Let $n$ be a positive integer. A [i]Nordic[/i] square is an $n \times n$ board containing all the integers from $1$ to $n^2$ so that each cell contains exactly one number. Two different cells are considered adjacent if they share a common side. Every cell that is adjacent only to cells containing larger numbers is called a [i]valley[/i]. An [i]uphill path[/i] is a sequence of one or more cells such that: (i) the first cell in the sequence is a valley, (ii) each subsequent cell in the sequence is adjacent to the previous cell, and (iii) the numbers written in the cells in the sequence are in increasing order. Find, as a function of $n$, the smallest possible total number of uphill paths in a Nordic square. Author: Nikola Petrović

A group of people is said to be [i]good[/i] if every member has an even number (zero included) of acquaintances in it. Prove that any group of people can be partitioned into two (possibly empty) parts such that each part is good.

In a $9\times 9$ table, all cells contain zeros. The following operations can be performed on the table: 1. Choose an arbitrary row, add one to all the numbers in that row, and shift all these numbers one cell to the right (and place the last number in the first position). 2. Choose an arbitrary column, subtract one from all its numbers, and shift all these numbers one cell down (and place the bottommost number in the top cell). Is it possible to obtain a table in which all cells, except two, contain zeros, with 1 in the bottom-left cell and -1 in the top-right cell after several such operations? [i]Proposed by N. Vlasova[/i]

Turki has divided a square into finitely many white and green rectangles, each with sides parallel to the sides of the square. Within each white rectangle, he writes down its width divided by its height. Within each green rectangle, he writes down its height divided by its width. Finally, he calculates $S$, the sum of these numbers. If the total area of white rectangles equals the total area of green rectangles, determine the minimum possible value of $S$.

Given $n$ points, some of them connected by non-intersecting segments. You can reach every point from every one, moving along the segments, and there is no couple, connected by two different ways. Prove that the total number of the segments is $(n-1)$.

We are given the set $$M = \{-2^{2022}, -2^{2021}, . . . , -2^{2}, -2, -1, 1, 2, 2^2, . . . , 2^{2021}, 2^{2022}\}.$$ Let $T$ be a subset of $M$, such that neighbouring numbers have the same difference when the elements are ordered by size. (a) Determine the maximum number of elements that such a set $T$ can contain. (b) Determine all sets $T$ with the maximum number of elements. [i](Walther Janous)[/i]

In the lower-left $3\times3$ square of an $8\times8$ chessboard there are nine pawns. Every pawn can jump horizontally or vertically over a neighboring pawn to the cell across it if that cell is free. Is it possible to arrange the nine pawns in the upperleft $3\times3$ square of the chessboard using finitely many such moves?

Find all triples $(a, b, c)$ of positive integers with $a+b+c = 10$ such that there are $a$ red, $b$ blue and $c$ green points (all different) in the plane satisfying the following properties: $\bullet$ for each red point and each blue point we consider the distance between these two points, the sum of these distances is $37$, $\bullet$ for each green point and each red point we consider the distance between these two points, the sum of these distances is $30$, $\bullet$ for each blue point and each green point we consider the distance between these two points, the sum of these distances is $1$.

Let an integer $ n > 3$. Denote the set $ T\equal{}\{1,2, \ldots,n\}.$ A subset S of T is called [i]wanting set[/i] if S has the property: There exists a positive integer $ c$ which is not greater than $ \frac {n}{2}$ such that $ |s_1 \minus{} s_2|\ne c$ for every pairs of arbitrary elements $ s_1,s_2\in S$. How many does a [i]wanting set[/i] have at most are there ?

Consider the points $P$ =$(0,0)$,$Q$ = $(1,0)$, $R$= $(2,0)$, $S$ =$(3,0)$ in the $xy$-plane. Let $A,B,C,D$ be four finite sets of colours(not necessarily distinct nor disjoint). In how many ways can $P,Q,R$ be coloured bu colours in $A,B,C$ respectively if adjacent points have to get different colours? In how many ways can $P,Q,R,S$ be coloured by colours in $A,B,C,D$ respectively if adjacent points have to get different colors?

[b]p1.[/b] A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers. For example, $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{pmatrix}$ and $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 3 \\ 2 & 4 \end{pmatrix}$ are $2 \times 2$ matrices. A [i]saddle [/i] point in a matrix is an entry which is simultaneously the smallest number in its row and the largest number in its column. a. Write down a $2 \times 2$ matrix which has a saddle point, and indicate which entry is the saddle point. b. Write down a $2 \times 2$ matrix which has no saddle point c. Prove that a matrix of any size, all of whose entries are distinct, can have at most one saddle point. [b]p2.[/b] a. Find four different pairs of positive integers satisfying the equation $\frac{7}{m}+\frac{11}{n}=1$. b. Prove that the solutions you have found in part (a) are all possible pairs of positive integers satisfying the equation $\frac{7}{m}+\frac{11}{n}=1$. [b]p3.[/b] Let $ABCD$ be a quadrilateral, and let points $M, N, O, P$ be the respective midpoints of sides $AB$, $BC$, $CD$, $DA$. a. Show, by example, that it is possible that $ABCD$ is not a parallelogram, but $MNOP$ is a square. Be sure to prove that your construction satisfies all given conditions. b. Suppose that $MO$ is perpendicular to $NP$. Prove that $AC = BD$. [b]p4.[/b] A [i]Pythagorean triple[/i] is an ordered collection of three positive integers $(a, b, c)$ satisfying the relation $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$. We say that $(a, b, c)$ is a [i]primitive [/i] Pythagorean triple if $1$ is the only common factor of $a, b$, and $c$. a. Decide, with proof, if there are infinitely many Pythagorean triples. b. Decide, with proof, if there are infinitely many primitive Pythagorean triples of the form $(a, b, c)$ where $c = b + 2$. c. Decide, with proof, if there are infinitely many primitive Pythagorean triples of the form $(a, b, c)$ where $c = b + 3$. [b]p5.[/b] Let $x$ and $y$ be positive real numbers and let $s$ be the smallest among the numbers $\frac{3x}{2}$,$\frac{y}{x}+\frac{1}{x}$ and $\frac{3}{y}$. a. Find an example giving $s > 1$. b. Prove that for any positive $x$ and $y,s <2$. c. Find, with proof, the largest possible value of $s$. PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Two players $A$ and $B$ play a game on a $1\times m$ board, using $2012$ pieces numbered from $1$ to $2012.$ At each turn, $A$ chooses a piece and $B$ places it to an empty place. After $k$ turns, if all pieces are placed on the board increasingly, then $B$ wins, otherwise $A$ wins. For which values of $(m,k)$ pairs can $B$ guarantee to win?

If $N$ is the number of triangles of different shapes (i.e., not similar) whose angles are all integers (in degrees), what is $\frac{N}{100}$?

A $2003\times 2004$ rectangle consists of unit squares. We consider rhombi formed by four diagonals of unit squares. What maximum number of such rhombi can be arranged in this rectangle so that no two of them have any common points except vertices? [i]Proposed by A. Golovanov[/i]

$100$ heaps of stones lie on a table. Two players make moves in turn. At each move, a player can remove any non-zero number of stones from the table, so that at least one heap is left untouched. The player that cannot move loses. Determine, for each initial position, which of the players, the first or the second, has a winning strategy. [i]K. Kokhas[/i] [b]EDIT.[/b] It is indeed confirmed by the sender that empty heaps are still heaps, so the third post contains the right guess of an interpretation.

Let $x_1, x_2, \ldots$ be a sequence of $0,1$, such that it satisfies the following three conditions: 1) $x_2=x_{100}=1$, $x_i=0$ for $1 \leq i \leq 100$ and $i \neq 2,100$; 2) $x_{2n-1}=x_{n-50}+1, x_{2n}=x_{n-50}$ for $51 \leq n \leq 100$; 3) $x_{2n}=x_{n-50}, x_{2n-1}=x_{n-50}+x_{n-100}$ for $n>100$. Show that the sequence is periodic.

A particle can travel at speeds up to $ \frac{2m}{s}$ along the $ x$-axis, and up to $ \frac{1m}{s}$ elsewhere in the plane. Provide a labelled sketch of the region which can be reached within one second by the particle starting at the origin.

Given a finite string $S$ of symbols $X$ and $O$, we write $@(S)$ for the number of $X$'s in $S$ minus the number of $O$'s. (For example, $@(XOOXOOX) =-1$.) We call a string $S$ [b]balanced[/b] if every substring $T$ of (consecutive symbols) $S$ has the property $-2 \leq @(T) \leq 2$. (Thus $XOOXOOX$ is not balanced since it contains the sub-string $OOXOO$ whose $@$-value is $-3$.) Find, with proof, the number of balanced strings of length $n$.

Uri has $99$ empty bags and an unlimited number of balls. The weight of each ball is a number of the form $3^n$ where $n$ is an integer that can vary from ball to ball (negative integer exponents are allowed, such as $3^{-4}=\dfrac{1}{81}$, and the exponent $0$, where $3^0=1$). Uri chose a finite number of balls and distributed them into the bags so that all the bags had the same total weight and there were no balls left over. It is known that Uri chose at most $k$ balls of the same weight. Determine the smallest possible value of $k$.

Rosa and Sara play with a triangle $ABC$, right at $B$. Rosa begins by marking two interior points of the hypotenuse $AC$, then Sara marks an interior point of the hypotenuse $AC$ different from those of Rosa. Then, from these three points the perpendiculars to the sides $AB$ and $BC$ are drawn, forming the following figure. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/9/9/c964bbacc4a5960bee170865cc43902410e504.png[/img] Sara wins if the area of the shaded surface is equal to the area of the unshaded surface, in other case wins Rosa. Determine who of the two has a winning strategy.

A set of $1985$ points is distributed around the circumference of a circle and each of the points is marked with $1$ or $-1$. A point is called “good” if the partial sums that can be formed by starting at that point and proceeding around the circle for any distance in either direction are all strictly positive. Show that if the number of points marked with $-1$ is less than $662$, there must be at least one good point.

On a coordinate plane are placed four counters, each of whose centers has integer coordinates. One can displace any counter by the vector joining the centers of two of the other counters. Prove that any two preselected counters can be made to coincide by a finite sequence of moves. [i]Р. Sadykov[/i]

Prove that the natural numbers can be divided into two groups in a way that both conditions are fulfilled: 1) For every prime number $p$ and every natural number $n$, the numbers $p^n,p^{n+1}$ and $p^{n+2}$ do not have the same colour. 2) There does not exist an infinite geometric sequence of natural numbers of the same colour.

Let $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n$ be a finite sequence of non negative integers, its subsequences are the sequences of the form $a_i,a_{i+1},\ldots,a_j$ with $1\le i\le j \le n$. Two subsequences are said to be equal if they have the same length and have the same terms, that is, two subsequences $a_i,a_{i+1},\ldots,a_j$ and $a_u,a_{u+1},\ldots a_v$ are equal iff $j-i=u-v$ and $a_{i+k}=a_{u+k}$ forall integers $k$ such that $0\le k\le j-1$. Finally, we say that a subsequence $a_i,a_{i+1},\ldots,a_j$ is palindromic if $a_{i+k}=a_{j-k}$ forall integers $k$ such that $0\le k \le j-i$ What is the greatest number of different palindromic subsequences that can a palindromic sequence of length $n$ contain?

In a round-robin table tennis tournament between $2010$ athletes, where each match ends with a winner and a loser, let $a_1,... , a_{2010}$ denote the number of wins of each athlete, and let $b_1, .., b_{2010}$ denote the number of losses of each athlete. Show that $a^2_1+a^2_2+...+a^2_{2010} =b^2_1 + b^2_2 + ... + b^2_{2010}$.