In the set of all positive real numbers define the operation $a * b = a^b$ . Find all positive rational numbers for which $a * b = b * a$.

Let $\mathbb{R}^{+}$ be the set of positive real numbers. Find all real numbers $a$ for which there exists a function $f :\mathbb{R}^{+} \to \mathbb{R}^{+}$ such that $3(f(x))^{2}=2f(f(x))+ax^{4}$, for all $x \in \mathbb{R}^{+}$.

Find all positive integers $n$, such that $\sigma(n) =\tau(n) \lceil {\sqrt{n}} \rceil$.

Let $(a_n)_{n=0}^{\infty}$ be a sequence of real numbers defined as follows: [list] [*] $a_0 = 3$, $a_1 = 2$, and $a_2 = 12$; and [*] $2a_{n + 3} - a_{n + 2} - 8a_{n + 1} + 4a_n = 0$ for $n \geq 0$. [/list] Show that $a_n$ is always a strictly positive integer.

Let $Q$ be an $n$-by-$n$ real orthogonal matrix, and let $u\in \mathbb{R}^n$ be a unit column vector (that is, $u^Tu=1$). Let $P=I-2uu^T$, where $I$ is the $n$-by-$n$ identity matrix. Show that if $1$ is not an eigenvalue of $Q$, then $1$ is an eigenvalue of $PQ$.

Given an acute triangle $ABC, H$ is the foot of the altitude drawn from the point $A$ on the line $BC, P$ and $K \ne H$ are arbitrary points on the segments $AH$ and$ BC$ respectively. Segments $AC$ and $BP$ intersect at point $B_1$, lines $AB$ and $CP$ at point $C_1$. Let $X$ and $Y$ be the projections of point $H$ on the lines $KB_1$ and $KC_1$, respectively. Prove that points $A, P, X$ and $Y$ lie on one circle.

On $\triangle ABC$ let points $D,E$ on sides $AB,BC$ respectivily such that $AD=DE=EC$ and $AE \ne DC$. Let $P$ the intersection of lines $AE, DC$, show that $\angle ABC=60$ if $AP=CP$.

Let $\Gamma(s)$ denote Euler's gamma function. Construct an even entire function $F(s)$ that does not vanish everywhere, for which the quotient $F(s)/\Gamma(s)$ is bounded on the right halfplane $\{\Re(s)>0\}$.

Triangle $ABC$ is given. The circle $\omega$ with center $I$ is tangent at points $D,E,F$ to segments $BC,AC,AB$ respectively. When $ABC$ is rotated $180$ degrees about point $I$, triangle $A'B'C'$ results. Lines $AD, B'C'$ meet at $U$, lines $BE, A'C'$ meet at $V$, and lines $CF, A'B'$ meet at $W$. Line $BC$ meets $A'C', A'B'$ at points $D_1, D_2$ respectively. Line $AC$ meets $A'B', B'C'$ at $E_1, E_2$ respectively. Line $AB$ meets $B'C', A'C'$ at $F_1,F_2$ respectively. Six (not necessarily convex) quadrilaterals were colored orange: \[AUIF_2 , C'FIF_2 , BVID_1 , A'DID_2 , CWIE_1 , B'EIE_2\] Six other quadrilaterals were colored green: \[AUIE_2 , C'FIF_1 , BVIF_2 , A'DID_1 , CWID_2 , B'EIE_1\] Prove that the sum of the green areas equals the sum of the orange areas.

If $ x$ is positive and $ \log{x} \ge \log{2} \plus{} \frac{1}{2}\log{x}$, then: $ \textbf{(A)}\ {x}\text{ has no minimum or maximum value}\qquad \\ \textbf{(B)}\ \text{the maximum value of }{x}\text{ is }{1}\qquad \\ \textbf{(C)}\ \text{the minimum value of }{x}\text{ is }{1}\qquad \\ \textbf{(D)}\ \text{the maximum value of }{x}\text{ is }{4}\qquad \\ \textbf{(E)}\ \text{the minimum value of }{x}\text{ is }{4}$

Find all real solutions of $$ \begin{matrix} \sqrt{9+x_1}+ \sqrt{9+x_2}+...+ \sqrt{9+x_{100}}=100\sqrt{10}\\ \sqrt{16-x_1}+ \sqrt{16-x_2}+...+ \sqrt{16-x_{100}}=100\sqrt{15} \end{matrix}$$

Let $ABCD$ be a rectangle with diagonals of length $10.$ Let $P$ be the midpoint of $\overline{AD},$ $S$ be the midpoint of $\overline{BC},$ and $T$ be the midpoint of $\overline{CD}.$ Points $Q$ and $R$ are chosen on $\overline{AB}$ such that $AP=AQ$ and $BR=BS,$ and minor arcs $\widehat{PQ}$ and $\widehat{RS}$ centered at $A$ and $B,$ respectively, are drawn. Circle $\omega$ is tangent to $\overline{CD}$ at $T$ and externally tangent to $\widehat{PQ}$ and $\widehat{RS}.$ Suppose that the radius of $\omega$ is $\tfrac{43}{18}.$ Then the sum of all possible values of the area of $ABCD$ can be written in the form $\tfrac{a+b\sqrt{c}}{d},$ where $a,\ b,\ c,$ and $d$ are positive integers, $b$ and $d$ are relatively prime, and $c$ is prime. Find $a+b+c+d.$

Find all pairs $(m, n)$ of integers such that $n^2 - 3mn + m - n = 0$.

For any positive integer $x$, we set $$ g(x) = \text{ largest odd divisor of } x, $$ $$ f(x) = \begin{cases} \frac{x}{2} + \frac{x}{g(x)} & \text{ if } x \text{ is even;} \\ 2^{\frac{x+1}{2}} & \text{ if } x \text{ is odd.} \end{cases} $$ Consider the sequence $(x_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ defined by $x_1 = 1$, $x_{n + 1} = f(x_n)$. Show that the integer $2018$ appears in this sequence, determine the least integer $n$ such that $x_n = 2018$, and determine whether $n$ is unique or not.

Suppose real numbers $a, b, c, d$ satisfy $a + b + c + d = 17$ and $ab + bc + cd + da = 46$. If the minimum possible value of $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2$ can be expressed as a rational number $\frac{p}{q}$ in simplest form, find $p + q$.

In triangle $ABC$ , $w$ is a circle which passes through $B,C$ and intersects $AB,AC$ at $E,F$ respectively. $BF,CE$ intersect the circumcircle of $ABC$ at $B',C'$ respectively. Let $A'$ be a point on $BC$ such that $\angle C'A'B=\angle B'A'C$ . Prove that if we change $w$, then all the circumcircles of triangles $A'B'C'$ passes through a common point.

Let $a,b$ complex numbers. Show that if the roots of the equation $z^2+az+b=0$ and 0 form a triangle with the right angle at the origin, then $a^2=2b\neq0.$ Also determine whether the opposite implication holds.

Let x, y be reals satisfying: sin x+cos y=1 sin y+cos x=-1 Prove cos 2x=cos 2y

How many strings of length $5$ formed from the digits $0$,$1$,$2$,$3$,$4$ are there such that for each $j\in\{1,2,3,4\}$, at least $j$ of the digits are less than $j$? (For example, $02214$ satisfies the condition because it contains at least $1$ digit less than $1$, at least $2$ digits less than $2$, at least $3$ digits less than $3$, and at least $4$ digits less than $4$. The string $23404$ does not satisfy the condition because it does not contain at least $2$ digits less than $2$.) $\textbf{(A) }500\qquad\textbf{(B) }625\qquad\textbf{(C) }1089\qquad\textbf{(D) }1199\qquad\textbf{(E) }1296$

Prove that the equation $a^3-b^3=2004$ does not have any solutions in positive integers.

Alice is drawing a shape on a piece of paper. She starts by placing her pencil at the origin, and then draws line segments of length one, alternating between vertical and horizontal segments. Eventually, her pencil returns to the origin, forming a closed, non-self-intersecting shape. Show that the area of this shape is even if and only if its perimeter is a multiple of eight.

Given mobile points $P(0,\ \sin \theta),\ Q(8\cos \theta,\ 0)\ \left(0\leq \theta \leq \frac{\pi}{2}\right)$ on the $x$-$y$ plane. Denote by $D$ the part in which line segment $PQ$ sweeps. Find the volume $V$ generated by a rotation of $D$ around the $x$-axis.

Does there exist a strictly increasing function $f:\mathbb{N}\rightarrow \mathbb{N}$, such that for $\forall$ $n\in \mathbb{N}$: $f(f(f(n)))=n+2f(n)$?

Let $f : \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ be a continuous function such that for any reals $x, y,$ $$f(x + y)f(x - y) = (f(x))^2 - (f(y))^2$$. Additionally, suppose that $f(x + 2 \pi) = f(x)$ and that there does not exist a positive real $a < 2 \pi$ such that $f(x + a) = f(x)$ for all reals $x$. Show that for all reals $x$, $$|f(\frac{\pi}{2})| \geq f(x)$$.

Find all functions $f:\mathbb R\to \mathbb R$ such that $$xy(f(x+y)-f(x)-f(y))=2f(xy)$$ for all $x,y\in \mathbb R.$ [i]Proposed by USJL[/i]