Found problems: 963
2014 India IMO Training Camp, 3
Let $r$ be a positive integer, and let $a_0 , a_1 , \cdots $ be an infinite sequence of real numbers. Assume that for all nonnegative integers $m$ and $s$ there exists a positive integer $n \in [m+1, m+r]$ such that
\[ a_m + a_{m+1} +\cdots +a_{m+s} = a_n + a_{n+1} +\cdots +a_{n+s} \]
Prove that the sequence is periodic, i.e. there exists some $p \ge 1 $ such that $a_{n+p} =a_n $ for all $n \ge 0$.
1971 IMO Shortlist, 10
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.
2023 Grosman Mathematical Olympiad, 5
Consider the sequence of natural numbers $a_n$ defined as $a_0=4$ and $a_{n+1}=\frac{a_n(a_n-1)}{2}$ for each $n\geq 0$.
Define a new sequence $b_n$ as follows: $b_n=0$ if $a_n$ is even, and $b_n=1$ if $a_n$ is odd. Prove that for each natural $m$, the sequence
\[b_m, b_{m+1}, b_{m+2},b_{m+3}, \dots\]
is not periodic.
2021 Romania Team Selection Test, 3
Let $\alpha$ be a real number in the interval $(0,1).$ Prove that there exists a sequence $(\varepsilon_n)_{n\geq 1}$ where each term is either $0$ or $1$ such that the sequence $(s_n)_{n\geq 1}$ \[s_n=\frac{\varepsilon_1}{n(n+1)}+\frac{\varepsilon_2}{(n+1)(n+2)}+...+\frac{\varepsilon_n}{(2n-1)2n}\]verifies the inequality \[0\leq \alpha-2ns_n\leq\frac{2}{n+1}\] for any $n\geq 2.$
2016 Regional Olympiad of Mexico Center Zone, 5
An arithmetic sequence is a sequence of $(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) $ such that the difference between any two consecutive terms is the same. That is, $a_ {i + 1} -a_i = d $ for all $i \in \{1,2, \dots, n-1 \} $, where $d$ is the difference of the progression.
A sequence $(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) $ is [i]tlaxcalteca [/i] if for all $i \in \{1,2, \dots, n-1 \} $, there exists $m_i $ positive integer such that $a_i = \frac {1} {m_i}$. A taxcalteca arithmetic progression $(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n )$ is said to be [i]maximal [/i] if $(a_1-d, a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) $ and $(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n, a_n + d) $ are not Tlaxcalan arithmetic progressions.
Is there a maximal tlaxcalteca arithmetic progression of $11$ elements?
2018 Thailand TST, 3
Let $n$ be a fixed odd positive integer. For each odd prime $p$, define
$$a_p=\frac{1}{p-1}\sum_{k=1}^{\frac{p-1}{2}}\bigg\{\frac{k^{2n}}{p}\bigg\}.$$
Prove that there is a real number $c$ such that $a_p = c$ for infinitely many primes $p$.
[i]Note: $\left\{x\right\} = x - \left\lfloor x\right\rfloor$ is the fractional part of $x$.[/i]
2012 Indonesia TST, 1
The sequence $a_i$ is defined as $a_1 = 2, a_2 = 3$, and
$a_{n+1} = 2a_{n-1}$ or $a_{n+1} = 3a_n - 2a_{n-1}$ for all integers $n \ge 2$.
Prove that no term in $a_i$ is in the range $[1612, 2012]$.
2005 Junior Tuymaada Olympiad, 8
The sequence of natural numbers is based on the following rule: each term, starting with the second, is obtained from the previous addition works of all its various simple divisors (for example, after the number $12$ should be the number $18$, and after the number $125$ , the number $130$).
Prove that any two sequences constructed in this way have a common member.
1994 All-Russian Olympiad, 5
Let $a_1$ be a natural number not divisible by $5$. The sequence $a_1,a_2,a_3, . . .$ is defined by $a_{n+1} =a_n+b_n$, where $b_n$ is the last digit of $a_n$. Prove that the sequence contains infinitely many powers of two.
(N. Agakhanov)
1997 Singapore Team Selection Test, 2
Let $a_n$ be the number of n-digit integers formed by $1, 2$ and $3$ which do not contain any consecutive $1$’s. Prove that $a_n$ is equal to $$\left( \frac12 + \frac{1}{\sqrt3}\right)(\sqrt{3} + 1)^n$$ rounded off to the nearest integer.
1967 German National Olympiad, 2
Let $n \ne 0$ be a natural number. A sequence of numbers is briefly called a sequence “$F_n$” if $n$ different numbers $z_1$, $z_2$, $...$, $z_n$ exist so that the following conditions are fulfilled:
(1) Each term of the sequence is one of the numbers $z_1$, $z_2$, $...$, $z_n$.
(2) Each of the numbers $z_1$, $z_2$, $...$, $z_n$ occurs at least once in the sequence.
(3) Any two immediately consecutive members of the sequence are different numbers.
(4) No subsequence of the sequence has the form $\{a, b, a, b\}$ with $a \ne b$.
Note: A subsequence of a given sequence $\{x_1, x_2, x_3, ...\}$ or $\{x_1, x_2, x_3, ..., x_s\}$ is called any sequence of the form $\{x_{m1}, x_{m2}, x_{m3}, ...\}$ or $\{x_{m1}, x_{m2}, x_{m3}, ..., x_{mt}\}$ with natural numbers $m_1 < m_2 < m_3 < ...$
Answer the following questions:
a) Given $n$, are there sequences $F_n$ of arbitrarily long length?
b) If question (a) is answered in the negative for an $n$:
What is the largest possible number of terms that a sequence $F_n$ can have (given $n$)?
2021 Argentina National Olympiad, 1
An infinite sequence of digits $1$ and $2$ is determined by the following two properties:
i) The sequence is built by writing, in some order, blocks $12$ and blocks $112.$
ii) If each block $12$ is replaced by $1$ and each block $112$ by $2$, the same sequence is again obtained.
In which position is the hundredth digit $1$? What is the thousandth digit of the sequence?
2005 Germany Team Selection Test, 1
Let $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be an infinite sequence of real numbers satisfying the equation $a_n=\left|a_{n+1}-a_{n+2}\right|$ for all $n\geq 0$, where $a_0$ and $a_1$ are two different positive reals.
Can this sequence $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be bounded?
[i]Proposed by Mihai Bălună, Romania[/i]
1999 Croatia National Olympiad, Problem 4
On the coordinate plane is given the square with vertices $T_1(1,0),T_2(0,1),T_3(-1,0),T_4(0,-1)$. For every $n\in\mathbb N$, point $T_{n+4}$ is defined as the midpoint of the segment $T_nT_{n+1}$. Determine the coordinates of the limit point of $T_n$ as $n\to\infty$, if it exists.
1981 IMO Shortlist, 16
A sequence of real numbers $u_1, u_2, u_3, \dots$ is determined by $u_1$ and the following recurrence relation for $n \geq 1$:
\[4u_{n+1} = \sqrt[3]{ 64u_n + 15.}\]
Describe, with proof, the behavior of $u_n$ as $n \to \infty.$
2018 Saudi Arabia GMO TST, 1
Let $\{x_n\}$ be a sequence defined by $x_1 = 2$ and $x_{n+1} = x_n^2 - x_n + 1$ for $n \ge 1$. Prove that
$$1 -\frac{1}{2^{2^{n-1}}} < \frac{1}{x_1}+\frac{1}{x_2}+ ... +\frac{1}{x_n}< 1 -\frac{1}{2^{2^n}}$$
for all $n$
2024 Moldova EGMO TST, 12
Consider the sequence $(x_n)_{n\in\mathbb{N^*}}$ such that $$x_0=0,\quad x_1=2024,\quad x_n=x_{n-1}+x_{n-2}, \forall n\geq2.$$ Prove that there is an infinity of terms in this sequence that end with $2024.$
2016 IFYM, Sozopol, 4
$a$ and $b$ are fixed real numbers. With $x_n$ we denote the sum of the digits of $an+b$ in the decimal number system. Prove that the sequence $x_n$ contains an infinite constant subsequence.
India EGMO 2023 TST, 5
Let $k$ be a positive integer. A sequence of integers $a_1, a_2, \cdots$ is called $k$-pop if the following holds: for every $n \in \mathbb{N}$, $a_n$ is equal to the number of distinct elements in the set $\{a_1, \cdots , a_{n+k} \}$. Determine, as a function of $k$, how many $k$-pop sequences there are.
[i]Proposed by Sutanay Bhattacharya[/i]
Kvant 2020, M2603
For an infinite sequence $a_1, a_2,. . .$ denote as it's [i]first derivative[/i] is the sequence $a'_n= a_{n + 1} - a_n$ (where $n = 1, 2,..$.), and her $k$- th derivative as the first derivative of its $(k-1)$-th derivative ($k = 2, 3,...$). We call a sequence [i]good[/i] if it and all its derivatives consist of positive numbers.
Prove that if $a_1, a_2,. . .$ and $b_1, b_2,. . .$ are good sequences, then sequence $a_1\cdot b_1, a_2 \cdot b_2,..$ is also a good one.
R. Salimov
2022 ISI Entrance Examination, 6
Consider a sequence $P_{1}, P_{2}, \ldots$ of points in the plane such that $P_{1}, P_{2}, P_{3}$ are non-collinear and for every $n \geq 4, P_{n}$ is the midpoint of the line segment joining $P_{n-2}$ and $P_{n-3}$. Let $L$ denote the line segment joining $P_{1}$ and $P_{5}$. Prove the following:
[list=a]
[*] The area of the triangle formed by the points $P_{n}, P_{n-1}, P_{n-2}$ converges to zero as $n$ goes to infinity.
[*] The point $P_{9}$ lies on $L$.
[/list]
1983 IMO Shortlist, 7
Let $a$ be a positive integer and let $\{a_n\}$ be defined by $a_0 = 0$ and
\[a_{n+1 }= (a_n + 1)a + (a + 1)a_n + 2 \sqrt{a(a + 1)a_n(a_n + 1)} \qquad (n = 1, 2 ,\dots ).\]
Show that for each positive integer $n$, $a_n$ is a positive integer.
1976 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 231
Given natural $n$. We shall call "universal" such a sequence of natural number $a_1, a_2, ... , a_k, k\ge n$, if we can obtain every transposition of the first $n$ natural numbers (i.e such a sequence of $n$ numbers, that every one is encountered only once) by deleting some its members. (Examples: ($1,2,3,1,2,1,3$) is universal for $n=3$, and ($1,2,3,2,1,3,1$) -- not, because you can't obtain ($3,1,2$) from it.) The goal is to estimate the length of the shortest universal sequence for given $n$.
a) Give an example of the universal sequence of $n2$ members.
b) Give an example of the universal sequence of $(n^2 - n + 1)$ members.
c) Prove that every universal sequence contains not less than $n(n + 1)/2$ members
d) Prove that the shortest universal sequence for $n=4$ contains 12 members
e) Find as short universal sequence, as you can. The Organising Committee knows the method for $(n^2 - 2n +4) $ members.
2015 Estonia Team Selection Test, 12
Call an $n$-tuple $(a_1, . . . , a_n)$ [i]occasionally periodic [/i] if there exist a nonnegative integer $i$ and a positive integer $p$ satisfying $i + 2p \le n$ and $a_{i+j} = a_{i+p+j}$ for every $j = 1, 2, . . . , p$. Let $k$ be a positive integer. Find the least positive integer $n$ for which there exists an $n$-tuple $(a_1, . . . , a_n)$ with elements from set $\{1, 2, . . . , k\}$, which is not occasionally periodic but whose arbitrary extension $(a_1, . . . , a_n, a_{n+1})$ is occasionally periodic for any $a_{n+1} \in \{1, 2, . . . , k\}$.
2004 Kazakhstan National Olympiad, 6
The sequence of integers $ a_1 $, $ a_2 $, $ \dots $ is defined as follows:
$ a_1 = 1 $ and $ n> 1 $, $ a_ {n + 1} $ is the smallest integer greater than $ a_n $ and such, that $ a_i + a_j \neq 3a_k $ for any $ i, j $ and $ k $ from $ \{1, 2, \dots, n + 1 \} $ are not necessarily different.
Define $ a_ {2004} $.