Found problems: 339
2013 District Olympiad, 3
Let $A$ be an non-invertible of order $n$, $n>1$, with the elements in the set of complex numbers, with all the elements having the module equal with 1
a)Prove that, for $n=3$, two rows or two columns of the $A$ matrix are proportional
b)Does the conclusion from the previous exercise remains true for $n=4$?
2008 IMC, 4
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$?
2002 VJIMC, Problem 2
A ring $R$ (not necessarily commutative) contains at least one non-zero zero divisor and the number of zero divisors is finite. Prove that $R$ is finite.
PEN N Problems, 9
Let $ q_{0}, q_{1}, \cdots$ be a sequence of integers such that
a) for any $ m > n$, $ m \minus{} n$ is a factor of $ q_{m} \minus{} q_{n}$,
b) item $ |q_n| \le n^{10}$ for all integers $ n \ge 0$.
Show that there exists a polynomial $ Q(x)$ satisfying $ q_{n} \equal{} Q(n)$ for all $ n$.
2023 Macedonian Team Selection Test, Problem 5
Let $Q(x) = a_{2023}x^{2023}+a_{2022}x^{2022}+\dots+a_{1}x+a_{0} \in \mathbb{Z}[x]$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients. For an odd prime number $p$ we define the polynomial $Q_{p}(x) = a_{2023}^{p-2}x^{2023}+a_{2022}^{p-2}x^{2022}+\dots+a_{1}^{p-2}x+a_{0}^{p-2}.$
Assume that there exist infinitely primes $p$ such that
$$\frac{Q_{p}(x)-Q(x)}{p}$$
is an integer for all $x \in \mathbb{Z}$. Determine the largest possible value of $Q(2023)$ over all such polynomials $Q$.
[i]Authored by Nikola Velov[/i]
2012 France Team Selection Test, 1
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.
2011 Indonesia TST, 2
At a certain mathematical conference, every pair of mathematicians are either friends or strangers. At mealtime, every participant eats in one of two large dining rooms. Each mathematician insists upon eating in a room which contains an even number of his or her friends. Prove that the number of ways that the mathematicians may be split between the two rooms is a power of two (i.e., is of the form $ 2^k$ for some positive integer $ k$).
2009 IMS, 1
$ 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$.
2025 All-Russian Olympiad, 9.7
The numbers \( 1, 2, 3, \ldots, 60 \) are written in a row in that exact order. Igor and Ruslan take turns inserting the signs \( +, -, \times \) between them, starting with Igor. Each turn consists of placing one sign. Once all signs are placed, the value of the resulting expression is computed. If the value is divisible by $3$, Igor wins; otherwise, Ruslan wins. Which player has a winning strategy regardless of the opponent’s moves? \\
VMEO IV 2015, 11.3
Find all positive integers $a,b,c$ satisfying $(a,b)=(b,c)=(c,a)=1$ and \[ \begin{cases} a^2+b\mid b^2+c\\ b^2+c\mid c^2+a \end{cases} \] and none of prime divisors of $a^2+b$ are congruent to $1$ modulo $7$
2003 Romania National Olympiad, 4
$ 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]
2013 Miklós Schweitzer, 3
Find for which positive integers $n$ the $A_n$ alternating group has a permutation which is contained in exactly one $2$-Sylow subgroup of $A_n$.
[i]Proposed by Péter Pál Pálfy[/i]
1986 Traian Lălescu, 1.2
Let $ K $ be the group of Klein. Prove that:
[b]a)[/b] There is an unique division ring (up to isomorphism), $ D, $ such that $ (D,+)\cong K. $
[b]b)[/b] There are no division rings $ A $ such that $ (A\setminus\{ 0\} ,+)\cong K. $
2018 Miklós Schweitzer, 6
Prove that if $a$ is an integer and $d$ is a positive divisor of the number $a^4+a^3+2a^2-4a+3$, then $d$ is a fourth power modulo $13$.
1996 Turkey MO (2nd round), 2
Prove that $\prod\limits_{k=0}^{n-1}{({{2}^{n}}-{{2}^{k}})}$ is divisible by $n!$ for all positive integers $n$.
2010 Iran MO (3rd Round), 2
$R$ is a ring such that $xy=yx$ for every $x,y\in R$ and if $ab=0$ then $a=0$ or $b=0$. if for every Ideal $I\subset R$ there exist $x_1,x_2,..,x_n$ in $R$ ($n$ is not constant) such that $I=(x_1,x_2,...,x_n)$, prove that every element in $R$ that is not $0$ and it's not a unit, is the product of finite irreducible elements.($\frac{100}{6}$ points)
2011 Romania National Olympiad, 1
Prove that a ring that has a prime characteristic admits nonzero nilpotent elements if and only if its characteristic divides the number of its units.
2014 USA Team Selection Test, 3
For a prime $p$, a subset $S$ of residues modulo $p$ is called a [i]sum-free multiplicative subgroup[/i] of $\mathbb F_p$ if
$\bullet$ there is a nonzero residue $\alpha$ modulo $p$ such that $S = \left\{ 1, \alpha^1, \alpha^2, \dots \right\}$ (all considered mod $p$), and
$\bullet$ there are no $a,b,c \in S$ (not necessarily distinct) such that $a+b \equiv c \pmod p$.
Prove that for every integer $N$, there is a prime $p$ and a sum-free multiplicative subgroup $S$ of $\mathbb F_p$ such that $\left\lvert S \right\rvert \ge N$.
[i]Proposed by Noga Alon and Jean Bourgain[/i]
2011 Pre - Vietnam Mathematical Olympiad, 1
Determine all values of $n$ satisfied the following condition: there's exist a cyclic $(a_1,a_2,a_3,...,a_n)$ of $(1,2,3,...,n)$ such that $\left\{ {{a_1},{a_1}{a_2},{a_1}{a_2}{a_3},...,{a_1}{a_2}...{a_n}} \right\}$ is a complete residue systems modulo $n$.
2025 Romania National Olympiad, 1
We say a ring $(A,+,\cdot)$ has property $(P)$ if :
\[
\begin{cases}
\text{the set } A \text{ has at least } 4 \text{ elements} \\
\text{the element } 1+1 \text{ is invertible}\\
x+x^4=x^2+x^3 \text{ holds for all } x \in A
\end{cases}
\]
a) Prove that if a ring $(A,+,\cdot)$ has property $(P)$, and $a,b \in A$ are distinct elements, such that $a$ and $a+b$ are units, then $1+ab$ is also a unit, but $b$ is not a unit.
b) Provide an example of a ring with property $(P)$.
2008 Putnam, A1
Let $ f: \mathbb{R}^2\to\mathbb{R}$ be a function such that $ f(x,y)\plus{}f(y,z)\plus{}f(z,x)\equal{}0$ for real numbers $ x,y,$ and $ z.$ Prove that there exists a function $ g: \mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ such that $ f(x,y)\equal{}g(x)\minus{}g(y)$ for all real numbers $ x$ and $ y.$
2015 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 8
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]
1978 Germany Team Selection Test, 4
Let $B$ be a set of $k$ sequences each having $n$ terms equal to $1$ or $-1$. The product of two such sequences $(a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n)$ and $(b_1, b_2, \ldots , b_n)$ is defined as $(a_1b_1, a_2b_2, \ldots , a_nb_n)$. Prove that there exists a sequence $(c_1, c_2, \ldots , c_n)$ such that the intersection of $B$ and the set containing all sequences from $B$ multiplied by $(c_1, c_2, \ldots , c_n)$ contains at most $\frac{k^2}{2^n}$ sequences.
1986 Traian Lălescu, 1.1
Let be two nontrivial rings linked by an application ($ K\stackrel{\vartheta }{\mapsto } L $) having the following properties:
$ \text{(i)}\quad x,y\in K\implies \vartheta (x+y) = \vartheta (x) +\vartheta (y) $
$ \text{(ii)}\quad \vartheta (1)=1 $
$ \text{(iii)}\quad \vartheta \left( x^3\right) =\vartheta^3 (x) $
[b]a)[/b] Show that if $ \text{char} (L)\ge 4, $ and $ K,L $ are fields, then $ \vartheta $ is an homomorphism.
[b]b)[/b] Prove that if $ K $ is a noncommutative division ring, then it’s possible that $ \vartheta $ is not an homomorphism.
1972 Miklós Schweitzer, 4
Let $ G$ be a solvable torsion group in which every Abelian subgroup is finitely generated. Prove that $ G$ is finite.
[i]J. Pelikan[/i]