For which real numbers $k > 1$ does there exist a bounded set of positive real numbers $S$ with at least $3$ elements such that $$k(a - b)\in S$$ for all $a,b\in S $ with $a > b?$ Remark: A set of positive real numbers $S$ is bounded if there exists a positive real number $M$ such that $x < M$ for all $x \in S.$

Let $a$ and $b$ be positive integers and $c$ be a positive real number satisfying $$\frac{a + 1}{b + c}=\frac{b}{a}.$$ Prove that $c \ge 1$ holds. (Karl Czakler)

Determine all real solutions to the system of equations: $$x_1 + x_2 +...+ x_{2004 }= 2004$$ $$x^4_1+ x^4_2+ ... + x^4_{2004} = x^3_1+x^3_2+... + x^3_{2004}$$

Suppose $a_0,a_1,\ldots, a_{2018}$ are integers such that \[(x^2-3x+1)^{1009} = \sum_{k=0}^{2018}a_kx^k\] for all real numbers $x$. Compute the remainder when $a_0^2 + a_1^2 + \cdots + a_{2018}^2$ is divided by $2017$.

A real number $\alpha$ is given. Find all functions $f : R^+ \to R^+$ satisfying $\alpha x^2f\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) +f(x) =\frac{x}{x+1}$ for all $x > 0$.

Determine all triples (x, y, z) of non-negative real numbers that satisfy the following system of equations $\begin{cases} x^2 - y = (z - 1)^2\\ y^2 - z = (x - 1)^2 \\ z^2 - x = (y -1)^2 \end{cases}$.

Let $\mathbb{Q}_{>0}$ denote the set of all positive rational numbers. Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{Q}_{>0}\to \mathbb{Q}_{>0}$ satisfying $$f(x^2f(y)^2)=f(x)^2f(y)$$ for all $x,y\in\mathbb{Q}_{>0}$

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{Q}^+ \to \mathbb{R}^+ $ with the property: \[f(xy)=f(x+y)(f(x)+f(y)) \,,\, \forall x,y \in \mathbb{Q}^+\] [i]Proposed by Nikolay Nikolov[/i]

Let $a$, $b$, $c$ be positive real numbers. Prove that \[ \biggl(1+\frac{a}{b}\biggr) \biggl(1+\frac{b}{c}\biggr) \biggl(1+\frac{c}{a}\biggr) \ge 2 \biggl(1+\frac{a+b+c}{\sqrt[3]{abc}}\biggr). \]

Let $n,m$ be positive integers such that $n<m$ and $a_1, a_2, ..., a_m$ be different real numbers. (a) Find all polynomials $P$ with real coefficients and degree at most $n$ such that: $|P(a_i)-P(a_j)|=|a_i-a_j|$ for all $i,j=\{1, 2, ..., m\}$ such that $i<j$. (b) If $n,m\ge 2$ does there exist a polynomial $Q$ with real coefficients and degree $n$ such that: $|Q(a_i)-Q(a_j)|<|a_i-a_j|$ for all $i,j=\{1, 2, ..., m\}$ such that $i<j$ Edit: See #3

Find all functions $f: R \to R$ such that, for any $x, y \in R$: $f\left( f\left( x \right)-y \right)\cdot f\left( x+f\left( y \right) \right)={{x}^{2}}-{{y}^{2}}$

Find all functions $ f : Z\rightarrow Z$ for which we have $ f (0) \equal{} 1$ and $ f ( f (n)) \equal{} f ( f (n\plus{}2)\plus{}2) \equal{} n$, for every natural number $ n$.

Determine the polynomials P of two variables so that: [b]a.)[/b] for any real numbers $t,x,y$ we have $P(tx,ty) = t^n P(x,y)$ where $n$ is a positive integer, the same for all $t,x,y;$ [b]b.)[/b] for any real numbers $a,b,c$ we have $P(a + b,c) + P(b + c,a) + P(c + a,b) = 0;$ [b]c.)[/b] $P(1,0) =1.$

Let $S = f\{0.1. 2.3,...\}$ be the set of the non-negative integers. Find all strictly increasing functions $f : S \to S$ such that $n + f(f(n)) \le 2f(n)$ for every $n$ in $S$

Let $a_{1},a_{2},...,a_{n+1}(n>1)$ are positive real numbers such that $a_{2}-a_{1}=a_{3}-a_{2}=...=a_{n+1}-a_{n}$. Prove that $\sum_{k=2}^{n}\frac{1}{a_{k}^{2}}\leq\frac{n-1}{2}.\frac{a_{1}a_{n}+a_{2}a_{n+1}}{a_{1}a_{2}a_{n}a_{n+1}}$

Let $a,b,c$ be positive real numbers where $ab+bc+ca = 3$. Prove that $$\dfrac{1}{a^2+1}+\dfrac{1}{b^2+1}+\dfrac{1}{c^2+1}\geq\dfrac{3} {2}.$$ [i](dektep)[/i]

Archipelago consists of $ n$ islands : $ I_1,I_2,...,I_n$ and $ a_1,a_2,...,a_n$ - number of the roads on each island. $ a_1 \equal{} 55$, $ a_k \equal{} a_{k \minus{} 1} \plus{} (k \minus{} 1)$, ($ k \equal{} 2,3,...,n$) a) Does there exist an island with 2008 roads? b) Calculate $ a_1 \plus{} a_2 \plus{} ... \plus{} a_n.$

Consider the expanded form of $\left(x+\frac{1}{2\sqrt[4]{x}}\right)^n$, put all items in number (from high power to low power). If the coefficients of the first three items are arithmetic sequence, then the number of items with an integral power is________.

For breakfast, Mihir always eats a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal, which consists of oat pieces and marshmallow pieces. He denes the luckiness of a bowl of cereal to be the ratio of the number of marshmallow pieces to the total number of pieces. One day, Mihir notices that his breakfast cereal has exactly $90$ oat pieces and $9$ marshmallow pieces, and exclaims, "This is such an unlucky bowl!" How many marshmallow pieces does Mihir need to add to his bowl to double its luckiness?

Let $\{a_n\}_{n\geq 1}$ be a sequence with $a_1=1$, $a_2=4$ and for all $n>1$, \[ a_{n} = \sqrt{ a_{n-1}a_{n+1} + 1 } . \] a) Prove that all the terms of the sequence are positive integers. b) Prove that $2a_na_{n+1}+1$ is a perfect square for all positive integers $n$. [i]Valentin Vornicu[/i]

Let $f = f(x,y,z)$ be a polynomial in three variables $x$, $y$, $z$ such that $f(w,w,w) = 0$ for all $w \in \mathbb{R}$. Show that there exist three polynomials $A$, $B$, $C$ in these same three variables such that $A + B + C = 0$ and \[ f(x,y,z) = A(x,y,z) \cdot (x-y) + B(x,y,z) \cdot (y-z) + C(x,y,z) \cdot (z-x). \] Is there any polynomial $f$ for which these $A$, $B$, $C$ are uniquely determined?

[b]p1.[/b] A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers. For example, $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{pmatrix}$ and $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 3 \\ 2 & 4 \end{pmatrix}$ are $2 \times 2$ matrices. A [i]saddle [/i] point in a matrix is an entry which is simultaneously the smallest number in its row and the largest number in its column. a. Write down a $2 \times 2$ matrix which has a saddle point, and indicate which entry is the saddle point. b. Write down a $2 \times 2$ matrix which has no saddle point c. Prove that a matrix of any size, all of whose entries are distinct, can have at most one saddle point. [b]p2.[/b] a. Find four different pairs of positive integers satisfying the equation $\frac{7}{m}+\frac{11}{n}=1$. b. Prove that the solutions you have found in part (a) are all possible pairs of positive integers satisfying the equation $\frac{7}{m}+\frac{11}{n}=1$. [b]p3.[/b] Let $ABCD$ be a quadrilateral, and let points $M, N, O, P$ be the respective midpoints of sides $AB$, $BC$, $CD$, $DA$. a. Show, by example, that it is possible that $ABCD$ is not a parallelogram, but $MNOP$ is a square. Be sure to prove that your construction satisfies all given conditions. b. Suppose that $MO$ is perpendicular to $NP$. Prove that $AC = BD$. [b]p4.[/b] A [i]Pythagorean triple[/i] is an ordered collection of three positive integers $(a, b, c)$ satisfying the relation $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$. We say that $(a, b, c)$ is a [i]primitive [/i] Pythagorean triple if $1$ is the only common factor of $a, b$, and $c$. a. Decide, with proof, if there are infinitely many Pythagorean triples. b. Decide, with proof, if there are infinitely many primitive Pythagorean triples of the form $(a, b, c)$ where $c = b + 2$. c. Decide, with proof, if there are infinitely many primitive Pythagorean triples of the form $(a, b, c)$ where $c = b + 3$. [b]p5.[/b] Let $x$ and $y$ be positive real numbers and let $s$ be the smallest among the numbers $\frac{3x}{2}$,$\frac{y}{x}+\frac{1}{x}$ and $\frac{3}{y}$. a. Find an example giving $s > 1$. b. Prove that for any positive $x$ and $y,s <2$. c. Find, with proof, the largest possible value of $s$. PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Let $a,b,c \in [1, 3]$ and satisfy the following conditions: $ max \{a, b, c\}\ge 2$ and $ a + b + c = 5$ What is the smallest possible value of $a^2 + b^2 + c^2$?

Suppose a real number $a$ is a root of a polynomial with integer coefficients $P(x)=a_nx^n+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+...+a_1x+a_0$. Let $G=|a_n|+|a_{n-1}|+...+|a_1|+|a_0|$. We say that $G$ is a [i]gingado [/i] of $a$. For example, as $2$ is root of $P(x)=x^2-x-2$, $G=|1|+|-1|+|-2|=4$, we say that $4$ is a [i]gingado[/i] of $2$. What is the fourth largest real number $a$ such that $3$ is a [i]gingado [/i] of $a$?

Let $P(x)$ be a polynomial with at most $n{}$ real coefficeints. Prove that if $P(x)$ has integer values for $n+1$ consecutive values of the argument, then $P(m)\in\mathbb{Z},\forall m\in\mathbb{Z}.$