(a) Show that, if $I \subset R$ is a closed bounded interval, and $f : I \to R$ is a non-constant monic polynomial function such that $max_{x\in I}|f(x)|< 2$, then there exists a non-constant monic polynomial function $g : I \to R$ such that $max_{x\in I} |g(x)| < 1$. (b) Show that there exists a closed bounded interval $I \subset R$ such that $max_{x\in I}|f(x)| \ge 2$ for every non-constant monic polynomial function $f : I \to R$.

Show that each integer $n$ can be written as the sum of five perfect cubes (not necessarily positive).

The area of a convex pentagon $ABCDE$ is $S$, and the circumradii of the triangles $ABC$, $BCD$, $CDE$, $DEA$, $EAB$ are $R_1$, $R_2$, $R_3$, $R_4$, $R_5$. Prove the inequality \[ R_1^4+R_2^4+R_3^4+R_4^4+R_5^4\geq {4\over 5\sin^2 108^\circ}S^2. \]

Given an $n \times n \times n$ grid of unit cubes, a cube is [i]good[/i] if it is a sub-cube of the grid and has side length at least two. If a good cube contains another good cube and their faces do not intersect, the first good cube is said to [i]properly[/i] contain the second. What is the size of the largest possible set of good cubes such that no cube in the set properly contains another cube in the set?

Jeremy and Jason are flipping (fair) coins. Jeremy flips $1776$ coins and Jason flips $1492$ coins, what is the probability that they flip the same number of heads? Write your answer as a single fraction. You may use binomial notation.

Let $S$ be the set of ordered pairs $(x,y)$ of positive integers for which $x+y\le 20$. Evaluate \[\sum_{(x, y) \in S} (-1)^{x+y}xy.\] [i]Proposed by Andrew Wen[/i]

Corners are sliced off a unit cube so that the six faces each become regular octagons. What is the total volume of the removed tetrahedra? $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac {5\sqrt {2} \minus{} 7}{3}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac {10 \minus{} 7\sqrt {2}}{3}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac {3 \minus{} 2\sqrt {2}}{3}\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac {8\sqrt {2} \minus{} 11}{3}\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac {6 \minus{} 4\sqrt {2}}{3}$

Let $ABC$ be a triangle with circumcircle $\Omega$. $X$ and $Y$ are points on $\Omega$ such that $XY$ meets $AB$ and $AC$ at $D$ and $E$, respectively. Show that the midpoints of $XY$, $BE$, $CD$, and $DE$ are concyclic. [i]Carl Lian.[/i]

Consider all $1001$-element subsets of the set $\{1,2,3,...,2015\}$. From each such subset choose the median. Find the arithmetic mean of all these medians. [i]Proposed by Michael Ren[/i]

In a village $1998$ persons volunteered to clean up, for a fair, a rectangular field with integer sides and perimeter equla to $3996$ feet. For this purpose, the field was divided into $1998$ equal parts. If each part had an integer area, find the length and breadth of the field.

Fix an integer $n \geq 2$ and let $a_1, \ldots, a_n$ be integers, where $a_1 = 1$. Let $$ f(x) = \sum_{m=1}^n a_mm^x. $$ Suppose that $f(x) = 0$ for some $K$ consecutive positive integer values of $x$. In terms of $n$, determine the maximum possible value of $K$.

We call a positive integer $n$ [i]happy [/i] if there exist integers $a,b$ such that $a^2+b^2 = n$. If $t$ is happy, show that (a) $2t$ is [i]happy[/i], (b) $3t$ is not [i]happy[/i]

What is the number of terms with rational coefficients among the $1001$ terms of the expression $( x \sqrt[3]{2} + y \sqrt{3})^{1000}$? $\textbf{(A)}\ 0 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 166 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 167 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 500 \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 501$

If $ f(x) \equal{} ax \plus{} b$ and $ f^{ \minus{} 1}(x) \equal{} bx \plus{} a$ with $ a$ and $ b$ real, what is the value of $ a \plus{} b$? $ \textbf{(A)} \minus{} \!2 \qquad \textbf{(B)} \minus{} \!1 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 0 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 1 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 2$

In a certain language there are $n$ letters. A sequence of letters is a word, if there are no two equal letters between two other equal letters. Find the number of words of the maximum length.

Kostya and Sergey play a game on a white strip of length 2016 cells. Kostya (he plays first) in one move should paint black over two neighboring white cells. Sergey should paint either one white cell either three neighboring white cells. It is forbidden to make a move, after which a white cell is formed the doesn't having any white neighbors. Loses the one that can make no other move. However, if all cells are painted, then Kostya wins. Who will win if he plays the right game (has a winning strategy)?

The streets of the city of Duzhinsk are simple polygonal lines not intersecting each other in internal points. Each street connects two crossings and is colored in one of three colors: white, red, or blue. At each crossing exactly three streets meet, one of each color. A crossing is called positive if the streets meeting at it are white, blue and red in counterclockwise direction, and negative otherwise. Prove that the difference between the numbers of positive and negative crossings is a multiple of 4.

Two circles are tangent externaly at a point $B$. A line tangent to one of the circles at a point $A$ intersects the other circle at points $C$ and $D$. Show that $A$ is equidistant to the lines $BC$ and $BD$.

Given are the integers $a , b , c, \alpha, \beta$ and the sequence $(u_n)$ is defined by $u_1=\alpha, u_2=\beta, u_{n+2}=au_{n+1}+bu_n+c$ for all $n \geq 1$. a) Prove that if $a = 3 , b= -2 , c = -1$ then there are infinitely many pairs of integers $(\alpha ; \beta)$ so that $u_{2023}=2^{2022}$. b) Prove that there exists a positive integer $n_0$ such that only one of the following two statements is true: i) There are infinitely many positive integers $m$, such that $u_{n_0}u_{n_0+1}\ldots u_{n_0+m}$ is divisible by $7^{2023}$ or $17^{2023}$ ii) There are infinitely many positive integers $k$ so that $u_{n_0}u_{n_0+1}\ldots u_{n_0+k}-1$ is divisible by $2023$

The real numbers $a_{1},a_{2},\ldots ,a_{n}$ where $n\ge 3$ are such that $\sum_{i=1}^{n}a_{i}=0$ and $2a_{k}\le\ a_{k-1}+a_{k+1}$ for all $k=2,3,\ldots ,n-1$. Find the least $f(n)$ such that, for all $k\in\left\{1,2,\ldots ,n\right\}$, we have $|a_{k}|\le f(n)\max\left\{|a_{1}|,|a_{n}|\right\}$.

For what $\lambda$ does the equation $$ \int_{0}^{1} \min(x,y) f(y)\; dy =\lambda f(x)$$ have continuous solutions which do not vanish identically in $(0,1)?$ What are these solutions?

Let $P(x)$ be the polynomial of degree at most $6$ which satisfies $P(k)=k!$ for $k=0,1,2,3,4,5,6$. Compute the value of $P(7)$.

Finite number of dwarfs excavates ore in the mine with infinite number of levels. Each day at the same time one dwarf from each level, inhabited with exactly $n = 1, 2, 3, ...$ dwarfs, move $n$ levels down. Prove that after some moment there will be no more then one dwarf on each level.

A circle of radius $ 1$ is surrounded by $ 4$ circles of radius $ r$ as shown. What is $ r$? [asy]defaultpen(linewidth(.9pt)); real r = 1 + sqrt(2); pair A = dir(45)*(r + 1); pair B = dir(135)*(r + 1); pair C = dir(-135)*(r + 1); pair D = dir(-45)*(r + 1); draw(Circle(origin,1)); draw(Circle(A,r));draw(Circle(B,r));draw(Circle(C,r));draw(Circle(D,r)); draw(A--(dir(45)*r + A)); draw(B--(dir(45)*r + B)); draw(C--(dir(45)*r + C)); draw(D--(dir(45)*r + D)); draw(origin--(dir(25))); label("$r$",midpoint(A--(dir(45)*r + A)), SE); label("$r$",midpoint(B--(dir(45)*r + B)), SE); label("$r$",midpoint(C--(dir(45)*r + C)), SE); label("$r$",midpoint(D--(dir(45)*r + D)), SE); label("$1$",origin,W);[/asy]$ \textbf{(A)}\ \sqrt {2}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 1 \plus{} \sqrt {2}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \sqrt {6}\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 3\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 2 \plus{} \sqrt {2}$

Let $ M,N,P,Q $ be points on the sides $ AB,BC,CD,DA $ (respectively) of a convex quadrilateral $ ABCD $ so that: $$ \frac{MA}{MB} =\frac{NB}{NC} =\frac{PD}{PC} =\frac{QA}{QD}\neq 1 $$ Show that the area of $ MNPQ $ is half the area of $ ABCD $ if and only if $ ABD $ and $ BCD $ have equal areas. [i]Petre Asaftei[/i]