This website contains problems from math contests. Problems and corresponding tags were obtained from the Art of Problem Solving website.

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Found problems: 30

An infinite sequence $ \,x_{0},x_{1},x_{2},\ldots \,$ of real numbers is said to be [b]bounded[/b] if there is a constant $ \,C\,$ such that $ \, \vert x_{i} \vert \leq C\,$ for every $ \,i\geq 0$. Given any real number $ \,a > 1,\,$ construct a bounded infinite sequence $ x_{0},x_{1},x_{2},\ldots \,$ such that \[ \vert x_{i} \minus{} x_{j} \vert \vert i \minus{} j \vert^{a}\geq 1 \] for every pair of distinct nonnegative integers $ i, j$.
The sequences $(x_n), (y_n), (z_n)$ are given by $x_{n+1}=y_n +\frac{1}{x_n}$,$ y_{n+1}=z_n +\frac{1}{y_n}$,$z_{n+1}=x_n +\frac{1}{z_n} $ for $n \ge 0$ where $x_0,y_0, z_0$ are given positive numbers. Prove that these sequences are unbounded.
Let $S$ be a convex region in the euclidean plane containing the origin. Assume that every ray from the origin has at least one point outside $S$. Prove that $S$ is bounded.
Let $\mathcal M$ be the set of all polynomial functions $f$ of degree at most 3 such that \[\forall x\in[-1,1]:\ |f(x)|\le 1.\] Denote $a$ the (possibly zero) coefficient of $f$ at $x^3.$ Show that there is a positive number $k$ such that \[\forall f\in\mathcal M:\ |a|\le k\] and find the least $k$ with this property.
Let \( p \) be a monic polynomial with all distinct real roots. Show that there exists \( K \) such that \[ (p(x)^2)'' \leq K(p'(x))^2. \]
An infinite sequence $ \,x_{0},x_{1},x_{2},\ldots \,$ of real numbers is said to be [b]bounded[/b] if there is a constant $ \,C\,$ such that $ \, \vert x_{i} \vert \leq C\,$ for every $ \,i\geq 0$. Given any real number $ \,a > 1,\,$ construct a bounded infinite sequence $ x_{0},x_{1},x_{2},\ldots \,$ such that \[ \vert x_{i} \minus{} x_{j} \vert \vert i \minus{} j \vert^{a}\geq 1 \] for every pair of distinct nonnegative integers $ i, j$.
Let $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be an infinite sequence of real numbers satisfying the equation $a_n=\left|a_{n+1}-a_{n+2}\right|$ for all $n\geq 0$, where $a_0$ and $a_1$ are two different positive reals. Can this sequence $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be bounded? [i]Proposed by Mihai Bălună, Romania[/i]
Let $P(x)$ denote the product of all (decimal) digits of a natural number $x$. For any positive integer $x_1$, define the sequence $(x_n)$ recursively by $x_{n+1} = x_n + P(x_n)$. Prove or disprove that the sequence $(x_n)$ is necessarily bounded.
Let $P(x)$ denote the product of all (decimal) digits of a natural number $x$. For any positive integer $x_1$, define the sequence $(x_n)$ recursively by $x_{n+1} = x_n + P(x_n)$. Prove or disprove that the sequence $(x_n)$ is necessarily bounded.
Let $ c > 2,$ and let $ a(1), a(2), \ldots$ be a sequence of nonnegative real numbers such that \[ a(m \plus{} n) \leq 2 \cdot a(m) \plus{} 2 \cdot a(n) \text{ for all } m,n \geq 1, \] and $ a\left(2^k \right) \leq \frac {1}{(k \plus{} 1)^c} \text{ for all } k \geq 0.$ Prove that the sequence $ a(n)$ is bounded. [i]Author: Vjekoslav Kovač, Croatia[/i]
Prove that there exists a real number $C > 1$ with the following property. Whenever $n > 1$ and $a_0 < a_1 < a_2 <\cdots < a_n$ are positive integers such that $\frac{1}{a_0},\frac{1}{a_1} \cdots \frac{1}{a_n}$ form an arithmetic progression, then $a_0 > C^n$.
Let $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be an infinite sequence of real numbers satisfying the equation $a_n=\left|a_{n+1}-a_{n+2}\right|$ for all $n\geq 0$, where $a_0$ and $a_1$ are two different positive reals. Can this sequence $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be bounded? [i]Proposed by Mihai Bălună, Romania[/i]
What is the smallest value of \( k \) such that for any polynomial \( f(x) \) of degree $100$ with real coefficients, there exists a polynomial \( g(x) \) of degree at most \( k \) with real coefficients such that the graphs of \( y = f(x) \) and \( y = g(x) \) intersect at exactly $100$ points? \\
Let $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be an infinite sequence of real numbers satisfying the equation $a_n=\left|a_{n+1}-a_{n+2}\right|$ for all $n\geq 0$, where $a_0$ and $a_1$ are two different positive reals. Can this sequence $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be bounded? [i]Proposed by Mihai Bălună, Romania[/i]
The sequence $\{a_n\}$ is defined as follows: $a_1$ is a positive rational number, $a_n= \frac{p_n}{q_n}$, ($n= 1,2,…$) is a positive integer, where $p_n$ and $q_n$ are positive integers that are relatively prime, then $a_{n+1} = \frac{p_n^2+2015}{p_nq_n}$ Is there a$_1>2015$, making the sequence $\{a_n\}$ a bounded sequence? Justify your conclusion.
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.
Let ${f}$ be a bounded real function defined for all real numbers and satisfying for all real numbers ${x}$ the condition ${ f \Big(x+\frac{1}{3}\Big) + f \Big(x+\frac{1}{2}\Big)=f(x)+ f \Big(x+\frac{5}{6}\Big)}$ . Show that ${f}$ is periodic.
Let $D_n$ denote the value of the $(n -1) \times (n - 1)$ determinant $$ \begin{pmatrix} 3 & 1 &1 & \ldots & 1\\ 1 & 4 &1 & \ldots & 1\\ 1 & 1 & 5 & \ldots & 1\\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots\\ 1 & 1 & 1 & \ldots & n+1 \end{pmatrix}.$$ Is the set $\left\{ \frac{D_n }{n!} \, | \, n \geq 2\right\}$ bounded?
Let $a_1,a_2,\dots$ be a sequence of positive numbers satisfying, for any positive integers $k,l,m,n$ such that $k+n=m+l$, $$\frac{a_k+a_n}{1+a_ka_n}=\frac{a_m+a_l}{1+a_ma_l}.$$Show that there exist positive numbers $b,c$ so that $b\le a_n\le c$ for any positive integer $n$.
Let $a_1,a_2,\ldots$ be an infinite sequence of real numbers, for which there exists a real number $c$ with $0\leq a_i\leq c$ for all $i$, such that \[\left\lvert a_i-a_j \right\rvert\geq \frac{1}{i+j} \quad \text{for all }i,\ j \text{ with } i \neq j. \] Prove that $c\geq1$.
Determine all bounded functions $f: R \to R$, such that $f (f (x) + y) = f (x) + f (y)$, for all real $x, y$.
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.
Let $S$ be the set of all real polynomials $f(x) = ax^3 + bx^2 + cx + d$ such that $|f(x)| \le 1$ for all $ -1 \le x \le 1$. Show that the set of possible $|a|$ for $f$ in $S$ is bounded above and find the smallest upper bound.
Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that for every $x,y \in \mathbb{R}$ $$f(x^{4}-y^{4})+4f(xy)^{2}=f(x^{4}+y^{4})$$
Show that the system of equations \begin{align*} \lfloor x\rfloor^2+\lfloor y\rfloor &=0, \\ 3x+y &=2, \end{align*} has infinitely many solutions and all these solutions satisfy bounds \begin{align*} 0<\ &x <4, \\ -9\le\ &y\le 1. \end{align*}