded the nonprofit Art of Problem Solving Initiative, which administers the United States of America Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS) and supports local mathematics programs across the United States.[10]
In 2012, Rusczyk received the Mathcounts Distinguished Alumnus Award, and in 2014 he was awarded the Paul Erdős Award by the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions.[11]
Leadership
[edit]On March 24, 2025, Rusczyk retired as CEO of AoPS. He was succeeded by Ben Kornell, with Andrew Sutherland appointed Chief Product Officer. Rusczyk continues to serve on the company’s board of directors.[12]
Textbooks
[edit]Richard Rusczyk has authored and co-authored several textbooks for students in grades 5–12, including Prealgebra, Introduction to Algebra, and Introduction to Geometry.[13]
After his first year at Princeton University, Rusczyk collaborated with Sandor Lehoczky and Sam Vandervelde to create the Mandelbrot Competition. Following the competition’s limited success, Rusczyk and Lehoczky began writing the first volumes of the Art of Problem Solving series.[14]
Full List of (Co)authored Textbooks in Published Order
[edit]- The Art of Problem Solving: The Basics (1993), co-authored with Sandor Lehoczky[15]
- Art of Problem Solving, Volume 2: And Beyond (1994), co-authored with Sandor Lehoczky[16]
- Introduction to Geometry (2006)[17]
- Introduction to Algebra (2007)[18]
- Intermediate Algebra (2007), co-authored with Mathew Crawford[19]
- Precalculus (2009)[20]
- Prealgebra (2011), co-authored with David Patrick and Ravi Boppana[21]
See also
[edit]- Mandelbrot Competition
- United States of America Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS)
- Mathcounts
References
[edit]- ^ Chen, Ingfei (November 12, 2021). "Richard Rusczyk's Worldwide Math Camp". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ Chen, Ingfei (November 12, 2021). "Richard Rusczyk's Worldwide Math Camp". The New Yorker. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ AMA with Sal Khan and Richard Rusczyk, retrieved November 11, 2023
- ^ "The Art of Problem Solving Initiative". April 7, 2023.
- ^ Richard Rusczyk: Art of Problem Solving, AoPS, Chief Executive Officer. A Profile. Retrieved May 11, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Explanation of AoPS Online Courses".
- ^ "First AoPS Books".
- ^ "Founder of AoPS".
- ^ "Explanation of AoPS Online Courses".
- ^ "Art of Problem Solving Initiative".
- ^ "WFNMC Awards". Archived from the original on March 23, 2014.
- ^ "Art of Problem Solving Adds Ben Kornell as CEO and Andrew Sutherland as Chief Product Officer; Current CEO Richard Rusczyk Joins Board". March 24, 2025.
- ^ "AoPS Textbooks".
- ^ "Info on the Textbooks The Art of Problem Solving".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
- ^ "Further Textbook Information".
Categories
[edit]- Mathematics education in the United States
- Educational websites
- American educational companies
Academic background
[edit]Rusczyk studied chemical engineering at Princeton University and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1993. He previously served on the board for ARML and managed the Western ARML site. [citation needed]
References
[edit]External links
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
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