Let $0<k<\frac{1}{2}$ be a real number and let $a_0, b_0$ be arbitrary real numbers in $(0,1)$. The sequences $(a_n)_{n\ge 0}$ and $(b_n)_{n\ge 0}$ are then defined recursively by $$a_{n+1} = \dfrac{a_n+1}{2} \text{ and } b_{n+1} = b_n^k$$ for $n\ge 0$. Prove that $a_n<b_n$ for all sufficiently large $n$. [i]Proposed by Michael Ma

Find all vectors of $n$ real numbers $(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n)$ such that \[ \left\{ \begin{array}{ccc} x_1 & = & \dfrac 1{x_2} + \dfrac 1{x_3} + \cdots + \dfrac 1{x_n } \\ x_2 & = & \dfrac 1{x_1} + \dfrac 1{x_3} + \cdots + \dfrac 1{x_n} \\ \ & \cdots & \ \\ x_n & = & \dfrac 1{x_1} + \dfrac 1{x_2} + \cdots + \dfrac 1{x_{n-1}} \end{array} \right. \] [i]Mircea Becheanu[/i]

[b]p1.[/b] Consider the following function $f(x) = \left(\frac12 \right)^x - \left(\frac12 \right)^{x+1}$. Evaluate the infinite sum $f(1) + f(2) + f(3) + f(4) +...$ [b]p2.[/b] Find the area of the shape bounded by the following relations $$y \le |x| -2$$ $$y \ge |x| - 4$$ $$y \le 0$$ where |x| denotes the absolute value of $x$. [b]p3.[/b] An equilateral triangle with side length $6$ is inscribed inside a circle. What is the diameter of the largest circle that can fit in the circle but outside of the triangle? [b]p4.[/b] Given $\sin x - \tan x = \sin x \tan x$, solve for $x$ in the interval $(0, 2\pi)$, exclusive. [b]p5.[/b] How many rectangles are there in a $6$ by $6$ square grid? [b]p6.[/b] Find the lateral surface area of a cone with radius $3$ and height $4$. [b]p7.[/b] From $9$ positive integer scores on a $10$-point quiz, the mean is $ 8$, the median is $ 8$, and the mode is $7$. Determine the maximum number of perfect scores possible on this test. [b]p8.[/b] If $i =\sqrt{-1}$, evaluate the following continued fraction: $$2i +\frac{1}{2i +\frac{1}{2i+ \frac{1}{2i+...}}}$$ [b]p9.[/b] The cubic polynomial $x^3-px^2+px-6$ has roots $p, q$, and $r$. What is $(1-p)(1-q)(1-r)$? [b]p10.[/b] (Variant on a Classic.) Gilnor is a merchant from Cutlass, a town where $10\%$ of the merchants are thieves. The police utilize a lie detector that is $90\%$ accurate to see if Gilnor is one of the thieves. According to the device, Gilnor is a thief. What is the probability that he really is one? PS. You had better use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Find a finite sequence of 16 numbers such that: (a) it reads same from left to right as from right to left. (b) the sum of any 7 consecutive terms is $ \minus{}1$, (c) the sum of any 11 consecutive terms is $ \plus{}1$.

Let $a_1,a_2,...$ be an infinite sequence of integers that satisfies $a_{n+2}=a_{n+1}+a_n$ for all $n \ge 1$. There exists a positive integer $k$ such that $a_k=a_{k+2018}$. Prove that there exists a term of the sequence which is equal to zero.

Ali Barber, the carpet merchant, has a rectangular piece of carpet whose dimensions are unknown. Unfortunately, his tape measure is broken and he has no other measuring instruments. However, he finds that if he lays it flat on the floor of either of his storerooms, then each corner of the carpet touches a different wall of that room. If the two rooms have dimensions of 38 feet by 55 feet and 50 feet by 55 feet, what are the carpet dimensions?

Define the function $f: \mathbb N \cup \{0\} \to \mathbb{Q}$ as follows: $f(0) = 0$ and \[ f(3n+k) = -\frac{3f(n)}{2} + k , \] for $k = 0, 1, 2$. Show that $f$ is one-to-one and determine the range of $f$.

Let $a$, $b$ and $c$ be rational numbers for which $a+bc$, $b+ac$ and $a+b$ are all non-zero and for which we have \[\frac{1}{a+bc}+\frac{1}{b+ac}=\frac{1}{a+b}.\] Prove that $\sqrt{(c-3)(c+1)}$ is rational.

(a) Let $a_0, a_1,a_2$ be real numbers and consider the polynomial $P(x) = a_0 + a_1x + a_2x^2$ . Assume that $P(-1), P(0)$ and $P(1)$ are integers. Prove that $P(n)$ is an integer for all integers $n$. (b) Let $a_0,a_1, a_2, a_3$ be real numbers and consider the polynomial $Q(x) = a0 + a_1x + a_2x^2 + a_3x^3 $. Assume that there exists an integer $i$ such that $Q(i),Q(i+1),Q(i+2)$ and $Q(i+3)$ are integers. Prove that $Q(n)$ is an integer for all integers $n$.

Let $k$ be an integer and $k > 1$. Define a sequence $\{a_n\}$ as follows: $a_0 = 0$, $a_1 = 1$, and $a_{n+1} = ka_n + a_{n-1}$ for $n = 1,2,...$. Determine, with proof, all possible $k$ for which there exist non-negative integers $l,m (l \not= m)$ and positive integers $p,q$ such that $a_l + ka_p = a_m + ka_q$.

Prove or disprove the existence of a function $f : S \to R$ such that for all $x \ne y \in S$ we have $|f(x) - f(y)| \ge \frac{1}{x^2 + y^2}$, in each of the cases: a) $S = R$ b) $S = Q$.

Let $ a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n$ be distinct positive integers and let $ M$ be a set of $ n \minus{} 1$ positive integers not containing $ s \equal{} a_1 \plus{} a_2 \plus{} \ldots \plus{} a_n.$ A grasshopper is to jump along the real axis, starting at the point $ 0$ and making $ n$ jumps to the right with lengths $ a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n$ in some order. Prove that the order can be chosen in such a way that the grasshopper never lands on any point in $ M.$ [i]Proposed by Dmitry Khramtsov, Russia[/i]

What is the maximum number of terms in a geometric progression with common ratio greater than 1 whose entries all come from the set of integers between 100 and 1000 inclusive?

Initially the numbers $i^3-i$ for $i=2,3 \ldots 2n+1$ are written on a blackboard, where $n\geq 2$ is a positive integer. On one move we can delete three numbers $a, b, c$ and write the number $\frac{abc} {ab+bc+ca}$. Prove that when two numbers remain on the blackboard, their sum will be greater than $16$.

Find out all the integer pairs $(m,n)$ such that there exist two monic polynomials $P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ ,with $\deg{P}=m$ and $\deg{Q}=n$,satisfy that $$P(Q(t))\not=Q(P(t))$$ holds for any real number $t$.

Let $x,y,z$ be real numbers from the interval $[0,1]$. Determine the maximum value of expression $$W=y\cdot \sqrt{1-x}+z\cdot\sqrt{1-y}+x\cdot\sqrt{1-z}$$

A sequence of positive integers $a_1,a_2,\ldots $ is such that for each $m$ and $n$ the following holds: if $m$ is a divisor of $n$ and $m<n$, then $a_m$ is a divisor of $a_n$ and $a_m<a_n$. Find the least possible value of $a_{2000}$.

If $\left(\log_3 x\right)\left(\log_x 2x\right)\left( \log_{2x} y\right)=\log_{x}x^2$, then $y$ equals: $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac92\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 9\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 18\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 27\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 81 $

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ that satidfy : $$2f(x+y+xy)= a f(x)+ bf(y)+f(xy)$$ for any $x,y \in\mathbb{R}$ όπου $a,b\in\mathbb{R}$ with $a^2-a\ne b^2-b$

Determine all the integers $a$ and $b$, such that $\sqrt{2010 + 2 \sqrt{2009}}$ be a solution of the equation $x^2 + ax + b = 0$. Prove that for such $a$ and $b$ the number$\sqrt{2010 - 2 \sqrt{2009}}$ is not a solution to the given equation.

Consider the polynomials $P\left(x\right)=16x^4+40x^3+41x^2+20x+16$ and $Q\left(x\right)=4x^2+5x+2$. If $a$ is a real number, what is the smallest possible value of $\frac{P\left(a\right)}{Q\left(a\right)}$? [i]2016 CCA Math Bonanza Team #6[/i]

Take the function $f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}$, $f\left( x \right)=ax,x\in \mathbb{Q},f\left( x \right)=bx,x\in \mathbb{R}\backslash \mathbb{Q}$, where $a$ and $b$ are two real numbers different from 0. Prove that $f$ is injective if and only if $f$ is surjective.

Let real $a$, $b$, and $c$ satisfy $$abc+a+b+c=ab+bc+ca+5.$$ Find the least possible value of $a^2+b^2+c^2$.

Two numbers $1+\sqrt[3]{2}+\sqrt[3]{4}$ and $1+2\sqrt[3]{2}+3\sqrt[3]{4}$ are given. In one move you can do one of the following operations: 1. Replace one of the numbers $a$ with either $a-\sqrt[3]{2}$ or $-2a$ 2. Replace both numbers $a$ and $b$ with $a-b$ and $a+b$ (you can choose the order of $a$ and $b$ yourself) Prove that the obtained numbers are always non-zero

Let $n$ be an integer greater than or equal to $1$. Find, as a function of $n$, the smallest integer $k\ge 2$ such that, among any $k$ real numbers, there are necessarily two of which the difference, in absolute value, is either strictly less than $1 / n$, either strictly greater than $n$.