Olympiad problems

2025 Romania EGMO TST, P1

Tags: integration , inequalities , algebra , Sequence , Summation , calculus , IMO Shortlist

The sequence of real numbers $a_0,a_1,a_2,\ldots$ is defined recursively by \[a_0=-1,\qquad\sum_{k=0}^n\dfrac{a_{n-k}}{k+1}=0\quad\text{for}\quad n\geq 1.\]Show that $ a_{n} > 0$ for all $ n\geq 1$. [i]Proposed by Mariusz Skalba, Poland[/i]

2019 Korea Junior Math Olympiad., 4

Tags: Sequence

$\{a_{n}\}$ is a sequence of natural numbers satisfying the following inequality for all natural number $n$: $$(a_{1}+\cdots+a_{n})\left(\frac{1}{a_{1}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{a_{n}}\right)\le{n^{2}}+2019$$ Prove that $\{a_{n}\}$ is constant.

1996 IMO Shortlist, 9

Tags: floor function , modular arithmetic , algebra , Sequence , recurrence relation , IMO Shortlist

Let the sequence $ a(n), n \equal{} 1,2,3, \ldots$ be generated as follows with $ a(1) \equal{} 0,$ and for $ n > 1:$ \[ a(n) \equal{} a\left( \left \lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right \rfloor \right) \plus{} (\minus{}1)^{\frac{n(n\plus{}1)}{2}}.\] 1.) Determine the maximum and minimum value of $ a(n)$ over $ n \leq 1996$ and find all $ n \leq 1996$ for which these extreme values are attained. 2.) How many terms $ a(n), n \leq 1996,$ are equal to 0?

2016 China Girls Math Olympiad, 5

Tags: Sequence , inequalities

Define a sequence $\{a_n\}$ by\[S_1=1,\ S_{n+1}=\frac{(2+S_n)^2}{ 4+S_n} (n=1,\ 2,\ 3,\ \cdots).\] Where $S_n$ the sum of first $n$ terms of sequence $\{a_n\}$. For any positive integer $n$ ,prove that\[a_{n}\ge \frac{4}{\sqrt{9n+7}}.\]

2001 IMO Shortlist, 6

Tags: modular arithmetic , IMO Shortlist , combinatorics , Sequence , graph theory

For a positive integer $n$ define a sequence of zeros and ones to be [i]balanced[/i] if it contains $n$ zeros and $n$ ones. Two balanced sequences $a$ and $b$ are [i]neighbors[/i] if you can move one of the $2n$ symbols of $a$ to another position to form $b$. For instance, when $n = 4$, the balanced sequences $01101001$ and $00110101$ are neighbors because the third (or fourth) zero in the first sequence can be moved to the first or second position to form the second sequence. Prove that there is a set $S$ of at most $\frac{1}{n+1} \binom{2n}{n}$ balanced sequences such that every balanced sequence is equal to or is a neighbor of at least one sequence in $S$.

2012 China Northern MO, 5

Tags: Sequence , recurrence relation , algebra

Let $\{a_n\}$ be the sequance with $a_0=0$, $a_n=\frac{1}{a_{n-1}-2}$ ($n\in N_+$). Select an arbitrary term $a_k$ in the sequence $\{a_n\}$ and construct the sequence $\{b_n\}$: $b_0=a_k$, $b_n=\frac{2b_{n-1}+1} {b_{n-1}}$ ($n\in N_+$) . Determine whether the sequence $\{b_n\}$ is a finite sequence or an infinite sequence and give proof.

1997 Singapore Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: inequalities , Sequence , algebra , recurrence relation

Suppose the numbers $a_0, a_1, a_2, ... , a_n$ satisfy the following conditions: $a_0 =\frac12$, $a_{k+1} = a_k +\frac{1}{n}a_k^2$ for $k = 0, 1, ... , n - 1$. Prove that $1 - \frac{1}{n}< a_n < 1$

1983 Austrian-Polish Competition, 8

Tags: number theory , recurrence relation , Sequence , divides , factorial , divisible , Product

(a) Prove that $(2^{n+1}-1)!$ is divisible by $ \prod_{i=0}^n (2^{n+1-i}-1)^{2^i }$, for every natural number n (b) Define the sequence ($c_n$) by $c_1=1$ and $c_{n}=\frac{4n-6}{n}c_{n-1}$ for $n\ge 2$. Show that each $c_n$ is an integer.

2010 Saudi Arabia BMO TST, 4

Tags: Sequence , number theory , functional , function , algebra

Let $f : N \to [0, \infty)$ be a function satisfying the following conditions: a) $f(4)=2$ b) $\frac{1}{f( 0 ) + f( 1)} + \frac{1}{f( 1 ) + f( 2 )} + ... + \frac{1}{f (n ) + f(n + 1) }= f ( n + 1)$ for all integers $n \ge 0$. Find $f(n)$ in closed form.

1971 IMO Longlists, 35

Tags: number theory , Euler s Theorem , Sequence , relatively prime , IMO , IMO 1970

Prove that we can find an infinite set of positive integers of the from $2^n-3$ (where $n$ is a positive integer) every pair of which are relatively prime.

2024 Bulgaria MO Regional Round, 12.2

Tags: algebra , inequalities , analysis , Sequence

Let $N$ be a positive integer. The sequence $x_1, x_2, \ldots$ of non-negative reals is defined by $$x_n^2=\sum_{i=1}^{n-1} \sqrt{x_ix_{n-i}}$$ for all positive integers $n>N$. Show that there exists a constant $c>0$, such that $x_n \leq \frac{n} {2}+c$ for all positive integers $n$.

2023 Romania Team Selection Test, P5

Tags: algebra , Sequence , ISL 2022

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 $a_{2022}\leq 1$.

2007 Germany Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: floor function , algebra , Sequence , recurrence relation , Periodic sequence , IMO Shortlist

A sequence of real numbers $ a_{0},\ a_{1},\ a_{2},\dots$ is defined by the formula \[ a_{i \plus{} 1} \equal{} \left\lfloor a_{i}\right\rfloor\cdot \left\langle a_{i}\right\rangle\qquad\text{for}\quad i\geq 0; \]here $a_0$ is an arbitrary real number, $\lfloor a_i\rfloor$ denotes the greatest integer not exceeding $a_i$, and $\left\langle a_i\right\rangle=a_i-\lfloor a_i\rfloor$. Prove that $a_i=a_{i+2}$ for $i$ sufficiently large. [i]Proposed by Harmel Nestra, Estionia[/i]

2009 IMO Shortlist, 4

Tags: modular arithmetic , number theory , IMO Shortlist , Sequence , Divisibility

Find all positive integers $n$ such that there exists a sequence of positive integers $a_1$, $a_2$,$\ldots$, $a_n$ satisfying: \[a_{k+1}=\frac{a_k^2+1}{a_{k-1}+1}-1\] for every $k$ with $2\leq k\leq n-1$. [i]Proposed by North Korea[/i]

2016 Canada National Olympiad, 1

Tags: Sequence

The integers $1, 2, 3, \ldots, 2016$ are written on a board. You can choose any two numbers on the board and replace them with their average. For example, you can replace $1$ and $2$ with $1.5$, or you can replace $1$ and $3$ with a second copy of $2$. After $2015$ replacements of this kind, the board will have only one number left on it. (a) Prove that there is a sequence of replacements that will make the final number equal to $2$. (b) Prove that there is a sequence of replacements that will make the final number equal to $1000$.

2017 Bosnia and Herzegovina EGMO TST, 3

Tags: Sequence , number theory , Divisors

For positive integer $n$ we define $f(n)$ as sum of all of its positive integer divisors (including $1$ and $n$). Find all positive integers $c$ such that there exists strictly increasing infinite sequence of positive integers $n_1, n_2,n_3,...$ such that for all $i \in \mathbb{N}$ holds $f(n_i)-n_i=c$

1989 Nordic, 3

Tags: elements of set , Sequence , algebra

Let $S$ be the set of all points $t$ in the closed interval $[-1, 1]$ such that for the sequence $x_0, x_1, x_2, ...$ defined by the equations $x_0 = t, x_{n+1} = 2x_n^2-1$, there exists a positive integer $N$ such that $x_n = 1$ for all $n \ge N$. Show that the set $S$ has infinitely many elements.

2024 Regional Olympiad of Mexico Southeast, 4

Tags: Sequence , power of 2 , number theory , Mexico , integer sums

Let $n$ be a non-negative integer and define $a_n = 2^n - n$. Determine all non-negative integers $m$ such that $s_m = a_0 + a_1 + \dots + a_m$ is a power of 2.

1952 Moscow Mathematical Olympiad, 216

Tags: Integer sequence , Sequence , Sum of Squares , Digits , number theory

A sequence of integers is constructed as follows: $a_1$ is an arbitrary three-digit number, $a_2$ is the sum of squares of the digits of $a_1, a_3$ is the sum of squares of the digits of $a_2$, etc. Prove that either $1$ or $4$ must occur in the sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3, ....$

1989 Austrian-Polish Competition, 6

Tags: Sequence , prime , Perfect Square , number theory

A sequence $(a_n)_{n \in N}$ of squares of nonzero integers is such that for each $n$ the difference $a_{n+1} - a_n$ is a prime or the square of a prime. Show that all such sequences are finite and determine the longest sequence.

1986 Czech And Slovak Olympiad IIIA, 5

Tags: recurrence relation , Sequence , algebra

A sequence of natural numbers $a_1,a_2,...$ satisfies $a_1 = 1, a_{n+2} = 2a_{n+1} - a_n +2$ for $n \in N$. Prove that for every natural $n$ there exists a natural $m$ such that $a_na_{n+1} = a_m$.

2021 JBMO Shortlist, A2

Tags: Junior , Balkan , shortlist , 2021 , algebra , Sequence

Let $n > 3$ be a positive integer. Find all integers $k$ such that $1 \le k \le n$ and for which the following property holds: If $x_1, . . . , x_n$ are $n$ real numbers such that $x_i + x_{i + 1} + ... + x_{i + k - 1} = 0$ for all integers $i > 1$ (indexes are taken modulo $n$), then $x_1 = . . . = x_n = 0$. Proposed by [i]Vincent Jugé and Théo Lenoir, France[/i]

1994 Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik, 2

Tags: Sequence , number theory , Divisibility

Let $k$ be an integer and define a sequence $a_0 , a_1 ,a_2 ,\ldots$ by $$ a_0 =0 , \;\; a_1 =k \;\;\text{and} \;\; a_{n+2} =k^{2}a_{n+1}-a_n \; \text{for} \; n\geq 0.$$ Prove that $a_{n+1} a_n +1$ divides $a_{n+1}^{2} +a_{n}^{2}$ for all $n$.

2007 IMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: IMO , IMO 2007 , Sequence , algebra , IMO Shortlist

Real numbers $ a_{1}$, $ a_{2}$, $ \ldots$, $ a_{n}$ are given. For each $ i$, $ (1 \leq i \leq n )$, define \[ d_{i} \equal{} \max \{ a_{j}\mid 1 \leq j \leq i \} \minus{} \min \{ a_{j}\mid i \leq j \leq n \} \] and let $ d \equal{} \max \{d_{i}\mid 1 \leq i \leq n \}$. (a) Prove that, for any real numbers $ x_{1}\leq x_{2}\leq \cdots \leq x_{n}$, \[ \max \{ |x_{i} \minus{} a_{i}| \mid 1 \leq i \leq n \}\geq \frac {d}{2}. \quad \quad (*) \] (b) Show that there are real numbers $ x_{1}\leq x_{2}\leq \cdots \leq x_{n}$ such that the equality holds in (*). [i]Author: Michael Albert, New Zealand[/i]

1991 IMO Shortlist, 25

Tags: Sequence , Inequality , inequality system , algebra , IMO Shortlist

Suppose that $ n \geq 2$ and $ x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n$ are real numbers between 0 and 1 (inclusive). Prove that for some index $ i$ between $ 1$ and $ n \minus{} 1$ the inequality \[ x_i (1 \minus{} x_{i\plus{}1}) \geq \frac{1}{4} x_1 (1 \minus{} x_{n})\]