Compute $$\left(20+\frac{1}{23}\right)\cdot\left(23+\frac{1}{20}\right)-\left(20-\frac{1}{23}\right)\cdot\left(23-\frac{1}{20}\right)$$ [i]Proposed by Andy Xu[/i]

The integers from $1$ to $9$ are arranged in a $3\times3$ grid. The rows and columns of the grid correspond to $6$ three-digit numbers, reading rows from left to right, and columns from top to bottom. Compute the least possible value of the largest of the $6$ numbers.

Determine all real numbers $a$ such that the equation: $$x^8+ax^4+1=0$$ have four real roots that form an arithmetic progression.

If $\frac{4^x}{2^{x+y}}=8$ and $\frac{9^{x+y}}{3^{5y}}=243$, $x$ and $y$ are real numbers, then $xy$ equals: $\text{(A)} \ \frac{12}{5} \qquad \text{(B)} \ 4 \qquad \text{(C)} \ 6 \qquad \text{(D)} \ 12 \qquad \text{(E)} \ -4$

For each integer $n \geq 2$, let $F(n)$ denote the greatest prime factor of $n$. A [i]strange pair[/i] is a pair of distinct primes $p$ and $q$ such that there is no integer $n \geq 2$ for which $F(n)F(n+1)=pq$. Prove that there exist infinitely many strange pairs.

For which values of n does there exist a polyhedron having $n$ edges?

A strip of width $w$ is the set of all points which lie on, or between, two parallel lines distance $w$ apart. Let $S$ be a set of $n$ ($n \ge 3$) points on the plane such that any three different points of $S$ can be covered by a strip of width $1$. Prove that $S$ can be covered by a strip of width $2$.

Let $p_1, p_2, p_3, p_4, p_5, p_6$ be distinct primes greater than $5$. Find the minimum possible value of $$p_1 + p_2 + p_3 + p_4 + p_5 + p_6 - 6\min\left(p_1, p_2, p_3, p_4, p_5, p_6\right)$$ [i]Proposed by Oliver Hayman[/i]

Let $n>1$ be a given integer. The Mint issues coins of $n$ different values $a_1, a_2, ..., a_n$, where each $a_i$ is a positive integer (the number of coins of each value is unlimited). A set of values $\{a_1, a_2,..., a_n\}$ is called [i]lucky[/i], if the sum $a_1+ a_2+...+ a_n$ can be collected in a unique way (namely, by taking one coin of each value). (a) Prove that there exists a lucky set of values $\{a_1, a_2, ..., a_n\}$ with $$a_1+ a_2+...+ a_n < n \cdot 2^n.$$ (b) Prove that every lucky set of values $\{a_1, a_2,..., a_n\}$ satisfies $$a_1+ a_2+...+ a_n >n \cdot 2^{n-1}.$$ Proposed by Ilya Bogdanov

A game show offers a contestant three prizes A, B and C, each of which is worth a whole number of dollars from $ \$1$ to $ \$9999$ inclusive. The contestant wins the prizes by correctly guessing the price of each prize in the order A, B, C. As a hint, the digits of the three prices are given. On a particular day, the digits given were $ 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3$. Find the total number of possible guesses for all three prizes consistent with the hint.

Let there be a sequence $a_n$ such that $a_1 = 2,a_2 = 0, a_3 = 1, a_4 = 0$, and for $n \ge 1, a_{n+4}$ is the remainder when $a_n + 2a_{n+1} + 3a_{n+2} + 4a_{n+3}$ is divided by $9$. Prove that there are no positive integer $k$ such that $$a_k = 0, a_{k+1} = 1, a_{k+2} = 0,a_{k+3} = 2.$$

$\boxed{N2}$ Let $p$ be a prime numbers and $x_1,x_2,...,x_n$ be integers.Show that if \[x_1^n+x_2^n+...+x_p^n\equiv 0 \pmod{p}\] for all positive integers n then $x_1\equiv x_2 \equiv...\equiv x_p \pmod{p}.$

Determine all monic polynomials $p(x)$ having real coefficients and satisfying the following two conditions: $\bullet$ $p(x)$ is nonconstant, and all of its roots are distinct reals $\bullet$ If $a $and $b$ are roots of $p(x)$ then $a + b + ab$ is also a root of $p(x)$.

When a certain unfair die is rolled, an even number is $3$ times as likely to appear as an odd number. The die is rolled twice. What is the probability that the sum of the numbers rolled is even? $\textbf{(A) }\dfrac38\qquad\textbf{(B) }\dfrac49\qquad\textbf{(C) }\dfrac59\qquad\textbf{(D) }\dfrac9{16}\qquad\textbf{(E) }\dfrac58$

Dexter and Raquel are playing a game with $N$ stones. Dexter goes first and takes one stone from the pile. After that, the players alternate turns and can take anywhere from $1$ to $x + 1$ stones from the pile, where $x$ is the number of stones the other player took on the turn immediately prior. The winner is the one to take the last stone from the pile. Assuming Dexter and Raquel play optimally, compute the number of positive integers $N \le 2021$ where Dexter wins this game.

Let $S$ and $T$ be non-empty, finite sets of positive integers. We say that $a\in\mathbb{N}$ is \emph{good} for $b\in\mathbb{N}$ if $a\geq\frac{b}{2}+7$. We say that an ordered pair $\left(a,b\right)\in S\times T$ is \emph{satisfiable} if $a$ and $b$ are good for each other. A subset $R$ of $S$ is said to be \emph{unacceptable} if there are less than $\left|R\right|$ elements $b$ of $T$ with the property that there exists $a \in R$ such that $\left(a,b\right)$ is satisfiable. If there are no unacceptable subsets of $S$, and $S$ contains the elements $14$, $20$, $16$, $32$, $23$, and $31$, compute the smallest possible sum of elements of $T$ given that $\left|T\right|\geq20$. [i]Proposed by Tristan Shin[/i]

Find all positive integers $ n$ such that there exists a unique integer $ a$ such that $ 0\leq a < n!$ with the following property: \[ n!\mid a^n \plus{} 1 \] [i]Proposed by Carlos Caicedo, Colombia[/i]

A circle $C$ with center $O$ on base $BC$ of an isosceles triangle $ABC$ is tangent to the equal sides $AB,AC$. If point $P$ on $AB$ and point $Q$ on $AC$ are selected such that $PB \times CQ = (\frac{BC}{2})^2$, prove that line segment $PQ$ is tangent to circle $C$, and prove the converse.

Consider arrangements of the $9$ numbers $1, 2, 3, \dots, 9$ in a $3 \times 3$ array. For each such arrangement, let $a_1$, $a_2$, and $a_3$ be the medians of the numbers in rows $1$, $2$, and $3$ respectively, and let $m$ be the median of $\{a_1, a_2, a_3\}$. Let $Q$ be the number of arrangements for which $m = 5$. Find the remainder when $Q$ is divided by $1000$.

Perry the painter wants to paint his floor, but he decides to leave a 1 foot border along the edges. After painting his floor, Perry notices that the area of the painted region is the same as the area of the unpainted region. Perry's floor measures $a$ x $b$ feet, where $a>b$ and both $a$ and $b$ are positive integers. Find all possible ordered pairs $(a, b)$. [i]2016 CCA Math Bonanza Team #2[/i]

Consider a convex quadrilateral $ABCD$. Pairs of its opposite sides are continued until they intersect: $BA$ and $CD$ at the point $P$, $BC$ and $AD$ at the point $Q$. Let $K$ be the intersection point of the exterior bisectors of the angles $A$ and $C$ of the quadrilateral, $L$ be the intersection point of the exterior bisectors of the angles $B$ and $D$ of the quadrilateral, and $M$ be the intersection point of the exterior bisectors of the angles $P$ and $Q$ (the exterior bisector of an angle $X$ is the line passing through X and perpendicular to its ordinary bisector). Prove that the points $K$, $L$ and $M$ lie on a straight line. (S Markelov)

Let $X$ be a set of $100$ elements. Find the smallest possible $n$ satisfying the following condition: Given a sequence of $n$ subsets of $X$, $A_1,A_2,\ldots,A_n$, there exists $1 \leq i < j < k \leq n$ such that $$A_i \subseteq A_j \subseteq A_k \text{ or } A_i \supseteq A_j \supseteq A_k.$$

Let $n\in\mathbb{Z}^+$. Arrange $n$ students $A_1,A_2,...,A_n$ on a circle such that the distances between them are.equal. They each receives a number of candies such that the total amount of candies is $m\geq n$. A configuration is called [i]balance[/i] if for an arbitrary student $A_i$, there will always be a regular polygon taking $A_i$ as one of its vertices, and every student standing at the vertices of this polygon has an equal number of candies. a) Given $n$, find the least $m$ such that we can create a balance configuration. b) In a [i]move[/i], a student can give a candy to the student standing next to him (no matter left or right) on one condition that the receiver has less candies than the giver. Prove that if $n$ is the product of at most $2$ prime numbers and $m$ satisfies the condition in a), then no matter how we distribute the candies at the beginning, one can always create a balance configuration after a finite number of moves.

The triplet of positive integers $(a,b,c)$ with $a<b<c$ is called a [i]fatal[/i] triplet if there exist three nonzero integers $p,q,r$ which satisfy the equation $a^p b^q c^r = 1$. As an example, $(2,3,12)$ is a fatal triplet since $2^2 \cdot 3^1 \cdot (12)^{-1} = 1$. The positive integer $N$ is called [i]fatal[/i] if there exists a fatal triplet $(a,b,c)$ satisfying $N=a+b+c$. (a) Prove that 16 is not [i]fatal[/i]. (b) Prove that all integers bigger than 16 which are [b]not[/b] an integer multiple of 6 are fatal.

Consider the prime numbers $p_1,p_2,\dots ,p_{2021}$ such that the sum $$p_1^4+p_2^4+\dots +p_{2021}^4$$ is divisible by $6060$. Prove that at least $4$ of these prime numbers are less than $2021$. $\textit{Stefan Bălăucă}$