mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Numina-Lean-Agent: An Open and General Agentic Reasoning System for Formal Mathematics

arXiv 2601.14027 ↗First posted 20 Jan 2026cs.AIcited by 50

On the map: LLM agents and tool use → Educational agents and math problem solving

Abstract (arXiv)

Agentic systems have recently become the dominant paradigm for formal theorem proving, achieving strong performance by coordinating multiple models and tools. However, existing approaches often rely on task-specific pipelines and trained formal provers, limiting their flexibility and reproducibility. In this paper, we propose the paradigm that directly uses a general coding agent as a formal math reasoner. This paradigm is motivated by (1) A general coding agent provides a natural interface for diverse reasoning tasks beyond proving, (2) Performance can be improved by simply replacing the underlying base model, without training, and (3) MCP enables flexible extension and autonomous calling of specialized tools, avoiding complex design. Based on this paradigm, we introduce Numina-Lean-Agent, which combines Claude Code with Numina-Lean-MCP to enable autonomous interaction with Lean, retrieval of relevant theorems, informal proving and auxiliary reasoning tools. Using Claude Opus 4.5 as the base model, Numina-Lean-Agent solves all problems in Putnam 2025 (12 / 12), matching the best closed-source system. Beyond benchmark evaluation, we further demonstrate its generality by interacting with mathematicians to successfully formalize the Brascamp-Lieb theorem. We release Numina-Lean-Agent and all solutions at https://github.com/project-numina/numina-lean-agent.

Key facts. Cited by 50 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Educational agents and math problem solving, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 6 of its 14 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 20 Jan 2026.

Builds on

6 of 14 references.

References · 6

  1. 2025DeepSeek-Prover-V2: Advancing Formal Mathematical Reasoning via Reinforcement Learning for Subgoal Decompositioncited by 287
  2. 2022HyperTree Proof Search for Neural Theorem Provingcited by 197
  3. 2024DeepSeek-Prover-V1.5: Harnessing Proof Assistant Feedback for Reinforcement Learning and Monte-Carlo Tree Searchcited by 197
  4. 2025Winning Gold at IMO 2025 with a Model-Agnostic Verification-and-Refinement Pipelinecited by 82
  5. 2025Hilbert: Recursively Building Formal Proofs with Informal Reasoningcited by 60
  6. 2025Seed-Prover 1.5: Mastering Undergraduate-Level Theorem Proving via Learning from Experiencecited by 44

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Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 50.

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  1. 2026Beyond Benchmarks: MathArena as an Evaluation Platform for Mathematics with LLMscited by 137
  2. 2026Automated Conjecture Resolution with Formal Verificationcited by 28
  3. 2026AI co-mathematician: Accelerating mathematicians with agentic AIcited by 17
  4. 2026MerLean: An Agentic Framework for Autoformalization in Quantum Computationcited by 10
  5. 2026LemmaBench: A Live, Research-Level Benchmark to Evaluate LLM Capabilities in Mathematicscited by 10
  6. 2026LeanSearch v2: Global Premise Retrieval for Lean 4 Theorem Provingcited by 10
  7. 2026Formal Conjectures: An Open and Evolving Benchmark for Verified Discovery in Mathematicscited by 10
  8. 2026Formalizing Mathematics at Scalecited by 10
  9. 2026Semi-Autonomous Formalization of the Vlasov-Maxwell-Landau Equilibriumcited by 9
  10. 2026Goedel-Architect: Streamlining Formal Theorem Proving with Blueprint Generation and Refinementcited by 9
  11. 2026Semantic Search over 9 Million Mathematical Theoremscited by 8
  12. 2026Automatic Textbook Formalizationcited by 8
38 more
  1. 2026TheoremGraph: Bridging Formal and Informal Mathematicscited by 5
  2. 2026MechMath Agent Team: LLM Driven Agents for Mathematical Researchcited by 5
  3. 2026Artificial Intelligence and the Structure of Mathematicscited by 4
  4. 2026Sorries Are Not the Hard Part: An Expert-Review Case Study of a Semi-Autonomous Formalizationcited by 4
  5. 2026Beyond the Library: An Agentic Framework for Autoformalizing Research Mathematicscited by 4
  6. 2026SHADOWBENCH: Toward Reliable Automatic Evaluation of Semantic Alignment in Autoformalizationcited by 4
  7. 2026QED-Nano: Teaching a Tiny Model to Prove Hard Theoremscited by 3
  8. 2026Agentic Proving for Program Verificationcited by 3
  9. 2026Verus-SpecGym: An Agentic Environment for Evaluating Specification Autoformalizationcited by 3
  10. 2026Optimizing the Cost-Quality Tradeoff of Agentic Theorem Provers in Leancited by 3
  11. 2026Proof-Refactor: Refactoring Generated Formal Proofs into Modular Artifactscited by 2
  12. 2026VALG: An Agentic System for ML Theory Researchcited by 2
  13. 2026MechMath: Sorrifier-Driven Formal Decomposition Workflow for Automated Theorem Provingcited by 1
  14. 2026Distilling LLM Feedback for Lean Theorem Provingcited by 1
  15. 2026Automating Formal Verification with Reinforcement Learning and Recursive Inferencecited by 1
  16. 2026MA-ProofBench: A Two-Tiered Evaluation of LLMs for Theorem Proving in Mathematical Analysiscited by 1
  17. 2026Hypothesis-Disciplined Multi-Agent Automated Formalization of Asymptotic Statistical Theorycited by 1
  18. 2026From Solvers to Research: Large Language Model-Driven Formal Mathematics at the Research Frontiercited by 1
  19. 2026MathCoPilot: An Interactive System for Human-AI Symbiotic Paradigm of Mathematical Researchcited by 1
  20. 2026AoA: Theorem Proving Agent over Abstract Syntax Tree of Redesigned Languagecited by 1
  21. 2026FLARE: Verifying MILP Reformulations with LLM-Based Theorem Provingcited by 1
  22. 2026Awakening the Sleeping Agent: Lean-Specific Agentic Data Reactivates General Tool Use in Goedel Provercited by 0
  23. 2026Lectures on AI for Mathematicscited by 0
  24. 2026Automating Formal Verification with Agent-Guided Tree Searchcited by 0
  25. 2026Formalize Once, Edit the Rest: Efficient Lean-Based Answer Selection for Math Reasoningcited by 0
  26. 2026Specula: Scaling formal specifications for autonomous model checking of system codecited by 0
  27. 2026MechGeo: Autoformalizing and Proving Euclidean Geometry in Lean 4cited by 0
  28. 2026Beyond Correctness: Toward Automated Novelty Verification with Lean 4cited by 0
  29. 2026MathAdv: What Theorem Provers Know, Reason, Formalize, and Generalizecited by 0
  30. 2026TCSAlgBench: Benchmarking Automated Proving for Research-Level Theoretical Computer Sciencecited by 0
  31. 2026Fyan: A Human--AI Harness with Semantic Auditing for Document-Level Formalizationcited by 0
  32. 2026Growing an Agent/Prover Interface: Evolutionary Tool Design for Cost-Efficient Theorem Proving in Rocq and Leancited by 0
  33. 2026FORALL-LEAN-AGENT for Auditable Reasoning in Formal Mathematics and Software Verificationcited by 0
  34. 2026AIProver: Agentic Auto-Formalization of Mathematical Research via Certificate-Driven Evolving Harnesscited by 0
  35. 2026An AI-Assisted Formalization of the Poincar'e Conjecturecited by 0
  36. 2026Cost-Efficient Theorem Proving via Agent Orchestration in Program Verificationcited by 0
  37. 2026Humanize Olympiad Agents: A Multi-Session Workflow for Olympiad Problem Solving with Solve, Review, Wiki, Verifycited by 0
  38. 2026Do Theorem Provers Need Theorem-Proving Agents? mini-Lean-agent: A Coding-Agent Baseline for Leancited by 0

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  1. 2025Prover Agent: An Agent-Based Framework for Formal Mathematical Proofs
  2. 2025Ax-Prover: A Deep Reasoning Agentic Framework for Theorem Proving in Mathematics and Quantum Physics
  3. 2026Advancing Mathematics Research with AI-Driven Formal Proof Search
  4. 2026RMA: an Agentic System for Research-Level Mathematical Problems
  5. 2026LEAP: Supercharging LLMs for Formal Mathematics with Agentic Frameworks
  6. 2026A Minimal Agent for Automated Theorem Proving
  7. 2026Magenta: Closing the Loop Between Mathematical Reasoning and Lean Verification
  8. 2025APOLLO: Automated LLM and Lean Collaboration for Advanced Formal Reasoning