$a_{1}=1$ and for all $n \geq 1$, \[ (a_{n+1}-2a_{n})\cdot \left (a_{n+1} - \dfrac{1}{a_{n}+2} \right )=0.\] If $a_{k}=1$, which of the following can be equal to $k$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 6 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 8 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 10 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 12 \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{None of the preceding} $

Write $\displaystyle{\frac{1}{\sqrt[5]{2} - 1} = a + b\sqrt[5]{2} + c\sqrt[5]{4} + d\sqrt[5]{8} + e\sqrt[5]{16}}$, with $a$, $b$, $c$, $d$, and $e$ integers. Find $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 + e^2$.

Alberto wants to organize a poker game with his friends this evening. Bruno and Barbara together go to gym once in three evenings, whereas Carla, Corrado, Dario and Davide are busy once in two evenings (not necessarily the same day). Moreover, Dario is not willing to play with Davide, since they have a quarrel over a girl. A poker game requires at least four persons (including Alberto). What is the probability that the game will be played?

Does the set of real numbers have a well-order $\prec$ such that the intersection of the subset $\{(x,y) : x\prec y\}$ of the plane with every line is Lebesgue measurable on the line?

Pyramid $EARLY$ is placed in $(x,y,z)$ coordinates so that $E=(10,10,0),A=(10,-10,0)$, $R=(-10,-10,0)$, $L=(-10,10,0)$, and $Y=(0,0,10)$. Tunnels are drilled through the pyramid in such a way that one can move from $(x,y,z)$ to any of the $9$ points $(x,y,z-1)$, $(x\pm 1,y,z-1)$, $(x,y\pm 1, z-1)$, $(x\pm 1, y\pm 1, z-1)$. Sean starts at $Y$ and moves randomly down to the base of the pyramid, choosing each of the possible paths with probability $\dfrac{1}{9}$. What is the probability that he ends up at the point $(8,9,0)$?

Bob, having little else to do, rolls a fair $6$-sided die until the sum of his rolls is greater than or equal to $700$. What is the expected number of rolls needed? Any answer within $.0001$ of the correct answer will be accepted.

Fix an integer $n \ge 2$ and let $A$ be an $n\times n$ array with $n$ cells cut out so that exactly one cell is removed out of every row and every column. A [i]stick [/i] is a $1\times k$ or $k\times 1$ subarray of $A$, where $k$ is a suitable positive integer. (a) Determine the minimal number of [i]sticks [/i] $A$ can be dissected into. (b) Show that the number of ways to dissect $A$ into a minimal number of [i]sticks [/i] does not exceed $100^n$. proposed by Palmer Mebane and Nikolai Beluhov [hide=a few comments]a variation of part a, was [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c6h1389637p7743073]problem 5[/url] a variation of part b, was posted [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c6h1389663p7743264]here[/url] this post was made in order to complete the post collection of RMM Shortlist 2017[/hide]

Determine that all $ k \in \mathbb{Z}$ such that $ \forall n$ the numbers $ 4n\plus{}1$ and $ kn\plus{}1$ have no common divisor.

A weighted complete graph with distinct positive wights is given such that in every triangle is [i]degenerate [/i] that is wight of an edge is equal to sum of two other. Prove that one can assign values to the vertexes of this graph such that the wight of each edge is the difference between two assigned values of the endpoints. [i]Proposed by Morteza Saghafian [/i]

Let $ABC$ be a triangle, and let $D$, $E$, $F$ be 3 points on the sides $BC$, $CA$ and $AB$ respectively, such that the inradii of the triangles $AEF$, $BDF$ and $CDE$ are equal with half of the inradius of the triangle $ABC$. Prove that $D$, $E$, $F$ are the midpoints of the sides of the triangle $ABC$.

A cube of integral dimensions is given in space so that all four vertices of one of the faces are lattice points. Prove that the other four vertices are also lattice points.

[b]H[/b]orizontal parallel segments $AB=10$ and $CD=15$ are the bases of trapezoid $ABCD$. Circle $\gamma$ of radius $6$ has center within the trapezoid and is tangent to sides $AB$, $BC$, and $DA$. If side $CD$ cuts out an arc of $\gamma$ measuring $120^{\circ}$, find the area of $ABCD$.

Find all polynomials P(x) such that P(x)+P(1/x)=x+1/x

Let $ p$ and $ q$ be relatively prime positive integers. A subset $ S$ of $ \{0, 1, 2, \ldots \}$ is called [b]ideal[/b] if $ 0 \in S$ and for each element $ n \in S,$ the integers $ n \plus{} p$ and $ n \plus{} q$ belong to $ S.$ Determine the number of ideal subsets of $ \{0, 1, 2, \ldots \}.$

Guy has 17 cards. Each of them has an integer written on it (the numbers are not necessarily positive, and not necessarily different from each other). Guy noticed that for each card, the square of the number written on it equals the sum of the numbers on the 16 other cards. What are the numbers on Guy's cards? Find all of the options.

Given two positive integers $m$ and $n$, find the largest $k$ in terms of $m$ and $n$ such that the following condition holds: Any tree graph $G$ with $k$ vertices has two (possibly equal) vertices $u$ and $v$ such that for any other vertex $w$ in $G$, either there is a path of length at most $m$ from $u$ to $w$, or there is a path of length at most $n$ from $v$ to $w$. [i]Proposed by Ivan Chan Kai Chin[/i]

Prove that every integer $k > 1$ has a multiple less than $k^4$ whose decimal expension has at most four distinct digits.

[b]2.[/b] Construct a sequence $(a_n)_{n=1}^{\infty}$ of complex numbers such that, for every $l>0$, the series $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \mid a_n \mid ^{l}$ be divergent, but for almost all $\theta$ in $(0,2\pi)$, $\prod_{n=1}^{\infty} (1+a_n e^{i\theta})$ be convergent. [b](S. 11)[/b]

Given a convex quadrilateral $ABCD$, side $AB$ is not parallel to side $CD$. The circle $O_1$ passing through $A$ and $B$ is tangent to side $CD$ at $P$. The circle $O_2$ passing through $C$ and $D$ is tangent to side $AB$ at $Q$. Circle $O_1$ and circle $O_2$ meet at $E$ and $F$. Prove that $EF$ bisects segment $PQ$ if and only if $BC\parallel AD$.

Let $\omega$ be a circle with center $O$ and radius $8$, and let $A$ be a point such that $AO = 17$. Let $P$ and $Q$ be points on $\omega$ such that line segments $\overline{AP}$ and $\overline{AQ}$ are tangent to $\omega$ . Let $B$ and $C$ be points chosen on $\overline{AP}$ and $\overline{AQ}$, respectively, such that $\overline{BC}$ is also tangent to $\omega$ . Compute the perimeter of triangle $\vartriangle ABC$.

Let $n\ge 2$ be a positive integer. Find the number of functions $f:\{1,2,\ldots ,n\}\rightarrow\{1,2,3,4,5 \}$ which have the following property: $|f(k+1)-f(k)|\ge 3$, for any $k=1,2,\ldots n-1$. [i]Vasile Pop[/i]

Let $\mathbb{Z} _{>0}$ be the set of positive integers. Find all functions $f: \mathbb{Z} _{>0}\rightarrow \mathbb{Z} _{>0}$ such that \[ m^2 + f(n) \mid mf(m) +n \] for all positive integers $m$ and $n$.

A function $g: \mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z}$ is called adjective if $g(m)+g(n)>max(m^2,n^2)$ for any pair of integers $m$ and $n$. Let $f$ be an adjective function such that the value of $f(1)+f(2)+\dots+f(30)$ is minimized. Find the smallest possible value of $f(25)$.

A circle of radius $ r$ is concentric with and outside a regular hexagon of side length 2. The probability that three entire sides of hexagon are visible from a randomly chosen point on the circle is 1/2. What is $ r$? $ \textbf{(A) } 2\sqrt {2} \plus{} 2\sqrt {3} \qquad \textbf{(B) } 3\sqrt {3} \plus{} \sqrt {2} \qquad \textbf{(C) } 2\sqrt {6} \plus{} \sqrt {3} \qquad \textbf{(D) } 3\sqrt {2} \plus{} \sqrt {6}\\ \textbf{(E) } 6\sqrt {2} \minus{} \sqrt {3}$

$A_1A_2A_3A_4$ is cyclic quadrilateral of $\odot O$. $H_1,H_2,H_3,H_4$ are orthocentres of $\triangle A_2A_3A_4,\triangle A_3A_4A_1,\triangle A_4A_1A_2,\triangle A_1A_2A_3$. Prove that $H_1,H_2,H_3,H_4$ are concyclic, and determine its center.