Found problems: 963
2017 Ecuador NMO (OMEC), 5
Let the sequences $(x_n)$ and $(y_n)$ be defined by $x_0 = 0$, $x_1 = 1$, $x_{n + 2} = 3x_{n + 1}-2x_n$ for $n = 0, 1, ...$ and $y_n = x^2_n+2^{n + 2}$ for $n = 0, 1, ...,$ respectively. Show that for all n> 0, and n is the square of a odd integer.
2016 Lusophon Mathematical Olympiad, 5
A numerical sequence is called lusophone if it satisfies the following three conditions:
i) The first term of the sequence is number $1$.
ii) To obtain the next term of the sequence we can multiply the previous term by a positive prime number ($2,3,5,7,11, ...$) or add $1$.
(iii) The last term of the sequence is the number $2016$.
For example: $1\overset{{\times 11}}{\to}11 \overset{{\times 61}}{\to} 671 \overset{{+1}}{\to}672 \overset{{\times 3}}{\to}2016$
How many Lusophone sequences exist in which (as in the example above) the add $1$ operation was used exactly once and not multiplied twice by the same prime number?
2010 Ukraine Team Selection Test, 8
Consider an infinite sequence of positive integers in which each positive integer occurs exactly once. Let $\{a_n\}, n\ge 1$ be such a sequence. We call it [i]consistent [/i] if, for an arbitrary natural $k$ and every natural $n ,m$ such that $a_n <a_m$, the inequality $a_{kn} <a _{km}$ also holds. For example, the sequence $a_n = n$ is consistent .
a) Prove that there are consistent sequences other than $a_n = n$.
b) Are there consistent sequences for which $a_n \ne n, n\ge 2$ ?
c) Are there consistent sequences for which $a n \ne n, n\ge 1$ ?
2002 Singapore Team Selection Test, 2
Let $n$ be a positive integer and $(x_1, x_2, ..., x_{2n})$, $x_i = 0$ or $1, i = 1, 2, ... , 2n$ be a sequence of $2n$ integers. Let $S_n$ be the sum $S_n = x_1x_2 + x_3x_4 + ... + x_{2n-1}x_{2n}$.
If $O_n$ is the number of sequences such that $S_n$ is odd and $E_n$ is the number of sequences such that $S_n$ is even, prove that $$\frac{O_n}{E_n}=\frac{2^n - 1}{2^n + 1}$$
2007 IMO Shortlist, 1
Let $ n > 1$ be an integer. Find all sequences $ a_1, a_2, \ldots a_{n^2 \plus{} n}$ satisfying the following conditions:
\[ \text{ (a) } a_i \in \left\{0,1\right\} \text{ for all } 1 \leq i \leq n^2 \plus{} n;
\]
\[ \text{ (b) } a_{i \plus{} 1} \plus{} a_{i \plus{} 2} \plus{} \ldots \plus{} a_{i \plus{} n} < a_{i \plus{} n \plus{} 1} \plus{} a_{i \plus{} n \plus{} 2} \plus{} \ldots \plus{} a_{i \plus{} 2n} \text{ for all } 0 \leq i \leq n^2 \minus{} n.
\]
[i]Author: Dusan Dukic, Serbia[/i]
2017 Vietnamese Southern Summer School contest, Problem 1
Given a real number $a$ and a sequence $(x_n)_{n=1}^\infty$ defined by:
$$\left\{\begin{matrix} x_1=1 \\ x_2=0 \\ x_{n+2}=\frac{x_n^2+x_{n+1}^2}{4}+a\end{matrix}\right.$$
for all positive integers $n$.
1. For $a=0$, prove that $(x_n)$ converges.
2. Determine the largest possible value of $a$ such that $(x_n)$ converges.
1997 Czech And Slovak Olympiad IIIA, 4
Show that there exists an increasing sequence $a_1,a_2,a_3,...$ of natural numbers such that, for any integer $k \ge 2$, the sequence $k+a_n$ ($n \in N$) contains only finitely many primes.
2023 Germany Team Selection Test, 1
Let $(a_n)_{n\geq 1}$ be a sequence of positive real numbers with the property that
$$(a_{n+1})^2 + a_na_{n+2} \leq a_n + a_{n+2}$$
for all positive integers $n$. Show that $a_{2022}\leq 1$.
1962 All-Soviet Union Olympiad, 13
Given are $a_0,a_1, ... , a_n$, satisfying $a_0=a_n = 0$, and $a_{k-1} - 2a_k+a_{k+1}\ge 0$ for $k=0, 1, ... , n-1$. Prove that all the numbers are negative or zero.
2023 JBMO Shortlist, A7
Let $a_1,a_2,a_3,\ldots,a_{250}$ be real numbers such that $a_1=2$ and
$$a_{n+1}=a_n+\frac{1}{a_n^2}$$
for every $n=1,2, \ldots, 249$. Let $x$ be the greatest integer which is less than
$$\frac{1}{a_1}+\frac{1}{a_2}+\ldots+\frac{1}{a_{250}}$$
How many digits does $x$ have?
[i]Proposed by Miroslav Marinov, Bulgaria[/i]
1995 Singapore Team Selection Test, 1
Let $f(x) = \frac{1}{1+x}$ where $x$ is a positive real number, and for any positive integer $n$,
let $g_n(x) = x + f(x) + f(f(x)) + ... + f(f(... f(x)))$, the last term being $f$ composed with itself $n$ times. Prove that
(i) $g_n(x) > g_n(y)$ if $x > y > 0$.
(ii) $g_n(1) = \frac{F_1}{F_2}+\frac{F_2}{F_3}+...+\frac{F_{n+1}}{F_{n+2}}$ , where $F_1 = F_2 = 1$ and $F_{n+2} = F_{n+1} +F_n$ for $n \ge 1$.
2008 Indonesia TST, 2
Let $\{a_n\}_{n \in N}$ be a sequence of real numbers with $a_1 = 2$ and $a_n =\frac{n^2 + 1}{\sqrt{n^3 - 2n^2 + n}}$ for all positive integers $n \ge 2$.
Let $s_n = a_1 + a_2 + ...+ a_n$ for all positive integers $n$. Prove that $$\frac{1}{s_1s_2}+\frac{1}{s_2s_3}+ ...+\frac{1}{s_ns_{n+1}}<\frac15$$
for all positive integers $n$.
2014 Contests, 2
The first term of a sequence is $2014$. Each succeeding term is the sum of the cubes of the digits of the previous term. What is the $2014$ th term of the sequence?
2016 Korea USCM, 2
Suppose $\{a_n\}$ is a decreasing sequence of reals and $\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} a_n = 0$. If $S_{2^k} - 2^k a_{2^k} \leq 1$ for any positive integer $k$, show that
$$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} a_n \leq 1$$
(At here, $S_m = \sum_{n=1}^m a_n$ is a partial sum of $\{a_n\}$.)
2020 MMATHS, I2
Let $b$ and $c$ be real numbers not both equal to $1$ such that $1,b,c$ is an arithmetic progression and $1,c,b$ is a geometric progression. What is $100(b-c)$?
[i]Proposed by Noah Kravitz[/i]
2001 China Team Selection Test, 3
Let $X$ be a finite set of real numbers. For any $x,x' \in X$ with $x<x'$, define a function $f(x,x')$, then $f$ is called an ordered pair function on $X$. For any given ordered pair function $f$ on $X$, if there exist elements $x_1 <x_2 <\cdots<x_k$ in $X$ such that $f(x_1 ,x_2 ) \le f(x_2 ,x_3 ) \le \cdots \le f(x_{k-1} ,x_k )$, then $x_1 ,x_2 ,\cdots,x_k$ is called an $f$-ascending sequence of length $k$ in $X$. Similarly, define an $f$-descending sequence of length $l$ in $X$. For integers $k,l \ge 3$, let $h(k,l)$ denote the smallest positive integer such that for any set $X$ of $s$ real numbers and any ordered pair function $f$ on $X$, there either exists an $f$-ascending sequence of length $k$ in $X$ or an $f$-descending sequence of length $l$ in $X$ if $s \ge h(k,l)$.
Prove:
1.For $k,l>3,h(k,l) \le h(k-1,l)+h(k,l-1)-1$;
2.$h(k,l) \le \binom{l-2}{k+l-4} +1$.
1981 IMO Shortlist, 4
Let $\{fn\}$ be the Fibonacci sequence $\{1, 1, 2, 3, 5, \dots.\}. $
(a) Find all pairs $(a, b)$ of real numbers such that for each $n$, $af_n +bf_{n+1}$ is a member of the sequence.
(b) Find all pairs $(u, v)$ of positive real numbers such that for each $n$, $uf_n^2 +vf_{n+1}^2$ is a member of the sequence.
1997 Tournament Of Towns, (551) 1
The sequence $x_1,x_2, ...$ is defined by the following equations:
$$x_1=19, \ \ x_2=97, \ \ x_{n+2} =x_n - \frac{1}{x_{n+1}}$$
for $n \ge 1$. Prove that there exists a positive integer $k$ such that $x_k=0$ and find $k$.
(A Berzinsh)
1980 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 303
The number $x$ from $[0,1]$ is written as an infinite decimal fraction. Having rearranged its first five digits after the point we can obtain another fraction that corresponds to the number $x_1$. Having rearranged five digits of $x_k$ from $(k+1)$-th till $(k+5)$-th after the point we obtain the number $x_{k+1}$.
a) Prove that the sequence $x_i$ has limit.
b) Can this limit be irrational if we have started with the rational number?
c) Invent such a number, that always produces irrational numbers, no matter what digits were transposed.
V Soros Olympiad 1998 - 99 (Russia), 11.9
The sequence of $a_n$ is determined by the relation
$$a_{n+1}=\frac{k+a_n}{1-a_n}$$
where $k > 0$. It is known that $a_{13} = a_1$. What values can $k$ take?
2020 AMC 12/AHSME, 19
There exists a unique strictly increasing sequence of nonnegative integers $a_1 < a_2 < \dots < a_k$ such that \[\frac{2^{289}+1}{2^{17}+1} = 2^{a_1} + 2^{a_2} + \dots + 2^{a_k}.\] What is $k?$
$\textbf{(A) } 117 \qquad \textbf{(B) } 136 \qquad \textbf{(C) } 137 \qquad \textbf{(D) } 273 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 306$
2009 IMO Shortlist, 3
Let $n$ be a positive integer. Given a sequence $\varepsilon_1$, $\dots$, $\varepsilon_{n - 1}$ with $\varepsilon_i = 0$ or $\varepsilon_i = 1$ for each $i = 1$, $\dots$, $n - 1$, the sequences $a_0$, $\dots$, $a_n$ and $b_0$, $\dots$, $b_n$ are constructed by the following rules: \[a_0 = b_0 = 1, \quad a_1 = b_1 = 7,\] \[\begin{array}{lll}
a_{i+1} =
\begin{cases}
2a_{i-1} + 3a_i, \\
3a_{i-1} + a_i,
\end{cases} &
\begin{array}{l}
\text{if } \varepsilon_i = 0, \\
\text{if } \varepsilon_i = 1, \end{array}
& \text{for each } i = 1, \dots, n - 1, \\[15pt]
b_{i+1}=
\begin{cases}
2b_{i-1} + 3b_i, \\
3b_{i-1} + b_i,
\end{cases} &
\begin{array}{l}
\text{if } \varepsilon_{n-i} = 0, \\
\text{if } \varepsilon_{n-i} = 1, \end{array}
& \text{for each } i = 1, \dots, n - 1.
\end{array}\] Prove that $a_n = b_n$.
[i]Proposed by Ilya Bogdanov, Russia[/i]
2019 Bulgaria EGMO TST, 2
The sequence of real numbers $(a_n)_{n\geq 0}$ is such that $a_0 = 1$, $a_1 = a > 2$ and $\displaystyle a_{n+1} = \left(\left(\frac{a_n}{a_{n-1}}\right)^2 -2\right)a_n$ for every positive integer $n$. Prove that $\displaystyle \sum_{i=0}^k \frac{1}{a_i} < \frac{2+a-\sqrt{a^2-4}}{2}$ for every positive integer $k$.
1973 Spain Mathematical Olympiad, 3
The sequence $(a_n)$ of complex numbers is considered in the complex plane, in which is: $$a_0 = 1, \,\,\, a_n = a_{n-1} +\frac{1}{n}(\cos 45^o + i \sin 45^o )^n.$$
Prove that the sequence of the real parts of the terms of $(a_n)$ is convergent and its limit is a number between $0.85$ and $1.15$.
2018 India IMO Training Camp, 3
Let $a_n, b_n$ be sequences of positive reals such that,$$a_{n+1}= a_n + \frac{1}{2b_n}$$ $$b_{n+1}= b_n + \frac{1}{2a_n}$$ for all $n\in\mathbb N$.
Prove that, $\text{max}\left(a_{2018}, b_{2018}\right) >44$.