Let $n \geq 1$ be an integer. Ruben takes a test with $n$ questions. Each question on this test is worth a different number of points. The first question is worth $1$ point, the second question $2$, the third $3$ and so on until the last question which is worth $n$ points. Each question can be answered either correctly or incorrectly. So an answer for a question can either be awarded all, or none of the points the question is worth. Let $f(n)$ be the number of ways he can take the test so that the number of points awarded equals the number of questions he answered incorrectly. Do there exist infinitely many pairs $(a; b)$ with $a < b$ and $f(a) = f(b)$?

[b]p1.[/b] There are $5$ weights of masses $1,2,3,5$, and $10$ grams. One of the weights is counterfeit (its weight is different from what is written, it is unknown if the weight is heavier or lighter). How to find the counterfeit weight using simple balance scales only twice? [b]p2.[/b] There are $998$ candies and chocolate bars and $499$ bags. Each bag may contain two items (either two candies, or two chocolate bars, or one candy and one chocolate bar). Ann distributed candies and chocolate bars in such a way that half of the candies share a bag with a chocolate bar. Helen wants to redistribute items in the same bags in such a way that half of the chocolate bars would share a bag with a candy. Is it possible to achieve that? [b]p3.[/b] Insert in sequence $2222222222$ arithmetic operations and brackets to get the number $999$ (For instance, from the sequence $22222$ one can get the number $45$: $22*2+2/2 = 45$). [b]p4.[/b] Put numbers from $15$ to $23$ in a $ 3\times 3$ table in such a way to make all sums of numbers in two neighboring cells distinct (neighboring cells share one common side). [b]p5.[/b] All integers from $1$ to $200$ are colored in white and black colors. Integers $1$ and $200$ are black, $11$ and $20$ are white. Prove that there are two black and two white numbers whose sums are equal. [b]p6.[/b] Show that $38$ is the sum of few positive integers (not necessarily, distinct), the sum of whose reciprocals is equal to $1$. (For instance, $11=6+3+2$, $1/16+1/13+1/12=1$.) PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Find all functions $f$ from positive integers to themselves, such that the followings hold. $1)$.for each positive integer $n$ we have $f(n)<f(n+1)<f(n)+2020$. $2)$.for each positive integer $n$ we have $S(f(n))=f(S(n))$ where $S(n)$ is the sum of digits of $n$ in base $10$ representation.

Let $(G,\cdot)$ be a group, and let $H_1,H_2$ be proper subgroups s.t. $H_1\cap H_2=\{e\}$, where $e$ is the identity element of $G$. They also have the following properties: [b]i)[/b] $x\in G\setminus(H_1\cup H_2),y\in H_1\setminus\{e\}\Rightarrow xy\in H_2$ [b]ii)[/b] $x\in G\setminus(H_1\cup H_2),y\in H_2\setminus\{e\}\Rightarrow xy\in H_1$ Prove that: [b]a)[/b] $|H_1|=|H_2|$ [b]b)[/b] $|G|=|H_1|\cdot |H_2|$

A rectangle is partitioned into finitely many small rectangles. We call a point a cross point if it belongs to four different small rectangles. We call a segment on the obtained diagram maximal if there is no other segment containing it. Show that the number of maximal segments plus the number of cross points is $3$ more than the number of small rectangles.

Prove that there is exactly a function $ f:\mathbb{R}_{\ge 0}\longrightarrow\mathbb{R}_{\ge 0} $ satisfying the following two properties: $ \text{(i)} x\in\mathbb{R}_{> 0}\implies \left( f(x)+f(f(x)) =4018020x \wedge f(x)>0 \right) $ $ \text{(ii)} 0=f(0)+f(f(0)) $

Let $F$ be the set of all $n$-tuples $(A_1, \ldots, A_n)$ such that each $A_{i}$ is a subset of $\{1, 2, \ldots, 1998\}$. Let $|A|$ denote the number of elements of the set $A$. Find \[ \sum_{(A_1, \ldots, A_n)\in F} |A_1\cup A_2\cup \cdots \cup A_n| \]

The sequence $ \{a_n\}$ of integers is defined by \[ a_1 \equal{} 2, a_2 \equal{} 7 \] and \[ \minus{} \frac {1}{2} < a_{n \plus{} 1} \minus{} \frac {a^2_n}{a_{n \minus{} 1}} \leq \frac {}{}, n \geq 2. \] Prove that $ a_n$ is odd for all $ n > 1.$

The set of natural numbers $\mathbb{N}$ are partitioned into a finite number of subsets.Prove that there exists a subset of $S$ so that for any natural numbers $n$,there are infinitely many multiples of $n$ in $S$.

An arbitrary point $M$ is taken inside a regular triangle $ABC$. Prove, that on sides $AB$, $BC$ and $CA$ one can choose points $C_1$, $A_1$ and $B_1$, respectively, so that $B_1C_1 = AM$, $C_1A_1 = BM$, $A_1B_1 = CM$. Find $BA$ if $AB_1= a$, $AC_1 = b$, $a>b$.

Suppose line $\ell$ and four points $A,B,C,D$ lies on $\ell$. Suppose that circles $\omega_1 , \omega_2$ passes through $A,B$ and circles $\omega'_1 , \omega'_2$ passes through $C,D$. If $\omega_1 \perp \omega'_1$ and $\omega_2 \perp \omega'_2$ then prove that lines $O_1O'_2 , O_2O'_1 , \ell $ are concurrent where $O_1,O_2,O'_1,O'_2$ are center of $\omega_1 , \omega_2 , \omega'_1 , \omega'_2$.

During a movie shoot, a stuntman jumps out of a plane and parachutes to safety within a 100 foot by 100 foot square field, which is entirely surrounded by a wooden fence. There is a flag pole in the middle of the square field. Assuming the stuntman is equally likely to land on any point in the field, the probability that he lands closer to the fence than to the flag pole can be written in simplest terms as \[\dfrac{a-b\sqrt c}d,\] where all four variables are positive integers, $c$ is a multple of no perfect square greater than $1$, $a$ is coprime with $d$, and $b$ is coprime with $d$. Find the value of $a+b+c+d$.

A circle $\omega$ and a point $T$ outside the circle is given. Let a tangent from $T$ to $\omega$ touch $\omega$ at $A$, and take points $B,C$ lying on $\omega$ such that $T,B,C$ are colinear. The bisector of $\angle ATC$ intersects $AB$ and $AC$ at $P$ and $Q$,respectively. Prove that $PA=\sqrt{PB\cdot QC}$

Let $a_1,\ldots,a_8$ be reals, not all equal to zero. Let \[ c_n = \sum^8_{k=1} a^n_k\] for $n=1,2,3,\ldots$. Given that among the numbers of the sequence $(c_n)$, there are infinitely many equal to zero, determine all the values of $n$ for which $c_n = 0.$

In a new edition of QoTD duels, $n \ge 2$ ranked contestants (numbered 1 to $n$) play a round robin tournament (i.e. each pair of contestants compete against each other exactly once); no draws are possible. Define an upset to be a pair $(i, j)$ where$ i > j$ and contestant $i$ wins against contestant $j$. At the end of the tournament, contestant $i$ has $s_i$ wins for each $1 \le i \le n$. The result of the tournament is defined as the $n$-tuple $(s_1, s_2, \cdots , s_n)$. An $n$-tuple $S$ is called interesting if, among the distinct tournaments that produce $S$ as a result, the number of tournaments with an odd number of upsets is not equal to the number of tournaments with an even number of upsets. Find the number of interesting $n$-tuples in terms of $n$. [i](Two tournaments are considered distinct if the outcome of some match differs.)[/i]

Let \( A \) and \( B \) be two square matrices with complex entries such that \( A + B = AB \), \( A = A^* \), and \( A \) has all distinct eigenvalues. Prove that there exists a polynomial \( P \) with complex coefficients such that \( P(A) = B \).

Find six points $A_1, A_2, \ldots , A_6$ in the plane, such that for each point $A_i, i = 1, 2, \ldots , 6$ there are exactly three of the remaining five points exactly $1$ cm from $A_i$.

Let $S$ be a nonempty set of positive integers. We say that a positive integer $n$ is [i]clean[/i] if it has a unique representation as a sum of an odd number of distinct elements from $S$. Prove that there exist infinitely many positive integers that are not clean.

Find all triples $(x,n,p)$ of positive integers $x$ and $n$ and primes $p$ for which the following holds $x^3 + 3x + 14 = 2 p^n$

Find the number of ordered triples of integers $(a,b,c)$ such that $$a^2 + b^2 + c^2 - ab - bc - ca - 1 \le 4042b - 2021a - 2021c - 2021^2$$ and $|a|, |b|, |c| \le 2021.$

Positive real numbers $a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_{2024}$ are arranged in a circle. It turned out that for any $i = 1, 2, \ldots, 2024$, the following condition holds: $a_ia_{i+1} < a_{i+2}$. (Here we assume that $a_{2025} = a_1$ and $a_{2026} = a_2$). What largest number of positive integers could there be among these numbers $a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_{2024}$? [i]Proposed by Mykhailo Shtandenko[/i]

Consider $2$ positive integers $a,b$ such that $a+2b=2020$. (a) Determine the largest possible value of the greatest common divisor of $a$ and $b$. (b) Determine the smallest possible value of the least common multiple of $a$ and $b$.

Suppose that $a$, $b$, $c$, and $d$ are real numbers such that $a+b+c+d=8$. Compute the minimum possible value of \[20(a^2+b^2+c^2+d^2)-\sum_{\text{sym}}a^3b,\] where the sum is over all $12$ symmetric terms. [i]Derek Liu[/i]

Let the inscribed circle $ \omega $ of triangle $ ABC $ touch the side $ BC $ at the point $ A '$. Let $ AA '$ intersect $ \omega $ at $ P \neq A $. Let $ CP $ and $ BP $ intersect $ \omega $, respectively, at points $ N $ and $ M $ other than $ P $. Prove that $ AA ', BN $ and $ CM $ intersect at one point.

Suppose P is a point in the interior of a triangle ABC, that x; y; z are the distances from P to A; B; C, respectively, and that p; q; r are the per- pendicular distances from P to the sides BC; CA; AB, respectively. Prove that $xyz \geq 8pqr$; with equality implying that the triangle ABC is equilateral.