Prove that there exist two functions $f,g \colon \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$, such that $f\circ g$ is strictly decreasing and $g\circ f$ is strictly increasing. [i](Poland) Andrzej Komisarski and Marcin Kuczma[/i]

Find all ordered pairs $(a, b)$ of positive integers such that $a^2 + b^2 + 25 = 15ab$ and $a^2 + ab + b^2$ is prime.

Let $n\geq 3$ an integer. Determine whether there exist permutations $(a_1,a_2, \ldots, a_n)$ of the numbers $(1,2,\ldots, n)$ and $(b_1, b_2, \ldots, b_n)$ of the numbers $(n+1,n+2,\ldots, 2n)$ so that $(a_1b_1, a_2b_2, \ldots a_nb_n)$ is a strictly increasing arithmetic progression.

$(USS 1)$ Prove that for a natural number $n > 2, (n!)! > n[(n - 1)!]^{n!}.$

Find all functions $f:R \rightarrow R$ such that for any reals $x,y$, $f(x^2+y)=f(x)f(x+1)+f(y)+2x^2y$.

Consider the trinomial $f(x) = x^2 + 2bx + c$ with integer coefficients $b$ and $c$. Prove that if $f(n) \ge 0$ for all integers $n$, then $f(x) \ge 0$ even for all rational numbers $x$.

Find all real constants c for which there exist strictly increasing sequence $a$ of positive integers such that $(a_{2n-1}+a_{2n})/{a_n}=c$ for all positive intеgers n.

The polynomial $1976(x+x^2+ \cdots +x^n)$ is decomposed into a sum of polynomials of the form $a_1x + a_2x^2 + \cdots + a_nx^n$, where $a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n$ are distinct positive integers not greater than $n$. Find all values of $n$ for which such a decomposition is possible.

Let $x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n$ be positive reals; for any positive integer $k$, let $S_k=x_1^k+x_2^k+\ldots+x_n^k$. (a) Given that $S_1<S_2$, show that $S_1, S_2, S_3, \ldots$ is strictly increasing. (b) Prove that there exists a positive integer $n$ and positive reals $x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n$, such that $S_1>S_2$ and $S_1, S_2, S_3, \ldots$ is not strictly decreasing.

Find all positive real numbers $p$ such that $\sqrt{a^2 + pb^2} +\sqrt{b^2 + pa^2} \ge a + b + (p - 1) \sqrt{ab}$ holds for any pair of positive real numbers $a, b$.

The real numbers $x_1,x_2,..., x_n$ and $a_0,a_1,...,a_{n-1}$ with $x_i \ne 0$ for $i \in\{1,2,.., n\}$ are such that $$(x-x_1)(x-x_2)...(x-x_n)=x^n+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+...+a_1x+a_0$$ Express $x_1^{-2}+x_2^{-2}+...+ x_n^{-2}$ in terms of $a_0,a_1,...,a_{n-1}$.

Prove the complex inequality $ |x|+|y|+|z|\le |x+y+z| +|x-z| +|z-y|+|y-z|. $

Consider pairs of the sequences of positive real numbers \[a_1\geq a_2\geq a_3\geq\cdots,\qquad b_1\geq b_2\geq b_3\geq\cdots\] and the sums \[A_n = a_1 + \cdots + a_n,\quad B_n = b_1 + \cdots + b_n;\qquad n = 1,2,\ldots.\] For any pair define $c_n = \min\{a_i,b_i\}$ and $C_n = c_1 + \cdots + c_n$, $n=1,2,\ldots$. (1) Does there exist a pair $(a_i)_{i\geq 1}$, $(b_i)_{i\geq 1}$ such that the sequences $(A_n)_{n\geq 1}$ and $(B_n)_{n\geq 1}$ are unbounded while the sequence $(C_n)_{n\geq 1}$ is bounded? (2) Does the answer to question (1) change by assuming additionally that $b_i = 1/i$, $i=1,2,\ldots$? Justify your answer.

Find all functions $f,g: \mathbb{Q}\to \mathbb{Q}$ such that the following two conditions hold: $$f(g(x)-g(y))=f(g(x))-y \ \ (1)$$ $$g(f(x)-f(y))=g(f(x))-y\ \ (2)$$ for all $x,y \in \mathbb{Q}$.

In the sixth-year exams of a Center, they pass Physics at least$70\%$ of the students, Mathematics at least $75\%$; Philosophy at least, the $90\%$ and the Language at least, $85\%$. How many students, at least, pass these four subjects?

Which number is larger, $A$ or $B$, where $$A = \dfrac{1}{2015} (1 + \dfrac12 + \dfrac13 + \cdots + \dfrac{1}{2015})$$ and $$B = \dfrac{1}{2016} (1 + \dfrac12 + \dfrac13 + \cdots + \dfrac{1}{2016}) \text{ ?}$$ Prove your answer is correct.

A zig-zag in the plane consists of two parallel half-lines connected by a line segment. Find $z_n$, the maximum number of regions into which $n$ zig-zags can divide the plane. For example, $z_1=2,z_2=12$(see the diagram). Of these $z_n$ regions how many are bounded? [The zig-zags can be as narrow as you please.] Express your answers as polynomials in $n$ of degree not exceeding $2$. [asy] draw((30,0)--(-70,0), Arrow); draw((30,0)--(-20,-40)); draw((-20,-40)--(80,-40), Arrow); draw((0,-60)--(-40,20), dashed, Arrow); draw((0,-60)--(0,15), dashed); draw((0,15)--(40,-65),dashed, Arrow); [/asy]

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]

Let $S$ be a subset of the real numbers with the following properties: $(i)$ If $x \in S$ and $y \in S$, then $x - y \in S$; $(ii)$ If $x \in S$ and $y \in S$, then $xy \in S$; $(iii)$ $S$ contains an exceptional number $x'$ such that there is no number $y$ in $S$ satisfying $x'y + x' + y = 0$; $(iv)$ If $x \in S$ and $x \neq x'$ , there is a number $y$ in $S$ such that $xy+x+y = 0$. Show that $(a)$ $S$ has more than one number in it; $(b)$ $x' \neq -1$ leads to a contradiction; $(c)$ $x \in S$ and $x \neq 0$ implies $1/x \in S$.

In a lecture hall some chairs are placed in rows and columns, forming a rectangle. In each row there are $6$ boys sitting and in each column there are $8$ girls sitting, whereas $15$ places are not taken. What can be said about the number of rows and that of columns?

[b]p1.[/b] What is $2 \cdot 24 + 20 \cdot 24 + 202 \cdot 4 + 2024$? [b]p2.[/b] Jerry has $300$ legos. Tie can either make cars, which require $17$ legos, or bikes, which require $13$ legos. Assuming he uses all of his legos, how many ordered pairs $(a, b)$ are there such that he makes $a$ cars and $b$ bikes? [b]p3.[/b] Patrick has $7$ unique textbooks: $2$ Geometry books, $3$ Precalculus books and $2$ Algebra II books. How many ways can he arrange his books on a bookshelf such that all the books of the same subjects are adjacent to each other? [b]p4.[/b] After a hurricane, a $32$ meter tall flagpole at the Act on-Boxborough Regional High School snapped and fell over. Given that the snapped part remains in contact with the original pole, and the top of the polo falls $24$ meters away from the bottom of the pole, at which height did the polo snap? (Assume the flagpole is perpendicular to the ground.) [b]p5.[/b] Jimmy is selling lemonade. Iio has $200$ cups of lemonade, and he will sell them all by the end of the day. Being the ethically dubious individual he is, Jimmy intends to dilute a few of the cups of lemonade with water to conserve resources. Jimmy sells each cup for $\$4$. It costs him $\$ 1$ to make a diluted cup of lemonade, and it costs him $\$2.75$ to make a cup of normal lemonade. What is the minimum number of diluted cups Jimmy must sell to make a profit of over $\$400$? [b]p6.[/b] Jeffrey has a bag filled with five fair dice: one with $4$ sides, one with $6$ sides, one with $8$ sides, one with $12$ sides, and one with $20$ sides. The dice are numbered from $1$ to the number of sides on the die. Now, Marco will randomly pick a die from .Jeffrey's bag and roll it. The probability that Marco rolls a $7$ can be expressed as $\frac{a}{b}$ where $a$ and $b$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $a+b$. [b]p7.[/b] What is the remainder when the sum of the first $2024$ odd numbers is divided by $6072$? [b]p8.[/b] A rhombus $ABCD$ with $\angle A = 60^o$ and $AB = 600$ cm is drawn on a piece of paper. Three ants start moving from point $A$ to the three other points on the rhombus. One ant walks from $A$ to $B$ at a leisurely speed of $10$ cm/s. The second ant runs from $A$ to $C$ at a slightly quicker pace of $6\sqrt3$ cm/s, arriving to $C$ $x$ seconds after the first ant. The third ant travels from $A$ to $B$ to $D$ at a constant speed, arriving at $D$ $x$ seconds after the second ant. The speed of the last ant can be written as $\frac{m}{n}$ cm/s, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $mn$. [b]p9.[/b] This year, the Apple family has harvested so many apples that they cannot sell them all! Applejack decides to make $40$ glasses of apple cider to give to her friends. If Twilight and Fluttershy each want $1$ or $2$ glasses; Pinkie Pic wants cither $2$, $14$, or $15$ glasses; Rarity wants an amount of glasses that is a power of three; and Rainbow Dash wants any odd number of glasses, then how many ways can Applejack give her apple cider to her friends? Note: $1$ is considered to be a power of $3$. [b]p10.[/b] Let $g_x$ be a geometric sequence with first term $27$ and successive ratio $2n$ (so $g_{x+1}/g_x = 2n$). Then, define a function $f$ as $f(x) = \log_n(g_x)$, where $n$ is the base of the logarithm. It is known that the sum of the first seven terms of $f(x)$ is $42$. Find $g_2$, the second term of the geometric sequence. Note: The logarithm base $b$ of $x$, denoted $\log_b(x)$ is equal to the value $y$ such that $b^y = x$. In other words, if $\log_b(x) = y$, then $b^y = x$. [b]p11.[/b] Let $\varepsilon$ be an ellipse centered around the origin, such that its minor axis is perpendicular to the $x$-axis. The length of the ellipse's major and minor axes is $8$ and $6$, respectively. Then, let $ABCD$ be a rectangle centered around the origin, such that $AB$ is parallel to the $x$-axis. The lengths of $AB$ and $BC$ are $8$ and $3\sqrt2$, respectively. The area outside the ellipse but inside the rectangle can be expressed as $a\sqrt{b}-c-d\pi$, for positive integers $a$, $b$, $c$, $d$ where $b$ is not divisible by a perfect square of any prime. Find $a + b + c + d$. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/e/c/9d943966763ee7830d037ef98c21139cf6f529.png[/img] [b]p12.[/b] Let $N = 2^7 \cdot 3^7 \cdot 5^5$. Find the number of ways to express $N$ as the product of squares and cubes, all of which are integers greater than $1$. [b]p13.[/b] Jerry and Eric are playing a $10$-card game where Jerry is deemed the ’’landlord" and Eric is deemed the ' peasant'’. To deal the cards, the landlord keeps one card to himself. Then, the rest of the $9$ cards are dealt out, such that each card has a $1/2$ chance to go to each player. Once all $10$ cards are dealt out, the landlord compares the number of cards he owns with his peasant. The probability that the landlord wins is the fraction of cards he has. (For example, if Jerry has $5$ cards and Eric has $2$ cards, Jerry has a$ 5/7$ ths chance of winning.) The probability that Jerry wins the game can be written as $\frac{p}{q}$ where $p$ and $q$ are relatively prime. Find $p + q$. [b]p14.[/b] Define $P(x) = 20x^4 + 24x^3 + 10x^2 + 21x+ 7$ to have roots $a$, $b$, $c$, and $d$. If $Q(x)$ has roots $\frac{1}{a-2}$,$\frac{1}{b-2}$,$ \frac{1}{c-2}$, $\frac{1}{d-2}$ and integer coefficients with a greatest common divisor of $1$, then find $Q(2)$. [b]p15.[/b] Let $\vartriangle ABC$ be a triangle with side lengths $AB = 14$, $BC = 13$, and $AC = 15$. The incircle of $\vartriangle ABC$ is drawn with center $I$, tangent to $\overline{AB}$ at $X$. The line $\overleftrightarrow{IX}$ intersects the incircle again at $Y$ and intersects $\overline{AC}$ at $Z$. The area of $\vartriangle AYZ$ can be expressed as $\frac{m}{n}$, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $m + n$. PS. You had better use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Determine the number of real roots of the equation ${x^8 -x^7 + 2x^6- 2x^5 + 3x^4 - 3x^3 + 4x^2 - 4x + \frac{5}{2}= 0}$

Determine whether there exists a polynomial $f(x_1, x_2)$ with two variables, with integer coefficients, and two points $A=(a_1, a_2)$ and $B=(b_1, b_2)$ in the plane, satisfying the following conditions: (i) $A$ is an integer point (i.e $a_1$ and $a_2$ are integers); (ii) $|a_1-b_1|+|a_2-b_2|=2010$; (iii) $f(n_1, n_2)>f(a_1, a_2)$ for all integer points $(n_1, n_2)$ in the plane other than $A$; (iv) $f(x_1, x_2)>f(b_1, b_2)$ for all integer points $(x_1, x_2)$ in the plane other than $B$. [i]Massimo Gobbino, Italy[/i]

For two given positive integers $ m,n > 1$, let $ a_{ij} (i = 1,2,\cdots,n, \; j = 1,2,\cdots,m)$ be nonnegative real numbers, not all zero, find the maximum and the minimum values of $ f$, where \[ f = \frac {n\sum_{i = 1}^{n}(\sum_{j = 1}^{m}a_{ij})^2 + m\sum_{j = 1}^{m}(\sum_{i= 1}^{n}a_{ij})^2}{(\sum_{i = 1}^{n}\sum_{j = 1}^{m}a_{ij})^2 + mn\sum_{i = 1}^{n}\sum_{j=1}^{m}a_{ij}^2}. \]

Find all real numbers $x$ such that $-1 < x \le 2 $ and $$\sqrt{2 - x}+\sqrt{2 + 2x} =\sqrt{\frac{x^4 + 1}{x^2 + 1}}+ \frac{x + 3}{x + 1}.$$ .