The numbers one through eight are written, in that order, on a chalkboard. A mysterious higher power in possession of both an eraser and a piece of chalk chooses three distinct numbers $x$, $y$, and $z$ on the board, and does the following. First, $x$ is erased and replaced with $y$, after which $y$ is erased and replaced with $z$, and finally $z$ is erased and replaced with $x$. The higher power repeats this process some finite number of times. For example, if $(x,y,z)=(2,4,5)$ is chosen, followed by $(x,y,z)=(1,4,3)$, the board would change in the following manner: \[12345678 \rightarrow 14352678 \rightarrow 43152678\] Compute the number of possible final orderings of the eight numbers.

Let $f:\;\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ be a continuously differentiable function that satisfies $f'(t)>f(f(t))$ for all $t\in\mathbb{R}$. Prove that $f(f(f(t)))\le0$ for all $t\ge0$. [i]Proposed by Tomáš Bárta, Charles University, Prague.[/i]

Let $ x_1, x_2, \cdots, x_n$ be positive real numbers . Prove that: $$\sum_ {i = 1}^n x_i ^2\geq \frac {1} {n + 1} \left (\sum_ {i = 1}^n x_i \right)^2+\frac{12(\sum_ {i = 1}^n i x_i)^2}{n (n + 1) (n + 2) (3n + 1)}. $$

Given a finite sequence $ S \equal{} (a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n)$ of $ n$ real numbers, let $ A(S)$ be the sequence \[ \left(\frac {a_1 \plus{} a_2}2,\frac {a_2 \plus{} a_3}2,\ldots,\frac {a_{n \minus{} 1} \plus{} a_n}2\right) \]of $ n \minus{} 1$ real numbers. Define $ A^1(S) \equal{} A(S)$ and, for each integer $ m$, $ 2\le m\le n \minus{} 1$, define $ A^m(S) \equal{} A(A^{m \minus{} 1}(S)).$ Suppose $ x > 0$, and let $ S \equal{} (1,x,x^2,\ldots,x^{100})$. If $ A^{100}(S) \equal{} (1/2^{50})$, then what is $ x$? $ \textbf{(A) } 1 \minus{} \frac {\sqrt {2}}2\qquad \textbf{(B) } \sqrt {2} \minus{} 1\qquad \textbf{(C) } \frac 12\qquad \textbf{(D) } 2 \minus{} \sqrt {2}\qquad \textbf{(E) } \frac {\sqrt {2}}2$

Suppose $p < q < r < s$ are prime numbers such that $pqrs + 1 = 4^{p+q}$. Find $r + s$.

Let be a line $ d: 3x+4y-5=0 $ on a Cartesian plane. We mark with $ \mathcal{L} $ de locus of the planar points $ P $ such that the distance from $ P $ to $ d $ is double the distance from $ P $ to the origin. Let be $ B_{\lambda } ,C_{\lambda }\in\mathcal{L} $ such that $ C_{\lambda } -B_{\lambda } +\lambda =0. $ Find the locus of the middlepoints of the segments $ B_{\lambda }C_{\lambda }, $ if $ \lambda\in\mathbb{R} $ is variable.

Let $S$ be the set of all pairs of positive integers $(x, y)$ for which $2x^2 + 5y^2 \le 5+6xy$. Compute $\displaystyle\sum_{(x,y) \in S} (x+y+100)$. [i]Proposed by Daniel Whatley[/i]

Define $x\diamond y$ to be $|x-y|$ for all real numbers $x$ and $y$. What is the value of \[(1\diamond(2\diamond3))-((1\diamond2)\diamond3)?\] $ \textbf{(A)}\ -2 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ -1 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 0 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 1 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 2$

Students Arn, Bob, Cyd, Dan, Eve, and Fon are arranged in that order in a circle. They start counting: Arn first, then Bob, and so forth. When the number contains a 7 as a digit (such as 47) or is a multiple of 7 that person leaves the circle and the counting continues. Who is the last one present in the circle? $\textbf{(A) } \text{Arn}\qquad\textbf{(B) }\text{Bob}\qquad\textbf{(C) }\text{Cyd}\qquad\textbf{(D) }\text{Dan}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{Eve}$

Let $ABC$ be a triangle with $AB=AC$, and let $M$ be the midpoint of $BC$. Let $P$ be a point such that $PB<PC$ and $PA$ is parallel to $BC$. Let $X$ and $Y$ be points on the lines $PB$ and $PC$, respectively, so that $B$ lies on the segment $PX$, $C$ lies on the segment $PY$, and $\angle PXM=\angle PYM$. Prove that the quadrilateral $APXY$ is cyclic.

Let $ n$ be a positive integer, and let $ x$ and $ y$ be a positive real number such that $ x^n \plus{} y^n \equal{} 1.$ Prove that \[ \left(\sum^n_{k \equal{} 1} \frac {1 \plus{} x^{2k}}{1 \plus{} x^{4k}} \right) \cdot \left( \sum^n_{k \equal{} 1} \frac {1 \plus{} y^{2k}}{1 \plus{} y^{4k}} \right) < \frac {1}{(1 \minus{} x) \cdot (1 \minus{} y)}. \] [i]Author: Juhan Aru, Estonia[/i]

Two identical jars are filled with alcohol solutions, the ratio of the volume of alcohol to the volume of water being $p : 1$ in one jar and $q : 1$ in the other jar. If the entire contents of the two jars are mixed together, the ratio of the volume of alcohol to the volume of water in the mixture is $\textbf{(A) }\frac{p+q}{2}\qquad\textbf{(B) }\frac{p^2+q^2}{p+q}\qquad\textbf{(C) }\frac{2pq}{p+q}\qquad\textbf{(D) }\frac{2(p^2+pq+q^2)}{3(p+q)}\qquad\textbf{(E) }\frac{p+q+2pq}{p+q+2}$

Let $p, q$ be two different odd prime numbers and $n$ an integer such that $pq$ divides $n^{pq} + 1$. Prove that if $p^3q^3$ divides $n^{pq} + 1$ then either $p^2$ divides $n + 1$ or $q^2$ divides $n + 1$. Malik Talbi

Trilandia is a very unusual city. The city has the shape of an equilateral triangle of side lenght 2012. The streets divide the city into several blocks that are shaped like equilateral triangles of side lenght 1. There are streets at the border of Trilandia too. There are 6036 streets in total. The mayor wants to put sentinel sites at some intersections of the city to monitor the streets. A sentinel site can monitor every street on which it is located. What is the smallest number of sentinel sites that are required to monitor every street of Trilandia?

Let $X =\{1, 2, ... , 2017\}$. Let $k$ be a positive integer. Given any $r$ such that $1\le r \le k$, there exist $k$ subsets of $X$ such that the union of any $ r$ of them is equal to $X$ , but the union of any fewer than $r$ of them is not equal to $X$ . Find, with proof, the greatest possible value for $k$.

Consider the sequence of six real numbers 60, 10, 100, 150, 30, and $x$. The average (arithmetic mean) of this sequence is equal to the median of the sequence. What is the sum of all the possible values of $x$? (The median of a sequence of six real numbers is the average of the two middle numbers after all the numbers have been arranged in increasing order.)

Two circles $\Gamma_1$ and $\Gamma_2$ meet at $A$ and $B$. A line through $B$ meets $\Gamma_1$ and $\Gamma_2$ again at $C$ and $D$ repsectively. Another line through $B$ meets $\Gamma_1$ and $\Gamma_2$ again at $E$ and $F$ repsectively. Line $CF$ meets $\Gamma_1$ and $\Gamma_2$ again at $P$ and $Q$ respectively. $M$ and $N$ are midpoints of arc $PB$ and arc $QB$ repsectively. Show that if $CD = EF$, then $C,F,M,N$ are concyclic.

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?

Let $ABCDEF$ be a regular hexagon with side length 10 inscribed in a circle $\omega$. $X$, $Y$, and $Z$ are points on $\omega$ such that $X$ is on minor arc $AB$, $Y$ is on minor arc $CD$, and $Z$ is on minor arc $EF$, where $X$ may coincide with $A$ or $B$ (and similarly for $Y$ and $Z$). Compute the square of the smallest possible area of $XYZ$. [i]Proposed by Michael Ren[/i]

A string having a small loop in one end is set over a horizontal pipe so that the ends hang loosely. After that, the other end is put through the loop, pulled as far as possible from the pipe and fixed in that position whereby this end of the string is farther from the pipe than the loop. Let $\alpha$ be the angle by which the string turns at the point where it passes through the loop (see picture). Find $\alpha$. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/2/1/018bb16d80956699e11c641bad9bb3d0083770.png[/img]

Positive integers $a$ and $b$ have $n$ digits each in their decimal representation. Assume that $m$ is a positive integer such that $\frac n2<m<n$ and assume that each of the leftmost $m$ digits of $a$ is equal to the corresponding digit of $b$. Prove that $$a^{\frac1n}-b^{\frac1n}<\frac1n.$$

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Prove that if the number overbrace $\underbrace{\hbox{99...9}}_{\hbox{n}}$ is divisible by $n$, then the number $\underbrace{\hbox{11...1}}_{\hbox{n}}$ is also divisible by $n$. (H. Nestra)

Given $a, b, p$ arbitrary integers. Prove that there always exist relatively prime (i.e. that have no common divisor) $k$ and $l$, that $(ak + bl)$ is divisible by $p$.

Prove that for natural numbers $p$ and $q$, there exists a natural number $x$ such that $$(\sqrt{p}+\sqrt{p-1})^q=\sqrt{x}+\sqrt{x-1}$$ (As an example, if $p = 3, q = 2$, then $x$ can be taken to be $25$.)

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]