Olympiad problems

2016 Greece Team Selection Test, 1

Given is the sequence $(a_n)_{n\geq 0}$ which is defined as follows:$a_0=3$ and $a_{n+1}-a_n=n(a_n-1) \ , \ \forall n\geq 0$. Determine all positive integers $m$ such that $\gcd (m,a_n)=1 \ , \ \forall n\geq 0$.

2018 Kazakhstan National Olympiad, 2

Tags: Sequence , number theory , algebra , Kazakhstan

The natural number $m\geq 2$ is given.Sequence of natural numbers $(b_0,b_1,\ldots,b_m)$ is called concave if $b_k+b_{k-2}\le2b_{k-1}$ for all $2\le k\le m.$ Prove that there exist not greater than $2^m$ concave sequences starting with $b_0 =1$ or $b_0 =2$

1973 IMO, 3

Tags: Sequence , algebra , Inequality , construction , geometric sequence , IMO , IMO 1973

Let $a_1, \ldots, a_n$ be $n$ positive numbers and $0 < q < 1.$ Determine $n$ positive numbers $b_1, \ldots, b_n$ so that: [i]a.)[/i] $ a_{k} < b_{k}$ for all $k = 1, \ldots, n,$ [i]b.)[/i] $q < \frac{b_{k+1}}{b_{k}} < \frac{1}{q}$ for all $k = 1, \ldots, n-1,$ [i]c.)[/i] $\sum \limits^n_{k=1} b_k < \frac{1+q}{1-q} \cdot \sum \limits^n_{k=1} a_k.$

2022 Thailand TST, 3

Tags: ISL 2021 , number theory , Sequence

Let $a_1,a_2,a_3,\ldots$ be an infinite sequence of positive integers such that $a_{n+2m}$ divides $a_{n}+a_{n+m}$ for all positive integers $n$ and $m.$ Prove that this sequence is eventually periodic, i.e. there exist positive integers $N$ and $d$ such that $a_n=a_{n+d}$ for all $n>N.$

2024 Middle European Mathematical Olympiad, 8

Tags: number theory , number theory proposed , Sequence , Divisibility , constant

Let $k$ be a positive integer and $a_1,a_2,\dots$ be an infinite sequence of positive integers such that \[a_ia_{i+1} \mid k-a_i^2\] for all integers $i \ge 1$. Prove that there exists a positive integer $M$ such that $a_n=a_{n+1}$ for all integers $n \ge M$.

2022 Romania Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: number theory , Sequence , romania , Romanian TST

Fix a nonnegative integer $a_0$ to define a sequence of integers $a_0,a_1,\ldots$ by letting $a_k,k\geq 1$ be the smallest integer (strictly) greater than $a_{k-1}$ making $a_{k-1}+a_k{}$ into a perfect square. Let $S{}$ be the set of positive integers not expressible as the difference of two terms of the sequence $(a_k)_{k\geq 0}.$ Prove that $S$ is finite and determine its size in terms of $a_0.$

2001 All-Russian Olympiad Regional Round, 11.5

Tags: Sequence , periodic , trigonometry , recurrence relation , algebra

Given a sequence $\{x_k\}$ such that $x_1 = 1$, $x_{n+1} = n \sin x_n+ 1$. Prove that the sequence is non-periodic.

2018 China Second Round Olympiad, 4

Tags: number theory , Sequence

Define sequence $\{a_n\}$: $a_1$ is any positive integer, and for any positive integer $n\ge 1$, $a_{n+1}$ is the smallest positive integer coprime to $\sum_{i=1}^{n} a_i$ and not equal to $a_1,\ldots, a_n$. Prove that every positive integer appears in the sequence $\{a_n\}$.

2013 IMO Shortlist, A4

Tags: algebra , inequalities , IMO Shortlist , Sequence , IMO shortlist 2013 , A4

Let $n$ be a positive integer, and consider a sequence $a_1 , a_2 , \dotsc , a_n $ of positive integers. Extend it periodically to an infinite sequence $a_1 , a_2 , \dotsc $ by defining $a_{n+i} = a_i $ for all $i \ge 1$. If \[a_1 \le a_2 \le \dots \le a_n \le a_1 +n \] and \[a_{a_i } \le n+i-1 \quad\text{for}\quad i=1,2,\dotsc, n, \] prove that \[a_1 + \dots +a_n \le n^2. \]

1993 IMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: limit , algebra , Sequence , recurrence relation , IMO Shortlist

Define a sequence $\langle f(n)\rangle^{\infty}_{n=1}$ of positive integers by $f(1) = 1$ and \[f(n) = \begin{cases} f(n-1) - n & \text{ if } f(n-1) > n;\\ f(n-1) + n & \text{ if } f(n-1) \leq n, \end{cases}\] for $n \geq 2.$ Let $S = \{n \in \mathbb{N} \;\mid\; f(n) = 1993\}.$ [b](i)[/b] Prove that $S$ is an infinite set. [b](ii)[/b] Find the least positive integer in $S.$ [b](iii)[/b] If all the elements of $S$ are written in ascending order as \[ n_1 < n_2 < n_3 < \ldots , \] show that \[ \lim_{i\rightarrow\infty} \frac{n_{i+1}}{n_i} = 3. \]

2021 Taiwan TST Round 1, N

Tags: floor function , Sequence , number theory , Taiwan

For each positive integer $n$, define $V_n=\lfloor 2^n\sqrt{2020}\rfloor+\lfloor 2^n\sqrt{2021}\rfloor$. Prove that, in the sequence $V_1,V_2,\ldots,$ there are infinitely many odd integers, as well as infinitely many even integers. [i]Remark.[/i] $\lfloor x\rfloor$ is the largest integer that does not exceed the real number $x$.

2016 Greece Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: number theory , Sequence , Divisibility

Given is the sequence $(a_n)_{n\geq 0}$ which is defined as follows:$a_0=3$ and $a_{n+1}-a_n=n(a_n-1) \ , \ \forall n\geq 0$. Determine all positive integers $m$ such that $\gcd (m,a_n)=1 \ , \ \forall n\geq 0$.

2015 District Olympiad, 3

Tags: Sequence , Sets , romania

Consider the following sequence of sets: $ \{ 1,2\} ,\{ 3,4,5\}, \{ 6,7,8,9\} ,... $ [b]a)[/b] Find the samllest element of the $ 100\text{-th} $ term. [b]b)[/b] Is $ 2015 $ the largest element of one of these sets?

2022 Olimphíada, 4

Tags: algebra , Sequence

Let $a_1,a_2,\dots$ be a sequence of integers satisfying $a_1=2$ and: $$a_n=\begin{cases}a_{n-1}+1, & \text{ if }n\ne a_k \text{ for some }k=1,2,\dots,n-1; \\ a_{n-1}+2, & \text{ if } n=a_k \text{ for some }k=1,2,\dots,n-1. \end{cases}$$ Find the value of $a_{2022!}$.

2021 Durer Math Competition Finals, 4

Tags: floor function , Sequence , algebra

Indians find those sequences of non-negative real numbers $x_0, x_1,...$ [i]mystical [/i]t hat satisfy $x_0 < 2021$, $x_{i+1} = \lfloor x_i \rfloor \{x_i\}$ for every $i \ge 0$, furthermore the sequence contains an integer different from $0$. How many sequences are mystical according to the Indians?

2015 Brazil Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: floor function , IMO Shortlist , number theory , Sequence , Parity , IMO Shortlist 2014 , Hi

Let $n > 1$ be a given integer. Prove that infinitely many terms of the sequence $(a_k )_{k\ge 1}$, defined by \[a_k=\left\lfloor\frac{n^k}{k}\right\rfloor,\] are odd. (For a real number $x$, $\lfloor x\rfloor$ denotes the largest integer not exceeding $x$.) [i]Proposed by Hong Kong[/i]

2021 Francophone Mathematical Olympiad, 1

Tags: Sequence , number theory , divides , recurrence relation , Francophone

Let $a_1,a_2,a_3,\ldots$ and $b_1,b_2,b_3,\ldots$ be positive integers such that $a_{n+2} = a_n + a_{n+1}$ and $b_{n+2} = b_n + b_{n+1}$ for all $n \ge 1$. Assume that $a_n$ divides $b_n$ for infinitely many values of $n$. Prove that there exists an integer $c$ such that $b_n = c a_n$ for all $n \ge 1$.

2018 Tuymaada Olympiad, 4

Tags: greatest common divisor , Sequence , number theory

Prove that for every positive integer $d > 1$ and $m$ the sequence $a_n=2^{2^n}+d$ contains two terms $a_k$ and $a_l$ ($k \neq l$) such that their greatest common divisor is greater than $m$. [i]Proposed by T. Hakobyan[/i]

2017 IMO Shortlist, N1

Tags: number theory , IMO , IMO 2017 , IMO Shortlist , Sequence

For each integer $a_0 > 1$, define the sequence $a_0, a_1, a_2, \ldots$ for $n \geq 0$ as $$a_{n+1} = \begin{cases} \sqrt{a_n} & \text{if } \sqrt{a_n} \text{ is an integer,} \\ a_n + 3 & \text{otherwise.} \end{cases} $$ Determine all values of $a_0$ such that there exists a number $A$ such that $a_n = A$ for infinitely many values of $n$. [i]Proposed by Stephan Wagner, South Africa[/i]

1955 Moscow Mathematical Olympiad, 299

Tags: number theory , Arithmetic Progression , Sequence , primes , divisible

Suppose that primes $a_1, a_2, . . . , a_p$ form an increasing arithmetic progression and $a_1 > p$. Prove that if $p$ is a prime, then the difference of the progression is divisible by $p$.

2007 Balkan MO Shortlist, A8

Tags: BMOSL , algebra , Sequence , recurrence relation

Let $c>2$ and $a_0,a_1, \ldots$ be a sequence of real numbers such that \begin{align*} a_n = a_{n-1}^2 - a_{n-1} < \frac{1}{\sqrt{cn}} \end{align*} for any $n$ $\in$ $\mathbb{N}$. Prove, $a_1=0$

2017 Serbia Team Selection Test, 5

Tags: algebra , inequalities , Sequence

Let $n \geq 2$ be a positive integer and $\{x_i\}_{i=0}^n$ a sequence such that not all of its elements are zero and there is a positive constant $C_n$ for which: (i) $x_1+ \dots +x_n=0$, and (ii) for each $i$ either $x_i\leq x_{i+1}$ or $x_i\leq x_{i+1} + C_n x_{i+2}$ (all indexes are assumed modulo $n$). Prove that a) $C_n\geq 2$, and b) $C_n=2$ if and only $2 \mid n$.

2001 Mongolian Mathematical Olympiad, Problem 2

Tags: inequalities , Sequence , algebra

For positive real numbers $b_1,b_2,\ldots,b_n$ define $$a_1=\frac{b_1}{b_1+b_2+\ldots+b_n}\enspace\text{ and }\enspace a_k=\frac{b_1+\ldots+b_k}{b_1+\ldots+b_{k-1}}\text{ for }k>1.$$Prove that $a_1+a_2+\ldots+a_n\le\frac1{a_1}+\frac1{a_2}+\ldots+\frac1{a_n}$

1988 IMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: modular arithmetic , linear algebra , algebra , Sequence , Divisibility , Linear Recurrences , IMO Shortlist

An integer sequence is defined by \[{ a_n = 2 a_{n-1} + a_{n-2}}, \quad (n > 1), \quad a_0 = 0, a_1 = 1.\] Prove that $2^k$ divides $a_n$ if and only if $2^k$ divides $n$.

2017 Romania Team Selection Test, P3

Tags: Sequence , number theory

Consider the sequence of rational numbers defined by $x_1=\frac{4}{3}$, and $x_{n+1}=\frac{x_n^2}{x_n^2-x_n+1}$. Show that the nu,erator of the lowest term expression of each sum $x_1+x_2+...+x_k$ is a perfect square.