Let $n>2,n \in \mathbb{N}$ and $a>0,a \in \mathbb{R}$ such that $2^a + \log_2 a = n^2$. Prove that: \[ 2 \cdot \log_2 n>a>2 \cdot \log_2 n -\frac{1}{n} . \] [i]Radu Gologan[/i]

The sequence $\{x_{n}\}_{n \ge 1}$ is defined by \[x_{1}=x_{2}=1, \; x_{n+2}= 14x_{n+1}-x_{n}-4.\] Prove that $x_{n}$ is always a perfect square.

Solve the system of equations $\begin{cases}6x-y+z^2=3\\ x^2-y^2-2z=-1\quad\quad (x,y,z\in\mathbb{R}.)\\ 6x^2-3y^2-y-2z^2=0\end{cases}$.

Consider the set of triangles with side lengths $1 \le x \le y \le z$ such that $x$, $y$, and $z$ are the solutions to the equation $t^3-at^2+bt = 12$ for some real numbers $a$ and $b$. Compute the smallest real number $N$ such that $N > ab$ for any choice of $x$, $y$, and $z$.

As evidence that the correct answer does not mean the correctness of the proof, the teacher cited next example. Let's take the fraction $\frac{19}{95}$. After crossing out $9$ in the numerator and denominator (“reduction” by $9$), we get $\frac{1}{5}$ which is the correct answer. In the same way, a fraction $\frac{1999}{9995}$ can be “reduced” by three nines (cross out $999$ in the numerator and denominator). Is it possible that as a result of such a “reduction” we also get the correct answer, equal to $\frac13$ ? (We consider fractions of the form $\frac{1a}{a3}$. Here, with the letter $a$ we denote several numbers that follow in the same order in the numerator after $1$, and in the denominator before $3$. “Reduce” by $a$.)

Compute $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{2^{n+1}}{8 \cdot 4^n - 6 \cdot 2^n +1}$$

[u]Round 1[/u] [b]p1.[/b] A $\$100$ TV has its price increased by $10\%$. The new price is then decreased by $10\%$. What is the current price of the TV? [b]p2.[/b] If $9w + 8x + 7y = 42$ and $w + 2x + 3y = 8$, then what is the value of $100w + 101x + 102y$? [b]p3.[/b] Find the number of positive factors of $37^3 \cdot 41^3$. [u]Round 2[/u] [b]p4.[/b] Three hoses work together to fill up a pool, and each hose expels water at a constant rate. If it takes the first, second, and third hoses 4, 6, and 12 hours, respectively, to fill up the pool alone, then how long will it take to fill up the pool if all three hoses work together? [b]p5.[/b] A semicircle has radius $1$. A smaller semicircle is inscribed in the larger one such that the two bases are parallel and the arc of the smaller is tangent to the base of the larger. An even smaller semicircle is inscribed in the same manner inside the smaller of the two semicircles, and this procedure continues indefinitely. What is the sum of all of the areas of the semicircles? [b]p6.[/b] Given that $P(x)$ is a quadratic polynomial with $P(1) = 0$, $P(2) = 0$, and $P(0) = 2012$, find $P(-1)$. [u]Round 3[/u] [b]p7.[/b] Darwin has a paper circle. He labels one point on the circumference as $A$. He folds $A$ to every point on the circumference on the circle and undoes it. When he folds $A$ to any point $P$, he makes a blue mark on the point where $\overline{AP}$ and the made crease intersect. If the area of Darwin paper circle is 80, then what is the area of the region surrounded by blue? [b]p8.[/b] Α rectangular wheel of dimensions $6$ feet by $8$ feet rolls for $28$ feet without sliding. What is the total distance traveled by any corner on the rectangle during this roll? [b]p9[/b]. How many times in a $24$-hour period do the minute hand and hour hand of a $12$-hour clock form a right angle? [u]Round 4[/u] The answers in this section all depend on each other. Find smallest possible solution set. [b]p10.[/b] Let B be the answer to problem $11$. Right triangle $ACD$ has a right angle at $C$. Squares $ACEF$ and $ADGH$ are drawn such that points $D$ and $E$ do not coincide and points $E$ and $H$ do not coincide. The midpoints of the sides of $ADGH$ are connected to form a smaller square with area $B.$ If the area of $ACEF$ is also $B$, then find the length $CD$ rounded up to the nearest integer. [b]p11.[/b] Let $C$ be the answer to problem $12$. Find the sum of the digits of $C$. [b]p12.[/b] Let $A$ be the answer to problem $10$. Given that $a_0 = 1$, $a_1 = 2$, and that $a_n = 3a_{n-1 }-a_{n-2}$ for $n \ge 2$, find $a_A$. PS. You should use hide for answers.Rounds 5-8 are [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c3h3134466p28406321]here [/url] and 9-12 [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c3h3134489p28406583]here[/url]. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

The real numbers $a, b, x$ satisfy the inequalities $| a + x + b | \le 1, | 4a + 2x + b | \le1, | 9a + 6x + 4b | \le 1$. Prove that $| x | \le15$.

Consider the functions $ f(x) = ax^{2} + bx + c $ , $ g(x) = cx^{2} + bx + a $, where a, b, c are real numbers. Given that $ |f(-1)| \leq 1 $, $ |f(0)| \leq 1 $, $ |f(1)| \leq 1 $, prove that $ |f(x)| \leq \frac{5}{4} $ and $ |g(x)|  \leq 2 $ for $ -1 \leq  x \leq 1 $.

How many functions $f: \left\{1,2,3\right\} \to \left\{1,2,3 \right\}$ satisfy $f(f(x))=f(f(f(x)))$ for every $ x $?

Solve the equation \[ x^5+x^4+x^3+x^2=x+1 \] in $\mathbb{R}$.

Determine all functions $f : \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that, for all real numbers $x$ and $y$, $$f(x)(x+f(f(y))) = f(x^2)+xf(y)$$

Pablo says: “I add $2$ to my birthday and multiply the result by $2$. I add to the number obtained $4$ and multiply the result by $5$. To the new number obtained I add the number of the month of my birthday (for example, if it's June, I add $6$) and I get $342$. " What is Pablo's birthday date? Give all the possibilities

Suppose that $ a + b = 20$, $b + c = 22$, and $c + a = 2022$. Compute $\frac{a-b}{c-a}$ .

Paul can write polynomial $(x+1)^n$, expand and simplify it, and after that change every coefficient by its reciprocal. For example if $n=3$ Paul gets $(x+1)^3=x^3+3x^2+3x+1$ and then $x^3+\frac13x^2+\frac13x+1$. Prove that Paul can choose $n$ for which the sum of Paul’s polynomial coefficients is less than $2.022$.

Prove that if the product of $n$ real and positive numbers is equal to $1$, its sum is greater than or equal to $n$.

Prove that for every positive integer $n,$ the set $\{2,3,4,\ldots,3n+1\}$ can be partitioned into $n$ triples in such a way that the numbers from each triple are the lengths of the sides of some obtuse triangle. [i]Proposed by Canada[/i]

Let $\mathcal{P}$ be the set of all polynomials with coefficients in $\{0, 1\}$. Suppose $a, b$ are non-zero integers such that for every $f \in \mathcal{P}$ with $f(a)\neq 0$, we have $f(a) \mid f(b)$. Prove that $a=b$. [i]Proposed by Shashank Ingalagavi and Krutarth Shah[/i]

For real numbers, $a,b,c$ with $bc \ne 0$ we have to $\frac{1-c^2}{bc} \ge 0$. Prove that $$5( a^2+b^2+c^2 -bc^3) \ge ab.$$

Let $n>1$ be an integer and $x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n$ be $n{}$ arbitrary real numbers. Determine the minimum value of \[\sum_{i<j}|\cos(x_i-x_j)|.\]

What's the smallest possible value of $$\frac{(x+y+|x-y|)^2}{xy}$$ over positive real numbers $x, y$?

[b]p1.[/b] On the island of Nevermind some people are liars; they always lie. The remaining habitants of the island are truthlovers; they tell only the truth. Three habitants of the island, $A, B$, and $C$ met this morning. $A$ said: “All of us are liars”. $B$ said: “Only one of us is a truthlover”. Who of them is a liar and who of them is a truthlover? [b]p2.[/b] Pinocchio has $9$ pieces of paper. He is allowed to take a piece of paper and cut it in $5$ pieces or $7$ pieces which increases the number of his pieces. Then he can take again one of his pieces of paper and cut it in $5$ pieces or $7$ pieces. He can do this again and again as many times as he wishes. Can he get $2004$ pieces of paper? [b]p3.[/b] In Dragonland there are coins of $1$ cent, $2$ cents, $10$ cents, $20$ cents, and $50$ cents. What is the largest amount of money one can have in coins, yet still not be able to make exactly $1$ dollar? [b]p4.[/b] Find all solutions $a, b, c, d, e$ if it is known that they represent distinct digits and satisfy the following: $\begin{tabular}{ccccc} & a & b & c & d \\ + & a & c & a & c \\ \hline c & d & e & b & c \\ \end{tabular}$ [b]p5.[/b] Two players play the following game. On the lowest left square of an $8\times 8$ chessboard there is a rook. The first player is allowed to move the rook up or to the right by an arbitrary number of squares. The second player is also allowed to move the rook up or to the right by an arbitrary number of squares. Then the first player is allowed to do this again, and so on. The one who moves the rook to the upper right square wins. Who has a winning strategy? PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Find all pairs of positive integers $(a, b)$ such that $f(x)=x$ is the only function $f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}$ that satisfies $$f^a(x)f^b(y)+f^b(x)f^a(y)=2xy$$ for all $x, y\in \mathbb{R}$.

[b]Problem 1.[/b]Find all $ (x,y)$ such that: \[ \{\begin{matrix} \displaystyle\dfrac {1}{\sqrt {1 + 2x^2}} + \dfrac {1}{\sqrt {1 + 2y^2}} & = & \displaystyle\dfrac {2}{\sqrt {1 + 2xy}} \\ \sqrt {x(1 - 2x)} + \sqrt {y(1 - 2y)} & = & \displaystyle\dfrac {2}{9} \end{matrix}\; \]

Let $x, y$ be nonzero real numbers that satisfy the following equation: $$x^3 + y^3 + 3x^2y^2 = x^3y^3.$$ Determine all the values that the expression $\frac{1}{x}+ \frac{1}{y}$ can take.