We call the sequence $d_1,....,d_n$ of natural numbers, not necessarily distinct, [b]covering[/b] if there exists arithmetic progressions like $c_1+kd_1$,....,$c_n+kd_n$ such that every natural number has come in at least one of them. We call this sequence [b]short[/b] if we can not delete any of the $d_1,....,d_n$ such that the resulting sequence be still covering. [b]a)[/b] Suppose that $d_1,....,d_n$ is a short covering sequence and suppose that we've covered all the natural numbers with arithmetic progressions $a_1+kd_1,.....,a_n+kd_n$, and suppose that $p$ is a prime number that $p$ divides $d_1,....,d_k$ but it does not divide $d_{k+1},....,d_n$. Prove that the remainders of $a_1,....,a_k$ modulo $p$ contains all the numbers $0,1,.....,p-1$. [b]b)[/b] Write anything you can about covering sequences and short covering sequences in the case that each of $d_1,....,d_n$ has only one prime divisor. [i]proposed by Ali Khezeli[/i]

How many sides of the convex polygon can equal its longest diagonal?

For a natural number $ n$, let $ a_n\equal{}\int_0^{\frac{\pi}{4}} (\tan x)^{2n}dx$. Answer the following questions. (1) Find $ a_1$. (2) Express $ a_{n\plus{}1}$ in terms of $ a_n$. (3) Find $ \lim_{n\to\infty} a_n$. (4) Find $ \lim_{n\to\infty} \sum_{k\equal{}1}^n \frac{(\minus{}1)^{k\plus{}1}}{2k\minus{}1}$.

Find all real solutions of the system of equations $$\begin{cases} (x_3 + x_4 + x_5)^5 = 3x_1 \\ (x_4 + x_5 + x_1)^5 = 3x_2\\ (x_5 + x _1 + x_2)^5 = 3x_3\\ (x_1 + x_2 + x_3)^5 = 3x_4\\ (x_2 + x_3 + x_4)^5 = 3x_5 \end{cases}$$ (L. Tumescu , Romania)

In a certain country there are 9 cities and two airline companies: AeroSol and AeroLuna. Between each pair of cities there are flights from one and only one of them. the two companies. Furthermore, for any triple of cities $X$, $Y$,$ Z$ σt least one of the flights between them is served by AeroLuna. It is possible to find $4$ cities such that all flights between them be served by AeroLuna?

Let n be a positive interger. Let n real numbers be wrote on a paper. We call a "transformation" :choosing 2 numbers $a,b$ and replace both of them with $a*b$. Find all n for which after a finite number of transformations and any n real numbers, we can have the same number written n times on the paper.

Let f be a function from the set Z of all integers into itself, that satisfies the condition for all $m \in Z$, $$f(f(m)) =-m. \ \ (1)$$ Then: (a) $f$ is a mutually unique mapping, i.e. a simple mapping of the set $Z$ onto the set $Z$ , (b) for all $m \in Z$ holds that $f(-m) = -f(m)$ , (c) $f(m) = 0$ if and only if $m = 0$ . Prove these statements and construct an example of a mapping f that satisfies condition (1).

Let $I$ be an open interval of length $\frac{1}{n}$, where $n$ is a positive integer. Find the maximum possible number of rational numbers of the form $\frac{a}{b}$ where $1 \le b \le n$ that lie in $I$.

Circles with centres $O_1$ and $O_2$ intersect in two points, let one of which be $A$. The common tangent of these circles touches them respectively in points $P$ and $Q$. It is known that points $O_1, A$ and $Q$ are on a common straight line and points $O_2, A$ and $P$ are on a common straight line. Prove that the radii of the circles are equal.

Prove that for every real number $M$ there exists an infinite arithmetic progression such that: - each term is a positive integer and the common difference is not divisible by 10 - the sum of the digits of each term (in decimal representation) exceeds $M$.

Assume that $f(a+b) = f(a) + f(b) + ab$, and that $f(75) - f(51) = 1230$. Find $f(100)$.

Evaluate $\int_{0}^{4}e^{\sqrt{x}} \, dx$.

Find all positive integers $n$, such that $\sigma(n) =\tau(n) \lceil {\sqrt{n}} \rceil$.

There are real numbers $a,b$ and $c$ and a positive number $\lambda$ such that $f(x)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c$ has three real roots $x_1, x_2$ and $x_3$ satisfying $(1) x_2-x_1=\lambda$ $(2) x_3>\frac{1}{2}(x_1+x_2)$. Find the maximum value of $\frac{2a^3+27c-9ab}{\lambda^3}$

The incentre of the triangle $ABC$ is $I.$ The lines $AI, BI$ and $CI$ meet the circumcircle of the triangle $ABC$ also at points $D, E$ and $F,$ respectively. Prove that $AD$ and $EF$ are perpendicular.

Let $n>2$ be an integer. A deck contains $\frac{n(n-1)}{2}$ cards,numbered \[1,2,3,\cdots , \frac{n(n-1)}{2}\] Two cards form a [i]magic pair[/i] if their numbers are consecutive , or if their numbers are $1$ and $\frac{n(n+1)}{2}$. For which $n$ is it possible to distribute the cards into $n$ stacks in such a manner that, among the cards in any two stacks , there is exactly one [i]magic pair[/i]?

Let $a$, $b$, and $c$ be the $3$ roots of $x^3-x+1=0$. Find $\frac{1}{a+1}+\frac{1}{b+1}+\frac{1}{c+1}.$

You should paint all the sides and diagonals of the regular $n$-gon so, that every pair of segments, having the common point, would be painted with different colours. How many colours will you require?

Regular $n$-gon is divided to triangles using $n-3$ diagonals of which none of them have common points with another inside polygon. How much among this triangles can there be the most not congruent? [i]Proposed by Dusan Djukic[/i]

Given $ n$ countries with three representatives each, $ m$ committees $ A(1),A(2), \ldots, A(m)$ are called a cycle if [i](i)[/i] each committee has $ n$ members, one from each country; [i](ii)[/i] no two committees have the same membership; [i](iii)[/i] for $ i \equal{} 1, 2, \ldots,m$, committee $ A(i)$ and committee $ A(i \plus{} 1)$ have no member in common, where $ A(m \plus{} 1)$ denotes $ A(1);$ [i](iv)[/i] if $ 1 < |i \minus{} j| < m \minus{} 1,$ then committees $ A(i)$ and $ A(j)$ have at least one member in common. Is it possible to have a cycle of 1990 committees with 11 countries?

An $80 \times 80$ grid is colored orange and black. A square is black if and only if either the square below it or the square to the left of it is black, but not both (If there is no such square, consider it as if it were orange). The only exception is the bottom left square, which is black. Consider the diagonal from the upper left to the lower right. How many black squares does this diagonal have?

On the $xy$ plane, find the area of the figure bounded by the graphs of $y=x$ and $y=\left|\ \frac34 x^2-3\ \right |-2$. [i]2011 Kyoto University entrance exam/Science, Problem 3[/i]

An unfair coin, which has the probability of $a\ \left(0<a<\frac 12\right)$ for showing $Heads$ and $1-a$ for showing $Tails$, is flipped $n\geq 2$ times. After $n$-th trial, denote by $A_n$ the event that heads are showing on at least two times and by$B_n$ the event that are not showing in the order of $tails\rightarrow heads$, until the trials $T_1,\ T_2,\ \cdots ,\ T_n$ will be finished . Answer the following questions: (1) Find the probabilities $P(A_n),\ P(B_n)$. (2) Find the probability $P(A_n\cap B_n )$. (3) Find the limit $\lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{P(A_n) P(B_n)}{P(A_n\cap B_n )}.$ You may use $\lim_{n\to\infty} nr^n=0\ (0<r<1).$

Let $n\geq2$ be a positive integer, with divisors $1=d_1<d_2<\,\ldots<d_k=n$. Prove that $d_1d_2+d_2d_3+\,\ldots\,+d_{k-1}d_k$ is always less than $n^2$, and determine when it is a divisor of $n^2$.

Mientka Publishing Company prices its bestseller [i]Where's Walter?[/i] as follows: \[C(n) \equal{} \begin{cases} 12n, &\text{if } 1 \le n \le 24\\ 11n, &\text{if } 25 \le n \le 48\\ 10n, &\text{if } 49 \le n \end{cases}\] where $ n$ is the number of books ordered, and $ C(n)$ is the cost in dollars of $ n$ books. Notice that $ 25$ books cost less than $ 24$ books. For how many values of $ n$ is it cheaper to buy more than $ n$ books than to buy exactly $ n$ books? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 3\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 4\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 5\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 6\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 8$