A sequence is called an [i]arithmetic progression of the first order[/i] if the differences of the successive terms are constant. It is called an [i]arithmetic progression of the second order[/i] if the differences of the successive terms form an arithmetic progression of the first order. In general, for $k\geq 2$, a sequence is called an [i]arithmetic progression of the $k$-th order[/i] if the differences of the successive terms form an arithmetic progression of the $(k-1)$-th order. The numbers \[4,6,13,27,50,84\] are the first six terms of an arithmetic progression of some order. What is its least possible order? Find a formula for the $n$-th term of this progression.

$\boxed{\text{A3}}$If $a,b$ be positive real numbers, show that:$$ \displaystyle{\sqrt{\dfrac{a^2+ab+b^2}{3}}+\sqrt{ab}\leq a+b}$$

Positive integers $k, m, n$ satisfy the equation $m^2 + n = k^2 + k$. Show that $m \le n$.

Let \( n \) be a positive integer, and let \( A \) and \( B \) be \( n \times n \) matrices with real coefficients such that \[ ABBA - BAAB = A - B. \] (a) Prove that \( \text{Tr}(A) = \text{Tr}(B) \) and that \( \text{Tr}(A^2) = \text{Tr}(B^2) \). (b) If \(BA^2B= A^2B^2\) and \(AB^2A= B^2A^2\), prove that \( \det A = \det B \). Note: \( \text{Tr}(X) \) denotes the trace of \( X \), which is the sum of the elements on its main diagonal, and \( \det X \) denotes the determinant of \( X \).

Let $F_{n}$ be the $n-$ th Fibonacci number (where $F_{1}= F_{2}= 1$). Consider the functions $f_{n}(x)=\parallel . . . \parallel |x|-F_{n}|-F_{n-1}|-...-F_{2}|-F_{1}|, g_{n}(x)=| . . . \parallel x-1|-1|-...-1|$ ($F_{1}+...+F_{n}$ one’s). Show that $f_{n}(x) = g_{n}(x)$ for every real number $x.$

Vessel $A$ has liquids $X$ and $Y$ in the ratio $X:Y=8:7$. Vessel $B$ holds a mixture of $X$ and $Y$ in the ratio $X:Y=5:9$. What ratio should you mix the liquids in both vessels if you need the mixture to be $X:Y=1:1$? $\textbf{(A)}~4:3$ $\textbf{(B)}~30:7$ $\textbf{(C)}~17:25$ $\textbf{(D)}~7:30$

Prove that the set of all linearly combinations (with real coefficients) of the system of polynomials $ \{ x^n\plus{}x^{n^2} \}_{n\equal{}0}^{\infty}$ is dense in $ C[0,1]$. [i]J. Szabados[/i]

Let $A, B, X$ be real $n\times n$ matrices for which $AXB + A + B = 0$ holds. Prove that $AXB = BXA$.

Find all polynomials $W$ with integer coefficients satisfying the following condition: For every natural number $n, 2^n - 1$ is divisible by $W(n).$

Solve the system of equations $ \begin{cases} x^3 \plus{} x(y \minus{} z)^2 \equal{} 2\\ y^3 \plus{} y(z \minus{} x)^2 \equal{} 30\\ z^3 \plus{} z(x \minus{} y)^2 \equal{} 16\end{cases}$.

Let $a$, $b$, $c$ be positive real numbers. Determine the minimum value of the following expression $$ \frac{a^2+2b^2+4c^2}{b(a+2c)}$$

Determine all functions $f: \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$, such that $$ f (f (x + y) - f (x - y)) = xy$$ for all real $x$ and $y$.

For prime number $q$ the polynomial $P(x)$ with integer coefficients is said to be factorable if there exist non-constant polynomials $f_q,g_q$ with integer coefficients such that all of the coefficients of the polynomial $Q(x)=P(x)-f_q(x)g_q(x)$ are dividable by $q$ ; and we write: $$P(x)\equiv f_q(x)g_q(x)\pmod{q}$$ For example the polynomials $2x^3+2,x^2+1,x^3+1$ can be factored modulo $2,3,p$ in the following way: $$\left\{\begin{array}{lll} X^2+1\equiv (x+1)(-x+1)\pmod{2}\\ 2x^3+2\equiv (2x-1)^3\pmod{3}\\ X^3+1\equiv (x+1)(x^2-x+1) \end{array}\right.$$ Also the polynomial $x^2-2$ is not factorable modulo $p=8k\pm 3$. a) Find all prime numbers $p$ such that the polynomial $P(x)$ is factorable modulo $p$: $$P(x)=x^4-2x^3+3x^2-2x-5$$ b) Does there exist irreducible polynomial $P(x)$ in $\mathbb{Z}[x]$ with integer coefficients such that for each prime number $p$ , it is factorable modulo $p$?

Suppose $P(x)$ is a degree $n$ monic polynomial with integer coefficients such that $2013$ divides $P(r)$ for exactly $1000$ values of $r$ between $1$ and $2013$ inclusive. Find the minimum value of $n$.

Let be the polynomial $ f=X^4+X^2\in\mathbb{Z}_2[X] $ Find: a) its degree.. b) the splitting field of $ f $ c) the Galois group of $ f $ (Galois group of its splitting field)

Given that $\tbinom{n}{k}=\tfrac{n!}{k!(n-k)!}$, the value of $$\sum_{n=3}^{10}\frac{\binom{n}{2}}{\binom{n}{3}\binom{n+1}{3}}$$ can be written in the form $\tfrac{m}{n}$, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers. Compute $m+n$.

Two convex polygons have a total of 33 sides and 243 diagonals. Find the number of diagonals in the polygon with the greater number of sides.

Find all polynomials $ P $ with integer coefficients that have the property that for any natural number $ n $ the polynomial $ P-n $ has at least a root whose square is integer.

Let $ P (x) $ and $ Q (x) $ be polynomials with real coefficients such that $ P (0)> 0 $ and all coefficients of the polynomial $ S (x) = P (x) \cdot Q (x) $ are integers. Prove that for any positive $ x $ the inequality holds: $$S ({{x} ^ {2}}) - {{S} ^ {2}} (x) \le \frac {1} {4} ({{P} ^ {2}} ({{ x} ^ {3}}) + Q ({{x} ^ {3}})). $$

If $a > b > c > d > 0$ are integers such that $ad = bc$, show that $$(a - d)^2 \ge 4d + 8$$

Let $P$ be a polynom of degree $n \geq 5$ with integer coefficients given by $P(x)=a_{n}x^n+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+\cdots+a_0 \quad$ with $a_i \in \mathbb{Z}$, $a_n \neq 0$. Suppose that $P$ has $n$ different integer roots (elements of $\mathbb{Z}$) : $0,\alpha_2,\ldots,\alpha_n$. Find all integers $k \in \mathbb{Z}$ such that $P(P(k))=0$.

Let $P \in Q[x]$ be a polynomial of degree $2016$ whose leading coefficient is $1$. A positive integer $m$ is [i]nice [/i] if there exists some positive integer $n$ such that $m = n^3 + 3n + 1$. Suppose that there exist infinitely many positive integers $n$ such that $P(n)$ are nice. Prove that there exists an arithmetic sequence $(n_k)$ of arbitrary length such that $P(n_k)$ are all nice for $k = 1,2, 3$,

Complex numbers $\alpha$ , $\beta$ , $\gamma$ have the property that $\alpha^k +\beta^k +\gamma^k$ is an integer for every natural number $k$. Prove that the polynomial \[(x-\alpha)(x-\beta )(x-\gamma )\] has integer coefficients.

Given an integer $k$. $f(n)$ is defined on negative integer set and its values are integers. $f(n)$ satisfies \[ f(n)f(n+1)=(f(n)+n-k)^2, \] for $n=-2,-3,\cdots$. Find an expression of $f(n)$.

A quadratic polynomial $p(x)$ with integer coefficients satisfies $p(41) = 42$. For some integers $a, b > 41$, $p(a) = 13$ and $p(b) = 73$. Compute the value of $p(1)$. [i]Proposed by Aaron Lin[/i]