Olympiad problems

2010 Romanian Masters In Mathematics, 2

For each positive integer $n$, find the largest real number $C_n$ with the following property. Given any $n$ real-valued functions $f_1(x), f_2(x), \cdots, f_n(x)$ defined on the closed interval $0 \le x \le 1$, one can find numbers $x_1, x_2, \cdots x_n$, such that $0 \le x_i \le 1$ satisfying \[|f_1(x_1)+f_2(x_2)+\cdots f_n(x_n)-x_1x_2\cdots x_n| \ge C_n\] [i]Marko Radovanović, Serbia[/i]

2004 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 9

Tags: algebra , absolute value , logarithm , polynomial , calculus , limit , ratio

Find the positive constant $c_0$ such that the series \[ \displaystyle\sum_{n = 0}^{\infty} \dfrac {n!}{(cn)^n} \] converges for $c>c_0$ and diverges for $0<c<c_0$.

2009 AIME Problems, 11

Tags: calculus , absolute value , integration , geometry , vector , analytic geometry

Consider the set of all triangles $ OPQ$ where $ O$ is the origin and $ P$ and $ Q$ are distinct points in the plane with nonnegative integer coordinates $ (x,y)$ such that $ 41x\plus{}y \equal{} 2009$. Find the number of such distinct triangles whose area is a positive integer.

1983 AIME Problems, 2

Tags: complex number , absolute value , search , function

Let $f(x) = |x - p| + |x - 15| + |x - p - 15|$, where $0 < p < 15$. Determine the minimum value taken by $f(x)$ for $x$ in the interval $p \le x \le 15$.

1982 AMC 12/AHSME, 11

Tags: absolute value

How many integers with four different digits are there between $1,000$ and $9,999$ such that the absolute value of the difference between the first digit and the last digit is $2$? $\textbf {(A) } 672 \qquad \textbf {(B) } 784 \qquad \textbf {(C) } 840 \qquad \textbf {(D) } 896 \qquad \textbf {(E) } 1008$

1994 Baltic Way, 10

Tags: absolute value , number theory

How many positive integers satisfy the following three conditions: a) All digits of the number are from the set $\{1,2,3,4,5\}$; b) The absolute value of the difference between any two consecutive digits is $1$; c) The integer has $1994$ digits?

2007 IMAR Test, 3

Tags: absolute value , number theory

Prove that $ N\geq 2n \minus{} 2$ integers, of absolute value not higher than $ n > 2$, and of absolute value of their sum $ S$ less than $ n \minus{} 1,$ there exist some of sum $ 0.$ Show that for $ |S| \equal{} n \minus{} 1$ this is not anymore true, and neither for $ N \equal{} 2n \minus{} 3$ (when even for $ |S| \equal{} 1$ this is not anymore true).

2019 Philippine TST, 3

Tags: absolute value , function , quadratic , functional inequality , constant , inequalities , algebra

Determine all ordered triples $(a, b, c)$ of real numbers such that whenever a function $f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ satisfies $$|f(x) - f(y)| \le a(x - y)^2 + b(x - y) + c$$ for all real numbers $x$ and $y$, then $f$ must be a constant function.

2009 AIME Problems, 14

Tags: absolute value , trigonometry , induction

The sequence $ (a_n)$ satisfies $ a_0 \equal{} 0$ and $ \displaystyle a_{n \plus{} 1} \equal{} \frac85a_n \plus{} \frac65\sqrt {4^n \minus{} a_n^2}$ for $ n\ge0$. Find the greatest integer less than or equal to $ a_{10}$.

1989 Balkan MO, 2

Tags: absolute value , combinatorial geometry , gauss , derivative , polynomial , algebra , calculus

Let $\overline{a_{n}a_{n-1}\ldots a_{1}a_{0}}$ be the decimal representation of a prime positive integer such that $n>1$ and $a_{n}>1$. Prove that the polynomial $P(x)=a_{n}x^{n}+\ldots +a_{1}x+a_{0}$ cannot be written as a product of two non-constant integer polynomials.

PEN G Problems, 4

Tags: irrational number , absolute value

Let $a, b, c$ be integers, not all zero and each of absolute value less than one million. Prove that \[\left\vert a+b\sqrt{2}+c\sqrt{3}\right\vert > \frac{1}{10^{21}}.\]

2005 Taiwan TST Round 1, 2

Tags: algebra , absolute value

The absolute value of every number in the sequence $\{a_n\}$ is smaller than 2005, and \[a_{n+6}=a_{n+4}+a_{n+2}-a_n.\] holds for all positive integers n. Prove that $\{a_n\}$ is periodic. Incredibly, this was probably the most difficult problem of our independent study problems in the 1st TST (excluding the final exam).

2005 Putnam, A4

Tags: inequalities , matrix , vector , absolute value , ratio , linear algebra

Let $H$ be an $n\times n$ matrix all of whose entries are $\pm1$ and whose rows are mutually orthogonal. Suppose $H$ has an $a\times b$ submatrix whose entries are all $1.$ Show that $ab\le n.$

2019 Canada National Olympiad, 4

Tags: n-variable inequality , absolute value , inequalities

Prove that for $n>1$ and real numbers $a_0,a_1,\dots, a_n,k$ with $a_1=a_{n-1}=0$, \[|a_0|-|a_n|\leq \sum_{i=0}^{n-2}|a_i-ka_{i+1}-a_{i+2}|.\]

2005 All-Russian Olympiad, 1

Tags: abstract algebra , absolute value , algebra , modular arithmetic , function

Find the maximal possible finite number of roots of the equation $|x-a_1|+\dots+|x-a_{50}|=|x-b_1|+\dots+|x-b_{50}|$, where $a_1,\,a_2,\,\dots,a_{50},\,b_1,\dots,\,b_{50}$ are distinct reals.

1997 IMC, 3

Tags: logarithm , complex number , trigonometry , absolute value , function , integration , floor function

Show that $\sum^{\infty}_{n=1}\frac{(-1)^{n-1}\sin(\log n)}{n^\alpha}$ converges iff $\alpha>0$.

1985 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 410

Tags: algebra , set , absolute value

Numbers $1,2,3,...,2n$ are divided onto two equal groups. Let $a_1,a_2,...,a_n$ be the first group numbers in the increasing order, and $b_1,b_2,...,b_n$ -- the second group numbers in the decreasing order. Prove that $$|a_1 - b_1| + |a_2 - b_2| + ... + |a_n - b_n| = n^2$$

2023 Romania EGMO TST, P4

Tags: absolute value , algebra , inequalities

Let $n\geqslant 3$ be an integer and $a_1,\ldots,a_n$ be nonzero real numbers, with sum $S{}$. Prove that \[\sum_{i=1}^n\left|\frac{S-a_i}{a_i}\right|\geqslant\frac{n-1}{n-2}.\]

2018 China Northern MO, 4

Tags: absolute value , combinatorics

For $n(n\geq3)$ positive intengers $a_1,a_2,\cdots,a_n$. Put the numbers on a circle. In each operation, calculate difference between two adjacent numbers and take its absolute value. Put the $n$ numbers we get on another ciecle (do not change their order). Find all $n$, satisfying that no matter how $a_1,a_2,\cdots,a_n$ are given, all numbers on the circle are equal after limited operations.

2008 Bulgarian Autumn Math Competition, Problem 8.1

Tags: parameter , absolute value , algebra

Solve the equation $|x-m|+|x+m|=x$ depending on the value of the parameter $m$.

1956 Moscow Mathematical Olympiad, 342

Tags: algebra , sequence , absolute value

Given three numbers $x, y, z$ denote the absolute values of the differences of each pair by $x_1,y_1, z_1$. From $x_1, y_1, z_1$ form in the same fashion the numbers $x_2, y_2, z_2$, etc. It is known that $x_n = x,y_n = y, z_n = z$ for some $n$. Find $y$ and $z$ if $x = 1$.

2021 AMC 10 Fall, 14

Tags: system of equations , absolute value , algebra

How many ordered pairs $(x,y)$ of real numbers satisfy the following system of equations? \begin{align*} x^2+3y&=9\\ (|x|+|y|-4)^2&=1\\ \end{align*} $\textbf{(A)}\: 1\qquad\textbf{(B)} \: 2\qquad\textbf{(C)} \: 3\qquad\textbf{(D)} \: 5\qquad\textbf{(E)} \: 7$

1959 AMC 12/AHSME, 25

Tags: absolute value , inequalities , inequality

The symbol $|a|$ means $+a$ if $a$ is greater than or equal to zero, and $-a$ if $a$ is less than or equal to zero; the symbol $<$ means "less than"; the symbol $>$ means "greater than." The set of values $x$ satisfying the inequality $|3-x|<4$ consists of all $x$ such that: $ \textbf{(A)}\ x^2<49 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ x^2>1 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 1<x^2<49\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ -1<x<7\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ -7<x<1 $

1978 AMC 12/AHSME, 9

Tags: absolute value

If $x<0$, then $\left|x-\sqrt{(x-1)^2}\right|$ equals $\textbf{(A) }1\qquad\textbf{(B) }1-2x\qquad\textbf{(C) }-2x-1\qquad\textbf{(D) }1+2x\qquad \textbf{(E) }2x-1$

2005 Polish MO Finals, 3

Tags: combinatorics , geometry , linear algebra , rotation , absolute value , rectangle , matrix

In a matrix $2n \times 2n$, $n \in N$, are $4n^2$ real numbers with a sum equal zero. The absolute value of each of these numbers is not greater than $1$. Prove that the absolute value of a sum of all the numbers from one column or a row doesn't exceed $n$.