What is considered a complete, well-written solution to a problem?
A complete, well-written solution to a problem should convince a person knowledgeable about mathematics – but not that particular problem – that your solution is correct. It should not be just the equations or figures that you might write down, but also the words and sentences (without being verbose) that you would use if you were sitting down to explain your solution to someone. Finally, it should be legible and easy to read. You might want to take a look at some of the solutions to old USAMTS problems in order to get a sense of what good solutions look like.
