Olympiad problems

2008 VJIMC, Problem 2

Find all functions $f:(0,\infty)\to(0,\infty)$ such that $$f(f(f(x)))+4f(f(x))+f(x)=6x.$$

2018 South Africa National Olympiad, 5

Tags: number theory , Sequences , Divisibility

Determine all sequences $a_1, a_2, a_3, \dots$ of nonnegative integers such that $a_1 < a_2 < a_3 < \dots$ and $a_n$ divides $a_{n - 1} + n$ for all $n \geq 2$.

1980 Yugoslav Team Selection Test, Problem 3

Tags: number theory , Sequences , recurrence relation

A sequence $(x_n)$ satisfies $x_{n+1}=\frac{x_n^2+a}{x_{n-1}}$ for all $n\in\mathbb N$. Prove that if $x_0,x_1$, and $\frac{x_0^2+x_1^2+a}{x_0x_1}$ are integers, then all the terms of sequence $(x_n)$ are integers.

2010 VJIMC, Problem 2

Tags: Sequences , limits

Prove or disprove that if a real sequence $(a_n)$ satisfies $a_{n+1}-a_n\to0$ and $a_{2n}-2a_n\to0$ as $n\to\infty$, then $a_n\to0$.

2014 Costa Rica - Final Round, 6

Tags: algebra , polynomial , Sequences , recurrence relation

The sequences $a_n$, $b_n$ and $c_n$ are defined recursively in the following way: $a_0 = 1/6$, $b_0 = 1/2$, $c_0 = 1/3,$ $$a_{n+1}= \frac{(a_n + b_n)(a_n + c_n)}{(a_n - b_n)(a_n - c_n)},\,\, b_{n+1}= \frac{(b_n + a_n)(b_n + c_n)}{(b_n - a_n)(b_n - c_n)},\,\, c_{n+1}= \frac{(c_n + a_n)(c_n + b_n)}{(c_n - a_n)(c_n - b_n)}$$ For each natural number $N$, the following polynomials are defined: $A_n(x) =a_o+a_1 x+ ...+ a_{2N}x^{2N}$ $B_n(x) =b_o+a_1 x+ ...+ a_{2N}x^{2N}$ $C_n(x) =a_o+a_1 x+ ...+ a_{2N}x^{2N}$ Assume the sequences are well defined. Show that there is no real $c$ such that $A_N(c) = B_N(c) = C_N(c) = 0$.

2015 BMT Spring, 4

Tags: Sequences , algebra

Let $\{a_n\}$ be a sequence of real numbers with $a_1=-1$, $a_2=2$ and for all $n\ge3$, $$a_{n+1}-a_n-a_{n+2}=0.$$ Find $a_1+a_2+a_3+\ldots+a_{2015}$.

2016 AIME Problems, 9

Tags: AIME , AIME II , 2016 AIME II , 2016 AIME II Problem 9 , Sequences

The sequences of positive integers $1,a_2,a_3,\ldots$ and $1,b_2,b_3,\ldots$ are an increasing arithmetic sequence and an increasing geometric sequence, respectively. Let $c_n=a_n+b_n$. There is an integer $k$ such that $c_{k-1}=100$ and $c_{k+1}=1000$. Find $c_k$.

2017 District Olympiad, 1

Tags: inequalities , Sequences , limit

Let $ \left( a_n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ be a sequence of real numbers such that $ a_1>2 $ and $ a_{n+1} =a_1+\frac{2}{a_n} , $ for all natural numbers $ n. $ [b]a)[/b] Show that $ a_{2n-1} +a_{2n} >4 , $ for all natural numbers $ n, $ and $ \lim_{n\to\infty} a_n =2. $ [b]b)[/b] Find the biggest real number $ a $ for which the following inequality is true: $$ \sqrt{x^2+a_1^2} +\sqrt{x^2+a_2^2} +\sqrt{x^2+a_3^2} +\cdots +\sqrt{x^2+a_n^2} > n\sqrt{x^2+a^2}, \quad\forall x\in\mathbb{R} ,\quad\forall n\in\mathbb{N} . $$

2018 VTRMC, 6

Tags: VTRMC , college contests , Sequences , extrema , maximum , minimum value

For $n \in \mathbb{N}$, define $a_n = \frac{1 + 1/3 + 1/5 + \dots + 1/(2n-1)}{n+1}$ and $b_n = \frac{1/2 + 1/4 + 1/6 + \dots + 1/(2n)}{n}$. Find the maximum and minimum of $a_n - b_n$ for $1 \leq n \leq 999$.

2020 Brazil Undergrad MO, Problem 2

Tags: Brazilian Undergrad MO 2020 , number theory , Sequences , Brazilian Undergrad MO

For a positive integer $a$, define $F_1 ^{(a)}=1$, $F_2 ^{(a)}=a$ and for $n>2$, $F_n ^{(a)}=F_{n-1} ^{(a)}+F_{n-2} ^{(a)}$. A positive integer is fibonatic when it is equal to $F_n ^{(a)}$ for a positive integer $a$ and $n>3$. Prove that there are infintely many not fibonatic integers.

2007 Mathematics for Its Sake, 2

Tags: arithmetic sequence , real analysis , limits , Sequences , Arithmetic Progression

Let $ \left( a_n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ be an arithmetic progression of positive real numbers, and $ m $ be a natural number. Calculate: [b]a)[/b] $ \lim_{n\to\infty } \frac{1}{n^{2m+2}} \sum_{1\le i<j\le n} a_i^ma_j^m $ [b]b)[/b] $ \lim_{n\to\infty } \frac{1}{a_n^{2m+2}} \sum_{1\le i<j\le n} a_i^ma_j^m $ [i]Dumitru Acu[/i]

2017 Brazil Undergrad MO, 4

Tags: real analysis , Sequences , High school olympiad

Let $(a_n)_{n\geq 1}$ be a sequence of positive real numbers in which $\lim_{n\to\infty} a_n = 0$ such that there is a constant $c >0$ so that for all $n \geq 1$, $|a_{n+1}-a_n| \leq c\cdot a_n^2$. Show that exists $d>0$ with $na_n \geq d, \forall n \geq 1$.

2000 District Olympiad (Hunedoara), 3

Tags: limits , Sequences , calculus , real analysis , contests , romania

Let be two distinct natural numbers $ k_1 $ and $ k_2 $ and a sequence $ \left( x_n \right)_{n\ge 0} $ which satisfies $$ x_nx_m +k_1k_2\le k_1x_n +k_2x_m,\quad\forall m,n\in\{ 0\}\cup\mathbb{N}. $$ Calculate $ \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{n!\cdot (-1)^{1+n}\cdot x_n^2}{n^n} . $

1972 Putnam, B1

Tags: Putnam , Sequences

Let $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{x^n (x-1)^{2n}}{n!}=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_{n}x^{n}$. Show that no three consecutive $a_n$ can be equal to $0$.

2000 All-Russian Olympiad, 4

Tags: inequalities , algebra unsolved , algebra , Sequences , combinatorics

Let $a_1, a_2, \cdots, a_n$ be a sequence of nonnegative integers. For $k=1,2,\cdots,n$ denote \[ m_k = \max_{1 \le l \le k} \frac{a_{k-l+1} + a_{k-l+2} + \cdots + a_k}{l}. \] Prove that for every $\alpha > 0$ the number of values of $k$ for which $m_k > \alpha$ is less than $\frac{a_1+a_2+ \cdots +a_n}{\alpha}.$

2024 Benelux, 1

Tags: Algebra inequality , Sequences , algebra , inequalities

Let $a_0,a_1,\dots,a_{2024}$ be real numbers such that $\left|a_{i+1}-a_i\right| \le 1$ for $i=0,1,\dots,2023$. a) Find the minimum possible value of $$a_0a_1+a_1a_2+\dots+a_{2023}a_{2024}$$ b) Does there exist a real number $C$ such that $$a_0a_1-a_1a_2+a_2a_3-a_3a_4+\dots+a_{2022}a_{2023}-a_{2023}a_{2024} \ge C$$ for all real numbers $a_0,a_1,\dots,a_2024$ such that $\left|a_{i+1}-a_i\right| \le 1$ for $i=0,1,\dots,2023$.

2015 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 4

Tags: algebra , Sequences , Divisibility

Compute the number of sequences of integers $(a_1,\ldots,a_{200})$ such that the following conditions hold. [list] [*] $0\leq a_1<a_2<\cdots<a_{200}\leq 202.$ [*] There exists a positive integer $N$ with the following property: for every index $i\in\{1,\ldots,200\}$ there exists an index $j\in\{1,\ldots,200\}$ such that $a_i+a_j-N$ is divisible by $203$. [/list]

Russian TST 2019, P1

Tags: algebra , Sequences

Let $a_0, a_1, \ldots , a_n$ and $b_0, b_1, \ldots , b_n$ be sequences of real numbers such that $a_0 = b_0 \geqslant 0$, $a_n = b_n > 0$ and \[a_i=\sqrt{\frac{a_{i+1}+a_{i-1}}{2}},\quad b_i=\sqrt{\frac{b_{i+1}+b_{i-1}}{2}},\]for all $i=1,\ldots,n-1$. Prove that $a_1 = b_1$.

2009 Philippine MO, 1

Tags: algebra , Sequences , PMO , 2009

The sequence ${a_0, a_1, a_2, ...}$ of real numbers satisfies the recursive relation $$n(n+1)a_{n+1}+(n-2)a_{n-1} = n(n-1)a_n$$ for every positive integer $n$, where $a_0 = a_1 = 1$. Calculate the sum $$\frac{a_0}{a_1} + \frac{a_1}{a_2} + ... + \frac{a_{2008}}{a_{2009}}$$.

2018 District Olympiad, 3

Tags: Sequences , limits , Convergence , real analysis

Let $(a_n)_{n\ge 1}$ be a sequence such that $a_n > 1$ and $a_{n+1}^2 \ge a_n a_{n + 2}$, for any $n\ge 1$. Show that the sequence $(x_n)_{n\ge 1}$ given by $x_n = \log_{a_n} a_{n + 1}$ for $n\ge 1$ is convergent and compute its limit.

2023 AMC 10, 6

Tags: 2023 AMC , AMC , AMC 10 , 2023 AMC 10B , Sequences , Parity , 2024 AMC 10b 23

Let $L_1=1$, $L_2=3$, and $L_{n+2}=L_{n+1}+L_n$ for $n\geq1$. How many terms in the sequence $L_1, L_2, L_3, \dots, L_{2023}$ are even? $\textbf{(A) }673\qquad\textbf{(B) }1011\qquad\textbf{(C) }675\qquad\textbf{(D) }1010\qquad\textbf{(E) }674$

2012 District Olympiad, 3

Tags: trigonometry , Sequences , complex numbers , algebra

Let be a sequence of natural numbers $ \left( a_n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ such that $ a_n\le n $ for all natural numbers $ n, $ and $$ \sum_{j=1}^{k-1} \cos \frac{\pi a_j}{k} =0, $$ for all natural $ k\ge 2. $ [b]a)[/b] Find $ a_2. $ [b]b)[/b] Determine this sequence.

2003 IMO Shortlist, 3

Tags: calculus , inequalities , Sequences , bounded , algebra , IMO Shortlist

Consider pairs of the sequences of positive real numbers \[a_1\geq a_2\geq a_3\geq\cdots,\qquad b_1\geq b_2\geq b_3\geq\cdots\] and the sums \[A_n = a_1 + \cdots + a_n,\quad B_n = b_1 + \cdots + b_n;\qquad n = 1,2,\ldots.\] For any pair define $c_n = \min\{a_i,b_i\}$ and $C_n = c_1 + \cdots + c_n$, $n=1,2,\ldots$. (1) Does there exist a pair $(a_i)_{i\geq 1}$, $(b_i)_{i\geq 1}$ such that the sequences $(A_n)_{n\geq 1}$ and $(B_n)_{n\geq 1}$ are unbounded while the sequence $(C_n)_{n\geq 1}$ is bounded? (2) Does the answer to question (1) change by assuming additionally that $b_i = 1/i$, $i=1,2,\ldots$? Justify your answer.

1996 Cono Sur Olympiad, 2

Tags: cono sur , Sequences

Consider a sequence of real numbers defined by: $a_{n + 1} = a_n + \frac{1}{a_n}$ for $n = 0, 1, 2, ...$ Prove that, for any positive real number $a_0$, is true that $a_{1996}$ is greater than $63$.

2018 IMO Shortlist, A4

Tags: algebra , Sequences , IMO Shortlist , maximum value , IMO shortlist 2018

Let $a_0,a_1,a_2,\dots $ be a sequence of real numbers such that $a_0=0, a_1=1,$ and for every $n\geq 2$ there exists $1 \leq k \leq n$ satisfying \[ a_n=\frac{a_{n-1}+\dots + a_{n-k}}{k}. \]Find the maximum possible value of $a_{2018}-a_{2017}$.