If $a$ and $b$ satisfy the equations $a +\frac1b=4$ and $\frac1a+b=\frac{16}{15}$, determine the product of all possible values of $ab$.

Maria has a balance scale that can indicate which of its pans is heavier or whether they have equal weight. She also has 4 weights that look the same but have masses of 1001, 1002, 1004 and 1005g. Can Maria determine the mass of each weight in 4 weightings? The weights for a new weighing may be picked when the result of the previous ones is known. [i]The Jury[/i] (For the senior paper) The same question when the left pan of the scale is lighter by 1g than the right one, so the scale indicates equality when the mass on the left pan is heavier by 1g than the mass on the right pan. [i]Alexey Tolpygo[/i]

Let $ p\geq 5$ be a prime number.Prove that for any partition of the set $ P\equal{}\{1,2,3,...,p\minus{}1\}$ in $ 3$ subsets there exists numbers $ x,y,z$ each belonging to a distinct subset,such that $ x\plus{}y\equiv z (mod p)$

Find the maximal positive integer $n$, so that for any real number $x$ we have $\sin^{n}{x}+\cos^{n}{x} \geq \frac{1}{n}$.

Let $\mathbb{N} = \{1,2,3, \ldots\}$. Determine if there exists a strictly increasing function $f: \mathbb{N} \mapsto \mathbb{N}$ with the following properties: (i) $f(1) = 2$; (ii) $f(f(n)) = f(n) + n, (n \in \mathbb{N})$.

Let $H_n=\sum_{r=1}^{n} \frac{1}{r}$. Show that $$n-(n-1)n^{-1\slash (n-1)}>H_n>n(n+1)^{1\slash n}-n$$ for $n>2$.

Let $\triangle ABC$ be an acute-angled triangle and $A_1, B_1$, and $C_1$ be the feet of the altitudes from $A, B$, and $C$, respectively. On the rays $AA_1, BB_1$, and $CC_1$, we have points $A_2, B_2$, and $C_2$ respectively, lying outside of $\triangle ABC$, such that \[\frac{A_1A_2}{AA_1} = \frac{B_1B_2}{BB_1} = \frac{C_1C_2}{CC_1}.\] If the intersections of $B_1C_2$ and $B_2C_1$, $C_1A_2$ and $C_2A_1$, and $A_1B_2$ and $A_2B_1$ are $A', B'$, and $C'$ respectively, prove that $AA', BB'$, and $CC'$ have a common point.

A post service of some country uses carriers to transport the mail, each carrier’s task is to bring the mail from one city to a neighbouring city. It is known that it is possible to send mail from any city to the capital $P$ . For any two cities $A$ and $B$, call $B$ [i]more important than[/i] $A$, if every possible route of mail from $A$ to the capital $P$ goes through $B$. a) Prove that, for any three different cities $A, B$, and $C$, if $B$ is more important than $A$ and $C$ is more important than $B$, then $C$ is more important than $A$. b) Prove that, for any three different cities $A, B$, and $C$, if both B and C are more important than $A$, then either $C$ is more important than $B$ or $B$ is more important than $C$.

The circle $\omega$ lies inside the circle $\Omega$ and touches it internally at $T.$ Let $XY{}$ be a variable chord of the circle $\Omega$ touching $\omega.$ Denote by $X'$ and $Y'$ the midpoints of the arcs $TY{}$ and $TX{}$ which do not contain $X{}$ and $Y{}$ respectively. Prove that all possible lines $X'Y'$ pass through a fixed point. [i]Proposed by F. Petrov[/i]

Circles $k_1$ and $k_2$ intersect at points $M$ and $N$. The line $\ell$ intersects the circle $k_1$ at points $A$ and $C$, the circle $K_2$ at points $B$ and $D$ so that the points $A,B,C$ and $D$ lie on the line $\ell$ are in that order. Let $X$ a point on the line $MN$ such that the point $M$ is located between the points $X$ and $N$. Let $P$ be the intersection of lines $AX$ and $BM$, and $Q$ be the intersection of lines $DX$ and $CM$. If $K$ is the midpoint of segment $AD$ and $L$ is the midpoint of segment $BC$, prove that the lines $XK$ and $ML$ intersect on the line $PQ$.

Define the sequence $x_1, x_2, ...$ inductively by $x_1 = \sqrt{5}$ and $x_{n+1} = x_n^2 - 2$ for each $n \geq 1$. Compute $\lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{x_1 \cdot x_2 \cdot x_3 \cdot ... \cdot x_n}{x_{n+1}}$.

$1,000,000,000,000-777,777,777,777=$ $\text{(A)}\ 222,222,222,222 \qquad \text{(B)}\ 222,222,222,223 \qquad \text{(C)}\ 233,333,333,333 \\ \text{(D)}\ 322,222,222,223 \qquad \text{(E)}\ 333,333,333,333$

What is the maximum possible value of $k$ for which $2013$ can be written as a sum of $k$ consecutive positive integers?

Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ with the property that \[f(x-f(y))=f(f(x))-f(y)-1\] holds for all $x,y\in\mathbb{Z}$.

One thousand unit cubes are fastened together to form a large cube with edge length 10 units; this is painted and then separated into the original cubes. The number of these unit cubes which have at least one face painted is $ \textbf{(A)}\ 600 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 520 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 488 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 480 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 400$

Yannick is playing a game with $100$ rounds, starting with $1$ coin. During each round, there is an $n\%$ chance that he gains an extra coin, where $n$ is the number of coins he has at the beginning of the round. What is the expected number of coins he will have at the end of the game?

Let $f : P\to P$ be a bijective map from a plane $P$ to itself such that: (i) $f (r)$ is a line for every line $r$, (ii) $f (r) $ is parallel to $r$ for every line $r$. What possible transformations can $f$ be?

Consider a sequence of circles $K_1,K_2,K_3,K_4, \ldots$ of radii $r_1, r_2, r_3, r_4, \ldots$ , respectively, situated inside a triangle $ABC$. The circle $K_1$ is tangent to $AB$ and $AC$; $K_2$ is tangent to $K_1$, $BA$, and $BC$; $K_3$ is tangent to $K_2$, $CA$, and $CB$; $K_4$ is tangent to $K_3$, $AB$, and $AC$; etc. (a) Prove the relation \[r_1 \cot \frac 12 A+ 2 \sqrt{r_1r_2} + r_2 \cot \frac 12 B = r \left(\cot \frac 12 A + \cot \frac 12 B \right) \] where $r$ is the radius of the incircle of the triangle $ABC$. Deduce the existence of a $t_1$ such that \[r_1=r \cot \frac 12 B \cot \frac 12 C \sin^2 t_1\] (b) Prove that the sequence of circles $K_1,K_2, \ldots $ is periodic.

Let $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ be a function with the intermediate value property. If $f$ is injective on $\mathbb{R} \setminus \mathbb{Q},$ prove that $f$ is continuous on $\mathbb{R}.$ [i]Julieta R. Vergulescu[/i]

We call [i]word [/i] a sequence of letters $\overline {l_1l_2...l_n}, n\ge 1$ . A [i]word [/i] $\overline {l_1l_2...l_n}, n\ge 1$ is called [i]palindrome [/i] if $l_k=l_{n-k+1}$ , for any $k, 1 \le k \le n$. Consider a [i]word [/i] $X=\overline {l_1l_2...l_{2014}}$ in which $ l_k\in\{A,B\}$ , for any $k, 1\le k \le 2014$. Prove that there are at least $806$ [i]palindrome [/i] [i]words [/i] to ''stick" together to get word $X$.

Let $G$ be a group and $A$ a nonempty subset of $G$. Let $AA=\{xy\mid x,y\in A\}$. [list=a] [*] Prove that if $G$ is finite, then $AA=A$ if and only if $|A|=|AA|$ and $e\in A$. [*] Give an example of a group $G$ and a nonempty subset $A$ of $G$ such that $AA\neq A$, $|AA|=|A|$ and $AA$ is a proper subgroup of $G$. [/list] [i]Mathematical Gazette - Robert Rogozsan[/i]

Does there exist an equilateral triangle (a) on a plane; (b) in a 3-dimensional space; such that all its three vertices have integral coordinates?

Given positive integer $M.$ For any $n\in\mathbb N_+,$ let $h(n)$ be the number of elements in $[n]$ that are coprime to $M.$ Define $\beta :=\frac {h(M)}M.$ Proof: there are at least $\frac M3$ elements $n$ in $[M],$ satisfy $$\left| h(n)-\beta n\right|\le\sqrt{\beta\cdot 2^{\omega(M)-3}}+1.$$ Here $[n]:=\{1,2,\ldots ,n\}$ for all positive integer $n.$ [i]Proposed by Bin Wang[/i]

Find the smallest value of the expression $(x-1) (x -2) (x -3) (x - 4) + 10$.

Let $p_1$, $p_2$, $...$, $p_n$ be different prime numbers ($n\ge 2$). All possible products containing an even number of coefficients (all coefficients are different) are composed of these numbers. Let $S_n$ be the sum of all such products. For example, $$S_4 = p_1p_2 + p_1p_3 + p_1p_4 + p_2p_3 + p_2p_4 + p_3p_4+ p_1p_2p_3p_4.$$ Prove that $S_n + 1$ is divisible by $2^{n-2}$.