Olympiad problems

2014 Cezar Ivănescu, 1

Let $ S $ be a nonempty subset of a finite group $ G, $ and $ \left( S^j \right)_{j\ge 1} $ be a sequence of sets defined as $ S^j=\left.\left\{\underbrace{xy\cdots z}_{\text{j terms}} \right| \underbrace{x,y,\cdots ,z}_{\text{j terms}} \in S \right\} . $ Prove that: [b]a)[/b] $ \exists i_0\in\mathbb{N}^*\quad i\ge i_0\implies \left| S^i\right| =\left| S^{1+i}\right| $ [b]b)[/b] $ S^{|G|}\le G $

2016 District Olympiad, 1

Tags: fta , ring theory , superior algebra , group theory , abstract algebra

A ring $ A $ has property [i](P),[/i] if $ A $ is finite and there exists $ (\{ 0\}\neq R,+)\le (A,+) $ such that $ (U(A),\cdot )\cong (R,+) . $ Show that: [b]a)[/b] If a ring has property [i](P),[/i] then, the number of its elements is even. [b]b)[/b] There are infinitely many rings of distinct order that have property [i](P).[/i]

2013 China National Olympiad, 3

Tags: abstract algebra , number theory , modular arithmetic

Let $m,n$ be positive integers. Find the minimum positive integer $N$ which satisfies the following condition. If there exists a set $S$ of integers that contains a complete residue system module $m$ such that $| S | = N$, then there exists a nonempty set $A \subseteq S$ so that $n\mid {\sum\limits_{x \in A} x }$.

2001 Miklós Schweitzer, 3

Tags: ring theory , matrices , abstract algebra

How many minimal left ideals does the full matrix ring $M_n(K)$ of $n\times n$ matrices over a field $K$ have?

2009 IMS, 1

Tags: group theory , superior algebra , abstract algebra

$ G$ is a group. Prove that the following are equivalent: 1. All subgroups of $ G$ are normal. 2. For all $ a,b\in G$ there is an integer $ m$ such that $ (ab)^m\equal{}ba$.

Gheorghe Țițeica 2024, P3

Tags: ring theory , abstract algebra

Determine all commutative rings $R$ with at least four elements that are not fields, such that for any pairwise distinct and nonzero elements $a,b,c\in R$, $ab+bc+ca$ is invertible. [i]Vlad Matei[/i]

2013 Romania National Olympiad, 4

Tags: group theory , abstract algebra , superior algebra , polynomial , algebra

Given $n\ge 2$ a natural number, $(K,+,\cdot )$ a body with commutative property that $\underbrace{1+...+}_{m}1\ne 0,m=2,...,n,f\in K[X]$ a polynomial of degree $n$ and $G$ a subgroup of the additive group $(K,+,\cdot )$, $G\ne K.$Show that there is $a\in K$ so$f(a)\notin G$.

2017 CIIM, Problem 3

Tags: group theory , abstract algebra

Let $G$ be a finite abelian group and $f :\mathbb{Z}^+ \to G$ a completely multiplicative function (i.e. $f(mn) = f(m)f(n)$ for any positive integers $m, n$). Prove that there are infinitely many positive integers $k$ such that $f(k) = f(k + 1).$

2003 Romania National Olympiad, 4

Tags: limit , ring theory , group theory , abstract algebra

$ i(L) $ denotes the number of multiplicative binary operations over the set of elements of the finite additive group $ L $ such that the set of elements of $ L, $ along with these additive and multiplicative operations, form a ring. Prove that [b]a)[/b] $ i\left( \mathbb{Z}_{12} \right) =4. $ [b]b)[/b] $ i(A\times B)\ge i(A)i(B) , $ for any two finite commutative groups $ B $ and $ A. $ [b]c)[/b] there exist two sequences $ \left( G_k \right)_{k\ge 1} ,\left( H_k \right)_{k\ge 1} $ of finite commutative groups such that $$ \lim_{k\to\infty }\frac{\# G_k }{i\left( G_k \right)} =0 $$ and $$ \lim_{k\to\infty }\frac{\# H_k }{i\left( H_k \right)} =\infty. $$ [i]Barbu Berceanu[/i]

2015 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 8

Tags: quadratic , algebra , polynomial , abstract algebra

Find the number of ordered pairs of integers $(a,b)\in\{1,2,\ldots,35\}^2$ (not necessarily distinct) such that $ax+b$ is a "quadratic residue modulo $x^2+1$ and $35$", i.e. there exists a polynomial $f(x)$ with integer coefficients such that either of the following $\textit{equivalent}$ conditions holds: [list] [*] there exist polynomials $P$, $Q$ with integer coefficients such that $f(x)^2-(ax+b)=(x^2+1)P(x)+35Q(x)$; [*] or more conceptually, the remainder when (the polynomial) $f(x)^2-(ax+b)$ is divided by (the polynomial) $x^2+1$ is a polynomial with integer coefficients all divisible by $35$. [/list]

2020 Putnam, B1

Tags: abstract algebra

For a positive integer $n$, define $d(n)$ to be the sum of the digits of $n$ when written in binary (for example, $d(13)=1+1+0+1=3$). Let \[ S=\sum_{k=1}^{2020}(-1)^{d(k)}k^3. \] Determine $S$ modulo $2020$.

2011 IMC, 5

Tags: abstract algebra , polynomial , vector , function , induction , analytic geometry , algebra

Let $n$ be a positive integer and let $V$ be a $(2n-1)$-dimensional vector space over the two-element field. Prove that for arbitrary vectors $v_1,\dots,v_{4n-1} \in V,$ there exists a sequence $1\leq i_1<\dots<i_{2n}\leq 4n-1$ of indices such that $v_{i_1}+\dots+v_{i_{2n}}=0.$

1993 Hungary-Israel Binational, 1

Tags: superior algebra , abstract algebra , group theory

In the questions below: $G$ is a ﬁnite group; $H \leq G$ a subgroup of $G; |G : H |$ the index of $H$ in $G; |X |$ the number of elements of $X \subseteq G; Z (G)$ the center of $G; G'$ the commutator subgroup of $G; N_{G}(H )$ the normalizer of $H$ in $G; C_{G}(H )$ the centralizer of $H$ in $G$; and $S_{n}$ the $n$-th symmetric group. Suppose $k \geq 2$ is an integer such that for all $x, y \in G$ and $i \in \{k-1, k, k+1\}$ the relation $(xy)^{i}= x^{i}y^{i}$ holds. Show that $G$ is Abelian.

2020 Dürer Math Competition (First Round), P5

Tags: polynomial , algebra , abstract algebra

Let $p$ be prime and $ k > 1$ be a divisor of $p-1$. Show that if a polynomial of degree $k$ with integer coefficients attains every possible value modulo $ p$ that is $(0,1,\dots, p-1)$ at integer inputs then its leading coefficient must be divisible by $p$. [hide=Note]Note: the leading coefficient of a polynomial of degree d is the coefficient of the $x_d$ term.[/hide]

2023 IMC, 5

Tags: combinatorics , permutation , probability , abstract algebra

Fix positive integers $n$ and $k$ such that $2 \le k \le n$ and a set $M$ consisting of $n$ fruits. A [i]permutation[/i] is a sequence $x=(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n)$ such that $\{x_1,\ldots,x_n\}=M$. Ivan [i]prefers[/i] some (at least one) of these permutations. He realized that for every preferred permutation $x$, there exist $k$ indices $i_1 < i_2 < \ldots < i_k$ with the following property: for every $1 \le j < k$, if he swaps $x_{i_j}$ and $x_{i_{j+1}}$, he obtains another preferred permutation. \\ Prove that he prefers at least $k!$ permutations.

2025 District Olympiad, P1

Tags: group theory , abstract algebra

Let $G$ be a group and $A$ a nonempty subset of $G$. Let $AA=\{xy\mid x,y\in A\}$. [list=a] [*] Prove that if $G$ is finite, then $AA=A$ if and only if $|A|=|AA|$ and $e\in A$. [*] Give an example of a group $G$ and a nonempty subset $A$ of $G$ such that $AA\neq A$, $|AA|=|A|$ and $AA$ is a proper subgroup of $G$. [/list] [i]Mathematical Gazette - Robert Rogozsan[/i]

2008 IMC, 4

Tags: abstract algebra , matrix , inequalities , linear algebra , analytic geometry , group theory , geometry

We say a triple of real numbers $ (a_1,a_2,a_3)$ is [b]better[/b] than another triple $ (b_1,b_2,b_3)$ when exactly two out of the three following inequalities hold: $ a_1 > b_1$, $ a_2 > b_2$, $ a_3 > b_3$. We call a triple of real numbers [b]special[/b] when they are nonnegative and their sum is $ 1$. For which natural numbers $ n$ does there exist a collection $ S$ of special triples, with $ |S| \equal{} n$, such that any special triple is bettered by at least one element of $ S$?

2014 IMS, 7

Tags: superior algebra , group theory , abstract algebra

Let $G$ be a finite group such that for every two subgroups of it like $H$ and $K$, $H \cong K$ or $H \subseteq K$ or $K \subseteq H$. Prove that we can produce each subgroup of $G$ with 2 elements at most.

2017 China Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , abstract algebra

Find the least positive number m such that for any polynimial f(x) with real coefficients, there is a polynimial g(x) with real coefficients (degree not greater than m) such that there exist 2017 distinct number $a_1,a_2,...,a_{2017}$ such that $g(a_i)=f(a_{i+1})$ for i=1,2,...,2017 where indices taken modulo 2017.

Gheorghe Țițeica 2025, P4

Tags: abstract algebra , ring theory

Let $R$ be a ring. Let $x,y\in R$ such that $x^2=y^2=0$. Prove that if $x+y-xy$ is nilpotent, so is $xy$. [i]Janez Šter[/i]

2004 Gheorghe Vranceanu, 1

Tags: superior algebra , group theory , abstract algebra

Let $(G,\cdot)$ be a group, and let $H_1,H_2$ be proper subgroups s.t. $H_1\cap H_2=\{e\}$, where $e$ is the identity element of $G$. They also have the following properties: [b]i)[/b] $x\in G\setminus(H_1\cup H_2),y\in H_1\setminus\{e\}\Rightarrow xy\in H_2$ [b]ii)[/b] $x\in G\setminus(H_1\cup H_2),y\in H_2\setminus\{e\}\Rightarrow xy\in H_1$ Prove that: [b]a)[/b] $|H_1|=|H_2|$ [b]b)[/b] $|G|=|H_1|\cdot |H_2|$

2012 France Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: group theory , graph theory , abstract algebra , combinatorics

Let $n$ and $k$ be two positive integers. Consider a group of $k$ people such that, for each group of $n$ people, there is a $(n+1)$-th person that knows them all (if $A$ knows $B$ then $B$ knows $A$). 1) If $k=2n+1$, prove that there exists a person who knows all others. 2) If $k=2n+2$, give an example of such a group in which no-one knows all others.

2019 IMAR Test, 3

Tags: abstract algebra , pythagorean triple , modular arithmetic , number theory

Consider a natural number $ n\equiv 9\pmod {25}. $ Prove that there exist three nonnegative integers $ a,b,c $ having the property that: $$ n=\frac{a(a+1)}{2} +\frac{b(b+1)}{2} +\frac{c(c+1)}{2} $$

2024 Assara - South Russian Girl's MO, 3

Tags: combinatorics , abstract algebra

In the cells of the $4\times N$ table, integers are written, modulo no more than $2024$ (i.e. numbers from the set $\{-2024, -2023,\dots , -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3,\dots , 2024\}$) so that in each of the four lines there are no two equal numbers. At what maximum $N$ could it turn out that in each column the sum of the numbers is equal to $2$? [i]G.M.Sharafetdinova[/i]

2024 Miklos Schweitzer, 7

Tags: abstract algebra , group theory

Is it true that if a subgroup $G \leq \text{Sym}(\mathbb{N})$ is $n$-transitive for every positive integer $n$, then every group automorphism of $G$ extends to a group automorphism of $\text{Sym}(\mathbb{N})$?