Found problems: 966
1973 Putnam, B5
(a) Let $z$ be a solution of the quadratic equation
$$az^2 +bz+c=0$$
and let $n$ be a positive integer. Show that $z$ can be expressed as a rational function of $z^n , a,b,c.$
(b) Using (a) or by any other means, express $x$ as a rational function of $x^{3}$ and $x+\frac{1}{x}.$
1947 Putnam, A3
Given a triangle $ABC$ with an interior point $P$ and points $Q_1 , Q_2$ not lying on any of the segments $AB , AC ,BC,$ $AP ,BP ,CP,$ show that there does not exist a polygonal line $K$ joining $Q_1$ and $Q_2$ such that
i) $K$ crosses each segment exactly once,
ii) $K$ does not intersect itself
iii) $K$ does not pass through $A, B , C$ or $P.$
1958 November Putnam, A1
Let $f(m,1)=f(1,n)=1$ for $m\geq 1, n\geq 1$ and let $f(m,n)=f(m-1, n)+ f(m, n-1) +f(m-1 ,n-1)$ for $m>1$ and $n>1$. Also let
$$ S(n)= \sum_{a+b=n} f(a,b) \,\,\;\; a\geq 1 \,\, \text{and} \,\; b\geq 1.$$
Prove that
$$S(n+2) =S(n) +2S(n+1) \,\, \; \text{for} \, \, n \geq 2.$$
2015 Putnam, A6
Let $n$ be a positive integer. Suppose that $A,B,$ and $M$ are $n\times n$ matrices with real entries such that $AM=MB,$ and such that $A$ and $B$ have the same characteristic polynomial. Prove that $\det(A-MX)=\det(B-XM)$ for every $n\times n$ matrix $X$ with real entries.
1959 Putnam, B2
Let $c$ be a positive real number. Prove that $c$ can be expressed in infinitely many ways as a sum of infinitely many distinct terms selected from the sequence $\left( \frac{1}{10n} \right)_{n\in \mathbb{N}}$
2014 USAMO, 6
Prove that there is a constant $c>0$ with the following property: If $a, b, n$ are positive integers such that $\gcd(a+i, b+j)>1$ for all $i, j\in\{0, 1, \ldots n\}$, then\[\min\{a, b\}>c^n\cdot n^{\frac{n}{2}}.\]
1985 Putnam, B1
Let $k$ be the smallest positive integer for which there exist distinct integers $m_{1}, m_{2}, m_{3}, m_{4}, m_{5}$ such that the polynomial $$p(x)=\left(x-m_{1}\right)\left(x-m_{2}\right)\left(x-m_{3}\right)\left(x-m_{4}\right)\left(x-m_{5}\right)$$ has exactly $k$ nonzero coefficients. Find, with proof, a set of integers $m_{1}, m_{2}, m_{3}, m_{4}, m_{5}$ for which this minimum $k$ is achieved.
1994 Putnam, 1
Suppose that a sequence $\{a_n\}_{n\ge 1}$ satisfies $0 < a_n \le a_{2n} + a_{2n+1}$ for all $n\in \mathbb{N}$. Prove that the series$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} a_n$ diverges.
1954 Putnam, A2
Consider any five points in the interior of square $S$ of side length $1$. Prove that at least one of the distances between these points is less than $\sqrt{2} \slash 2.$ Can this constant be replaced by a smaller number?
2023 Putnam, A6
Alice and Bob play a game in which they take turns choosing integers from 1 to $n$. Before any integers are chosen, Bob selects a goal of "odd" or "even". On the first turn, Alice chooses one of the $n$ integers. On the second turn, Bob chooses one of the remaining integers. They continue alternately choosing one of the integers that has not yet been chosen, until the $n$th turn, which is forced and ends the game. Bob wins if the parity of $\{k$ : the number $k$ was chosen on the $k$th turn $\}$ matches his goal. For which values of $n$ does Bob have a winning strategy?
1989 Putnam, A4
Is there a gambling game with an honest coin for two players, in which the probability of one of them winning is $\frac{1}{{\pi}^e}$.
2018 Putnam, B4
Given a real number $a$, we define a sequence by $x_0 = 1$, $x_1 = x_2 = a$, and $x_{n+1} = 2x_nx_{n-1} - x_{n-2}$ for $n \ge 2$. Prove that if $x_n = 0$ for some $n$, then the sequence is periodic.
1993 Putnam, B6
Let $S$ be a set of three, not necessarily distinct, positive integers. Show that one can transform $S$ into a set containing $0$ by a finite number of applications of the following rule: Select two of the integers $x$ and $y$, where $x\leq y$ and replace them with $2x$ and $y-x.$
1950 Putnam, B2
Two obvious approximations to the length of the perimeter of the ellipse with semi-axes $a$ and $b$ are $\pi (a + b)$ and $2 \pi (ab)^{1/2}.$ Which one comes nearer the truth when the ratio $b/a$ is very close to $1?$
1940 Putnam, A4
Let $p$ be a real constant. The parabola $y^2=-4px$ rolls without slipping around the parabola $y^2=4px$. Find the equation of the locus of the vertex of the rolling parabola.
1958 November Putnam, B3
Show that if a unit square is partitioned into two sets, then the diameter (least upper bound of the distances between pairs of points) of one of the sets is not less than $\sqrt{5} \slash 2.$ Show also that no larger number will do.
1950 Putnam, B1
In each of $n$ houses on a straight street are one or more boys. At what point should all the boys meet so that the sum of the distances that they walk is as small as possible?
1962 Putnam, A3
In a triangle $ABC$, let $A'$ be a point on the segment $BC$, $B'$ be a point on the segment $CA$ and $C'$ a point on the segment $AB$ such that
$$ \frac{AB'}{B'C}= \frac{BC'}{C'A} =\frac{CA'}{A'B}=k,$$
where $k$ is a positive constant. Let $\triangle$ be the triangle formed by the interesctions of $AA'$, $BB'$ and $CC'$. Prove that the areas of $\triangle $ and $ABC$ are in the ratio
$$\frac{(k-1)^{2}}{k^2 +k+1}.$$
2016 Putnam, B5
Find all functions $f$ from the interval $(1,\infty)$ to $(1,\infty)$ with the following property: if $x,y\in(1,\infty)$ and $x^2\le y\le x^3,$ then $(f(x))^2\le f(y) \le (f(x))^3.$
Russian TST 2019, P3
Let $S$ be the set of sequences of length 2018 whose terms are in the set $\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10\}$ and sum to 3860. Prove that the cardinality of $S$ is at most
\[2^{3860} \cdot \left(\frac{2018}{2048}\right)^{2018}.\]
1969 Putnam, B2
Show that a finite group can not be the union of two of its proper subgroups. Does the statement remain true if "two' is replaced by "three'?
2010 Putnam, B1
Is there an infinite sequence of real numbers $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$ such that
\[a_1^m+a_2^m+a_3^m+\cdots=m\]
for every positive integer $m?$
1969 Putnam, A4
Show that
$$ \int_{0}^{1} x^{x} \, dx = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{(-1)^{n+1}}{n^n }.$$
1951 Putnam, A4
Trace the curve whose equation is: \[ y^4 - x^4 - 96y^2 + 100x^2 = 0. \]
Putnam 1939, B4
The axis of a parabola is its axis of symmetry and its vertex is its point of intersection with its axis. Find: the equation of the parabola which touches $y = 0$ at $(1,0)$ and $x = 0$ at $(0,2);$ the equation of its axis; and its vertex.