Olympiad problems

2014 Contests, 2

The roots of the equation \[ x^3-3ax^2+bx+18c=0 \] form a non-constant arithmetic progression and the roots of the equation \[ x^3+bx^2+x-c^3=0 \] form a non-constant geometric progression. Given that $a,b,c$ are real numbers, find all positive integral values $a$ and $b$.

2003 Tournament Of Towns, 1

Tags: arithmetic sequence , relatively prime , prime number , number theory

An increasing arithmetic progression consists of one hundred positive integers. Is it possible that every two of them are relatively prime?

2018 Moldova Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: algorithm , arithmetic sequence , combinatorics

A pupil is writing on a board positive integers $x_0,x_1,x_2,x_3...$ after the following algorithm which implies arithmetic progression $3,5,7,9...$.Each term of rank $k\ge2$ is a difference between the product of the last number on the board and the term of arithmetic progression of rank $k$ and the last but one term on the bord with the sum of the terms of the arithemtic progression with ranks less than $k$.If $x_0=0 $ and $x_1=1$ find $x_n$ according to n.

2013 All-Russian Olympiad, 2

Tags: quadratic , polynomial , arithmetic sequence , algebra

Peter and Basil together thought of ten quadratic trinomials. Then, Basil began calling consecutive natural numbers starting with some natural number. After each called number, Peter chose one of the ten polynomials at random and plugged in the called number. The results were recorded on the board. They eventually form a sequence. After they finished, their sequence was arithmetic. What is the greatest number of numbers that Basil could have called out?

1949-56 Chisinau City MO, 35

Tags: arithmetic sequence , algebra

The numbers $a^2, b^2, c^2$ form an arithmetic progression. Show that the numbers $\frac{1}{b+c},\frac{1}{c+a},\frac{1}{a+b}$ also form arithmetic progression.

1999 Yugoslav Team Selection Test, Problem 4

Tags: number theory , arithmetic sequence

For a natural number $d$, $M_d$ denotes the set of natural numbers which are not representable as the sum of at least two consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression with the common difference d whose terms are integers. Prove that each $c\in M_3$ can be written in the form $c=ab$, where $a\in M_1$ and $b\in M_2\setminus\{2\}$.

1993 Romania Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: arithmetic sequence , partition , subset , combinatorics

Show that the set $\{1,2,....,2^n\}$ can be partitioned in two classes, none of which contains an arithmetic progression of length $2n$.

2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: algebra , geometric sequence , arithmetic sequence

Prove that every infinite arithmetic progression $a$, $a+d$, $a+2d$,... where $a$ and $d$ are positive integers, contains infinte geometric progression $b$, $bq$, $bq^2$,... where $b$ and $q$ are also positive integers

2022 AMC 10, 20

Tags: arithmetic sequence , geometric sequence , sequence

A four-term sequence is formed by adding each term of a four-term arithmetic sequence of positive integers to the corresponding term of a four-term geometric sequence of positive integers. The first three terms of the resulting four-term sequence are 57, 60, and 91. What is the fourth term of this sequence? $\textbf{(A) }190\qquad\textbf{(B) }194\qquad\textbf{(C) }198\qquad\textbf{(D) }202\qquad\textbf{(E) }206$

2018 Thailand TST, 3

Tags: number theory , arithmetic sequence

Does there exist an arithmetic progression with $2017$ terms such that each term is not a perfect power, but the product of all $2017$ terms is?

2007 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 12

Tags: arithmetic sequence

Let $A_{11}$ denote the answer to problem $11$. Determine the smallest prime $p$ such that the arithmetic sequence $p,p+A_{11},p+2A_{11},\cdots$ begins with the largest number of primes. There is just one triple of possible $(A_{10},A_{11},A_{12})$ of answers to these three problems. Your team will receive credit only for answers matching these. (So, for example, submitting a wrong answer for problem $11$ will not alter the correctness of your answer to problem $12$.)

2011 BAMO, 3

Tags: arithmetic sequence , set , distance , algebra

Let $S$ be a finite, nonempty set of real numbers such that the distance between any two distinct points in $S$ is an element of $S$. In other words, $|x-y|$ is in $S$ whenever $x \ne y$ and $x$ and $y$ are both in $S$. Prove that the elements of $S$ may be arranged in an arithmetic progression. This means that there are numbers $a$ and $d$ such that $S = \{a, a+d, a+2d, a+3d, ..., a+kd, ...\}$.

2013 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 2

Tags: hmmt , arithmetic sequence , geometric sequence

Let $\{a_n\}_{n\geq 1}$ be an arithmetic sequence and $\{g_n\}_{n\geq 1}$ be a geometric sequence such that the first four terms of $\{a_n+g_n\}$ are $0$, $0$, $1$, and $0$, in that order. What is the $10$th term of $\{a_n+g_n\}$?

2011 Middle European Mathematical Olympiad, 8

Tags: modular arithmetic , greatest common divisor , arithmetic sequence , relatively prime , algebra , system of equations , number theory

We call a positive integer $n$ [i]amazing[/i] if there exist positive integers $a, b, c$ such that the equality \[n = (b, c)(a, bc) + (c, a)(b, ca) + (a, b)(c, ab)\] holds. Prove that there exist $2011$ consecutive positive integers which are [i]amazing[/i]. [b]Note.[/b] By $(m, n)$ we denote the greatest common divisor of positive integers $m$ and $n$.

1985 AMC 8, 2

Tags: arithmetic sequence

$ 90\plus{}91\plus{}92\plus{}93\plus{}94\plus{}95\plus{}96\plus{}97\plus{}98\plus{}99\equal{}$ \[ \textbf{(A)}\ 845 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 945 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 1005 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 1025 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 1045 \]

2007 AMC 12/AHSME, 24

Tags: trigonometry , floor function , modular arithmetic , algebra , function , domain , arithmetic sequence

For each integer $ n > 1,$ let $ F(n)$ be the number of solutions of the equation $ \sin x \equal{} \sin nx$ on the interval $ [0,\pi].$ What is $ \sum_{n \equal{} 2}^{2007}F(n)?$ $ \textbf{(A)}\ 2,014,524 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 2,015,028 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 2,015,033 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 2,016,532 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 2,017,033$

2002 AMC 12/AHSME, 5

Tags: arithmetic sequence

Let $ v$, $ w$, $ x$, $ y$, and $ z$ be the degree measures of the five angles of a pentagon. Suppose $ v < w < x < y < z$ and $ v$, $ w$, $ x$, $ y$, and $ z$ form an arithmetic sequence. Find the value of $ x$. $ \textbf{(A)}\ 72 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 84 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 90 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 108 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 120$

2000 Romania National Olympiad, 1

Tags: arithmetic sequence , algebra

Let $ \left( x_n\right)_{n\ge 1} $ be a sequence having $ x_1=3 $ and defined as $ x_{n+1} =\left\lfloor \sqrt 2x_n\right\rfloor , $ for every natural number $ n. $ Find all values $ m $ for which the terms $ x_m,x_{m+1},x_{m+2} $ are in arithmetic progression, where $ \lfloor\rfloor $ denotes the integer part.

2013 Brazil Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: floor function , arithmetic sequence , algebra

For $2k$ real numbers $a_1, a_2, ..., a_k$, $b_1, b_2, ..., b_k$ define a sequence of numbers $X_n$ by \[ X_n = \sum_{i=1}^k [a_in + b_i] \quad (n=1,2,...). \] If the sequence $X_N$ forms an arithmetic progression, show that $\textstyle\sum_{i=1}^k a_i$ must be an integer. Here $[r]$ denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to $r$.

1969 IMO Shortlist, 17

Tags: arithmetic sequence , algebra , number theory , equation

$(CZS 6)$ Let $d$ and $p$ be two real numbers. Find the first term of an arithmetic progression $a_1, a_2, a_3, \cdots$ with difference $d$ such that $a_1a_2a_3a_4 = p.$ Find the number of solutions in terms of $d$ and $p.$

2013 USAMTS Problems, 4

Tags: inequalities , modular arithmetic , number theory , relatively prime , prime factorization , arithmetic sequence

Bunbury the bunny is hopping on the positive integers. First, he is told a positive integer $n$. Then Bunbury chooses positive integers $a,d$ and hops on all of the spaces $a,a+d,a+2d,\dots,a+2013d$. However, Bunbury must make these choices so that the number of every space that he hops on is less than $n$ and relatively prime to $n$. A positive integer $n$ is called [i]bunny-unfriendly[/i] if, when given that $n$, Bunbury is unable to find positive integers $a,d$ that allow him to perform the hops he wants. Find the maximum bunny-unfriendly integer, or prove that no such maximum exists.

2001 India National Olympiad, 2

Tags: modular arithmetic , polynomial , arithmetic sequence , number theory , algebra

Show that the equation $x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = ( x-y)(y-z)(z-x)$ has infintely many solutions in integers $x,y,z$.

2024 Indonesia TST, N

Tags: arithmetic sequence , number theory

Let $a_1, \dots, a_n, b_1, \dots, b_n$ be $2n$ positive integers such that the $n+1$ products \[a_1 a_2 a_3 \cdots a_n, b_1 a_2 a_3 \cdots a_n, b_1 b_2 a_3 \cdots a_n, \dots, b_1 b_2 b_3 \cdots b_n\] form a strictly increasing arithmetic progression in that order. Determine the smallest possible integer that could be the common difference of such an arithmetic progression.

1955 AMC 12/AHSME, 32

Tags: quadratic , arithmetic sequence , geometric sequence

If the discriminant of $ ax^2\plus{}2bx\plus{}c\equal{}0$ is zero, then another true statement about $ a$, $ b$, and $ c$ is that: $ \textbf{(A)}\ \text{they form an arithmetic progression} \\ \textbf{(B)}\ \text{they form a geometric progression} \\ \textbf{(C)}\ \text{they are unequal} \\ \textbf{(D)}\ \text{they are all negative numbers} \\ \textbf{(E)}\ \text{only b is negative and a and c are positive}$

2004 Italy TST, 2

Tags: induction , least common multiple , arithmetic sequence , number theory

A positive integer $n$ is said to be a [i]perfect power[/i] if $n=a^b$ for some integers $a,b$ with $b>1$. $(\text{a})$ Find $2004$ perfect powers in arithmetic progression. $(\text{b})$ Prove that perfect powers cannot form an infinite arithmetic progression.