For a given arithmetic series the sum of the first $50$ terms is $200$, and the sum of the next $50$ terms is $2700$. The first term in the series is: ${{ \textbf{(A)}\ -1221 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ -21.5 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ -20.5 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 3 }\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 3.5 } $

In an archery competition of 30 contestants, the target is divided into two zones, zone 1 and zone 2. Each arrow hitting the zone 1 gets 10 points, when hitting zone 2 will get 5 points and no score for miss. Each contestant throws 16 arrows. At the end of the competition, the statistics show that more than 50% of the arrows hit zone 2. The number of arrows that hit zone 1 is equal to the arrows which are missed. Prove than there are two contestants having equal score.

Let $ x,y,z$ be real numbers. Find the minimum value of $ x^2\plus{}y^2\plus{}z^2$ if $ x^3\plus{}y^3\plus{}z^3\minus{}3xyz\equal{}1$.

On Halloween 31 children walked into the principal's office asking for candy. They can be classified into three types: Some always lie; some always tell the truth; and some alternately lie and tell the truth. The alternaters arbitrarily choose their first response, either a lie or the truth, but each subsequent statement has the opposite truth value from its predecessor. The principal asked everyone the same three questions in this order. "Are you a truth-teller?" The principal gave a piece of candy to each of the 22 children who answered yes. "Are you an alternater?" The principal gave a piece of candy to each of the 15 children who answered yes. "Are you a liar?" The principal gave a piece of candy to each of the 9 children who answered yes. How many pieces of candy in all did the principal give to the children who always tell the truth? $\textbf{(A) }7\qquad\textbf{(B) }12\qquad\textbf{(C) }21\qquad\textbf{(D) }27\qquad\textbf{(E) }31$

Let $ ABCD$ be a parallelogram with $ \angle BAD \equal{} 60$ and denote by $ E$ the intersection of its diagonals. The circumcircle of triangle $ ACD$ meets the line $ BA$ at $ K \ne A$, the line $ BD$ at $ P \ne D$ and the line $ BC$ at $ L\ne C$. The line $ EP$ intersects the circumcircle of triangle $ CEL$ at points $ E$ and $ M$. Prove that triangles $ KLM$ and $ CAP$ are congruent.

Is it possible to cover a $2003 \times 2003$ chessboard (without overlap) using only horizontal $1 \times 2$ dominoes and only vertical $3 \times 1$ trominoes?

Let $X$ be an arbitrary point on side $BC$ of triangle ABC. Triangle $T$ formed by the bisectors of the angles $ABC$, $ACB$ and $AXC$. Prove that: a) the circumscribed circle of the triangle $T$ passes through the vertex $A$. b) the orthocenter of triangle $T$ lies on line $BC$. (Dmytro Prokopenko)

Several distinct real numbers are written on a blackboard. Peter wants to create an algebraic expression such that among its values there would be these and only these numbers. He may use any real numbers, brackets, signs $+, -, \times$ and a special sign $\pm$. Usage of $\pm$ is equivalent to usage of $+$ and $-$ in all possible combinations. For instance, the expression $5 \pm 1$ results in $\{4, 6\}$, while $(2 \pm 0.5) \pm 0.5$ results in $\{1, 2, 3\}$. Can Peter construct an expression if the numbers on the blackboard are : (a) $1, 2, 4$ ? [i]($2$ points)[/i] (b) any $100$ distinct real numbers ? [i]($6$ points)[/i]

The classrooms at MIT are each identified with a positive integer (with no leading zeroes). One day, as President Reif walks down the Infinite Corridor, he notices that a digit zero on a room sign has fallen off. Let $N$ be the original number of the room, and let $M$ be the room number as shown on the sign. The smallest interval containing all possible values of $\frac{M}{N}$ can be expressed as $[\frac{a}{b}, \frac{c}{d} )$ where $a,b,c,d$ are positive integers with $\gcd(a,b) = \gcd(c,d) = 1$. Compute $1000a+100b+10c+d$.

Let $B, C, D, E$ be four pairwise distinct collinear points and let $A$ be a point not on ine $BC$. Now, let the circumcircle of $\triangle ABC$ meet $AD$ and $AE$ respectively again at $F$ and $G$. Show that $DEFG$ is cyclic if and only if $AB=AC$.

Consider the polynomial $W(x) = (x - a)^kQ(x)$, where $a \neq 0$, $Q$ is a nonzero polynomial, and $k$ a natural number. Prove that $W$ has at least $k + 1$ nonzero coefficients.

Is it possible to choose $1983$ distinct positive integers, all less than or equal to $10^{5}$, no three of which are consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression?

Signals used for communication are binary sequences of length $10$. Unfortunately, the receiving device got broken so that it cannot distinguish between two signals unless those differ in more than five places. What is the largest possible number of signals that can still be used to prevent ambiguities?

Let $a,b,c$ be three positive real numbers such that $a + b +c =1$ . prove that among the three numbers $a-ab, b - bc, c-ca$ there is one which is at most $\frac{1}{4}$ and there is one which is at least $\frac{2}{9}$.

Inside a square with sides of length $1$ unit several non-overlapping smaller squares with sides parallel to the sides of the large square are placed (the small squares may differ in size). Draw a diagonal of the large square and consider all of the small squares intersecting it. Can the sum of their perimeters be greater than $1993$? (AN Vblmogorov)

Consider the number obtained by writing the numbers $1,2,\ldots,1990$ one after another. In this number every digit on an even position is omitted; in the so obtained number, every digit on an odd position is omitted; then in the new number every digit on an even position is omitted, and so on. What will be the last remaining digit?

Let $ S$ be the set of nonnegative real numbers. Find all functions $ f: S\rightarrow S$ which satisfy $ f(x\plus{}y\minus{}z)\plus{}f(2\sqrt{xz})\plus{}f(2\sqrt{yz})\equal{}f(x\plus{}y\plus{}z)$ for all nonnegative $ x,y,z$ with $ x\plus{}y\ge z$.

You are given that \[17! = 355687ab8096000\] for some digits $a$ and $b$. Find the two-digit number $\overline{ab}$ that is missing above.

For how many positive integers $n$ less than $2018$ does $n^2$ have the same remainder when divided by $7$, $11$, and $13?$

[b]p1A[/b] Positive reals $x$, $y$, and $z$ are such that $x/y +y/x = 7$ and $y/z +z/y = 7$. There are two possible values for $z/x + x/z;$ find the greater value. [b]p1B[/b] Real values $x$ and $y$ are such that $x+y = 2$ and $x^3+y^3 = 3$. Find $x^2+y^2$. [b]p2[/b] Set $A = \{5, 6, 8, 13, 20, 22, 33, 42\}$. Let $\sum S$ denote the sum of the members of $S$; then $\sum A = 149$. Find the number of (not necessarily proper) subsets $B$ of $A$ for which $\sum B \ge 75$. [b]p3[/b] $99$ dots are evenly spaced around a circle. Call two of these dots ”close” if they have $0$, $1$, or $2$ dots between them on the circle. We wish to color all $99$ dots so that any two dots which are close are colored differently. How many such colorings are possible using no more than $4$ different colors? [b]p4[/b] Given a $9 \times 9$ grid of points, count the number of nondegenerate squares that can be drawn whose vertices are in the grid and whose center is the middle point of the grid. PS. You had better use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Inside an equilateral triangle $ABC$ one constructs points $P, Q$ and $R$ such that \[\angle QAB = \angle PBA = 15^\circ,\\ \angle RBC = \angle QCB = 20^\circ,\\ \angle PCA = \angle RAC = 25^\circ.\] Determine the angles of triangle $PQR.$

Find the smallest positive integer $n$ having the property that for any $n$ distinct integers $a_1, a_2, \dots , a_n$ the product of all differences $a_i-a_j$ $(i < j)$ is divisible by $1991$.

Let $\vartriangle ABC$ be a right-angled triangle with $\angle A = 90^o$ and circumcircle $\Gamma$. The inscribed circle is tangent to $BC$ in point $D$. Let $E$ be the midpoint of the arc $AB$ of $\Gamma$ not containing $C$ and let $F$ be the midpoint of the arc $AC$ of $\Gamma$ not containing $B$. (a) Prove that $\vartriangle ABC \sim \vartriangle DEF$. (b) Prove that $EF$ goes through the points of tangency of the incircle to $AB$ and $AC$.

Let $a\geq 1$ be a real number. Put $x_{1}=a,x_{n+1}=1+\ln{(\frac{x_{n}^{2}}{1+\ln{x_{n}}})}(n=1,2,...)$. Prove that the sequence $\{x_{n}\}$ converges and find its limit.

On Halloween Casper ate $\frac{1}{3}$ of his candies and then gave $2$ candies to his brother. The next day he ate $\frac{1}{3}$ of his remaining candies and then gave $4$ candies to his sister. On the third day he ate his final $8$ candies. How many candies did Casper have at the beginning? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 30 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 39 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 48 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 57 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 66 $