Let $n\ge2$ be a positive integer. The numbers $1,2,..., n^2$ are consecutively placed into squares of an $n\times n$, so the first row contains $1,2,...,n$ from left to right, the second row contains $n+1,n+2,...,2n$ from left to right, and so on. The [i]magic square value[/i] of a grid is defined to be the number of rows, columns, and main diagonals whose elements have an average value of $\frac{n^2 + 1}{2}$. Show that the magic-square value of the grid stays constant under the following two operations: (1) a permutation of the rows; and (2) a permutation of the columns. (The operations can be used multiple times, and in any order.) [i]Proposed by Ray Li[/i]

Prove that the number $1$ can be written as a sum of $2023$ fractions of the form $\frac{1}{k_i}$, where all nonnegative integers $k_i (1\leq i\leq 2023)$ are distinct.

A positive integer is called extra-even if all of its digits are even. Compute the number of positive integers $n$ less than or equal to $2022$ such that both $n$ and $2n$ are both extra-even.

A spherical planet has the equator of length $1$. On this planet, $N$ circular roads of length $1$ each are to be built and used for several trains each. The trains must have the same constant positive speed and never stop or collide. What is the greatest possible sum of lengths of all the trains? The trains are arcs of zero width with endpoints removed (so that if only endpoints of two arcs have coincided then it is not a collision). Solve the problem for : (a) $N=3$ ([i]4 points)[/i] (b) $N=4$ ([i]6 points)[/i] [i]Alexandr Berdnikov [/i]

Alien Connor starts at $(0,0)$ and walks around on the integer lattice. Specifically, he takes one step of length one in a uniformly random cardinal direction every minute, unless his previous four steps were all in the same directionin which case he randomly picks a new direction to step in. Every time he takes a step, he leaves toxic air on the lattice point he just left, and the toxic cloud remains there for $150$ seconds. After taking $5$ steps total, the probability that he has not encountered his own toxic waste canb be written as $\tfrac{a}{b}$ for relatively prime positive integers $a,b.$ Find $a+b.$

Find all natural numbers $n \geqslant 2$ with the property that there are two permutations $(a_1, a_2,\ldots, a_n) $ and $(b_1, b_2,\ldots, b_n)$ of the numbers $1, 2,\ldots, n$ such that $(a_1 + b_1, a_2 +b_2,\ldots, a_n + b_n)$ are consecutive natural numbers.

We have $n$ bags each having $100$ coins. All of the bags have $10$ gram coins except one of them which has $9$ gram coins. We have a balance which can show weights of things that have weight of at most $1$ kilogram. At least how many times shall we use the balance in order to find the different bag? [i]Proposed By Hamidreza Ziarati[/i]

In each square of a garden shaped like a $2022 \times 2022$ board, there is initially a tree of height $0$. A gardener and a lumberjack alternate turns playing the following game, with the gardener taking the first turn: [list] [*] The gardener chooses a square in the garden. Each tree on that square and all the surrounding squares (of which there are at most eight) then becomes one unit taller. [*] The lumberjack then chooses four different squares on the board. Each tree of positive height on those squares then becomes one unit shorter. [/list] We say that a tree is [i]majestic[/i] if its height is at least $10^6$. Determine the largest $K$ such that the gardener can ensure there are eventually $K$ majestic trees on the board, no matter how the lumberjack plays.

Jorge writes a list with an even number of integers, not all equal to $0$ (there may be repeated numbers). Show that Martin can cross out a number from the list, of his choice, so that it is impossible for Jorge to separate the remaining numbers into two groups in such a way that the sum of all the numbers in one group is equal to the sum of all the others. numbers from the other group.

Determine the largest integer $N$, for which there exists a $6\times N$ table $T$ that has the following properties: $*$ Every column contains the numbers $1,2,\ldots,6$ in some ordering. $*$ For any two columns $i\ne j$, there exists a row $r$ such that $T(r,i)= T(r,j)$. $*$ For any two columns $i\ne j$, there exists a row $s$ such that $T(s,i)\ne T(s,j)$. (Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Austria)

Alice refuses to sit next to either Bob or Carla. Derek refuses to sit next to Eric. How many ways are there for the five of them to sit in a row of $5$ chairs under these conditions? $\textbf{(A)}\ 12\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 16\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 28\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 32\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 40$

Matthias covered a $7 \times 7$ square board, divided into $1 \times 1$ squares, with pieces of the following three types without gaps or overlaps, and without going off the board. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/9/9/8a2e63f723cbdf188f22344054f364f1924d47.gif[/img] Each type $1$ piece covers exactly $3$ squares and each type $2$ or type $3$ piece covers exactly $4$ squares. Determine the number of pieces of type $1$ that Matías could have used. (Pieces can be rotated and flipped.)

A $\pm 1$-[i]sequence[/i] is a sequence of $2022$ numbers $a_1, \ldots, a_{2022},$ each equal to either $+1$ or $-1$. Determine the largest $C$ so that, for any $\pm 1$-sequence, there exists an integer $k$ and indices $1 \le t_1 < \ldots < t_k \le 2022$ so that $t_{i+1} - t_i \le 2$ for all $i$, and $$\left| \sum_{i = 1}^{k} a_{t_i} \right| \ge C.$$

a) One has a set of stones with weights $1, 2, \ldots, 20$ grams. Find all $k$ for which it is possible to place $k$ and the rest $20-k$ stones from the set respectively on the two pans of a balance so that equilibrium is achieved. b) One has a set of stones with weights $1, 2, \ldots, 51$ grams. Find all $k$ for which it is possible to place $k$ and the rest $51-k$ stones from the set respectively on the two pans of a balance so that equilibrium is achieved. c) One has a set of stones with weights $1, 2, \ldots, n$ grams ($n\in\mathbb{N}$). Find all $n$ and $k$ for which it is possible to place $k$ and the rest $n-k$ stones from the set respectively on the two pans of a balance so that equilibrium is achieved. [size=75] a) and b) were proposed at the festival, c) is a generalization[/size]

Given is a square of sides $3\sqrt7 \times 3\sqrt7$. Find the minimal positive integer $n$ such that no matter how we put $n$ unit disks inside the given square, without overlapping, there exists a line that intersects $4$ disks.

Two players play a game as follows: there $n > 1$ rounds and $d \geq 1$ is fixed. In the first round A picks a positive integer $m_1$, then B picks a positive integer $n_1 \not = m_1$. In round $k$ (for $k = 2, \ldots , n$), A picks an integer $m_k$ such that $m_{k-1} < m_k \leq m_{k-1} + d$. Then B picks an integer $n_k$ such that $n_{k-1} < n_k \leq n_{k-1} + d$. A gets $\gcd(m_k,n_{k-1})$ points and B gets $\gcd(m_k,n_k)$ points. After $n$ rounds, A wins if he has at least as many points as B, otherwise he loses. For each $(n, d)$ which player has a winning strategy?

The plane is partitioned into regions by a finite number of lines no three of which are concurrent. Two regions are called "neighbors" if the intersection of their boundaries is a segment, or half-line or a line (a point is not a segment). An integer is to be assigned to each region in such a way that: i) the product of the integers assigned to any two neighbors is less than their sum; ii) for each of the given lines, and each of the half-planes determined by it, the sum of the integers, assigned to all of the regions lying on this half-plane equal to zero. Prove that this is possible if and only if not all of the lines are parallel.

A maze is an $8 \times 8$ board with some adjacent squares separated by walls, so that any two squares can be connected by a path not meeting any wall. Given a command LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, a pawn makes a step in the corresponding direction unless it encounters a wall or an edge of the chessboard. God writes a program consisting of a finite sequence of commands and gives it to the Devil, who then constructs a maze and places the pawn on one of the squares. Can God write a program which guarantees the pawn will visit every square despite the Devil's efforts?

In one country, a one-round tennis tournament was held (everyone played with everyone exactly once). Participants received $1$ point for winning a match, and $0$ points for losing. There are no draws in tennis. At the end of the tournament, Oleksiy saw the number of points scored by each participant, as well as the schedule of all the matches in the tournament, which showed the pairs of players, but not the winners. He chooses matches one by one in any order he wants and tries to guess the winner, after which he is told if he is correct. Prove that Oleksiy can act in such a way that he is guaranteed to guess the winners of more than half of the matches. [i]Proposed by Oleksiy Masalitin[/i]

[b]p1.[/b] What is $\sqrt[2015]{2^01^5}$? [b]p2.[/b] What is the ratio of the area of square $ABCD$ to the area of square $ACEF$? [b]p3.[/b] $2015$ in binary is $11111011111$, which is a palindrome. What is the last year which also had this property? [b]p4.[/b] What is the next number in the following geometric series: $1020100$, $10303010$, $104060401$? [b]p5.[/b] A circle has radius $A$ and area $r$. If $A = r^2\pi$, then what is the diameter, $C$, of the circle? [b]p6.[/b] If $$O + N + E = 1$$ $$T + H + R + E + E = 3$$ $$N + I + N + E = 9$$ $$T + E + N = 10$$ $$T + H + I + R + T + E + E + N = 13$$ Then what is the value of $O$? [b]p7.[/b] By shifting the initial digit, which is $6$, of the positive integer $N$ to the end (for example, $65$ becomes $56$), we obtain a number equal to $\frac{N}{4}$ . What is the smallest such $N$? [b]p8.[/b] What is $\sqrt[3]{\frac{2015!(2013!)+2014!(2012!)}{2013!(2012!)}}$ ? [b]p9.[/b] How many permutations of the digits of $1234$ are divisible by $11$? [b]p10.[/b] If you choose $4$ cards from a normal $52$ card deck (with replacement), what is the probability that you will get exactly one of each suit (there are $4$ suits)? [b]p11.[/b] If $LMT$ is an equilateral triangle, and $MATH$ is a square, such that point $A$ is in the triangle, then what is $HL/AL$? [b]p12.[/b] If $$\begin{tabular}{cccccccc} & & & & & L & H & S\\ + & & & & H & I & G & H \\ + & & S & C & H & O & O & L \\ \hline = & & S & O & C & O & O & L \\ \end{tabular}$$ and $\{M, A, T,H, S, L,O, G, I,C\} = \{0, 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9\} $, then what is the ordered pair $(M + A +T + H, [T + e + A +M])$ where $e$ is $2.718...$and $[n]$ is the greatest integer less than or equal to $n$ ? [b]p13.[/b] There are $5$ marbles in a bag. One is red, one is blue, one is green, one is yellow, and the last is white. There are $4$ people who take turns reaching into the bag and drawing out a marble without replacement. If the marble they draw out is green, they get to draw another marble out of the bag. What is the probability that the $3$rd person to draw a marble gets the white marble? [b]p14.[/b] Let a "palindromic product" be a product of numbers which is written the same when written back to front, including the multiplication signs. For example, $234 * 545 * 432$, $2 * 2 *2 *2$, and $14 * 41$ are palindromic products whereas $2 *14 * 4 * 12$, $567 * 567$, and $2* 2 * 3* 3 *2$ are not. 2015 can be written as a "palindromic product" in two ways, namely $13 * 5 * 31$ and $31 * 5 * 13$. How many ways can you write $2016$ as a palindromic product without using 1 as a factor? [b]p15.[/b] Let a sequence be defined as $S_n = S_{n-1} + 2S_{n-2}$, and $S_1 = 3$ and $S_2 = 4$. What is $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{S_n}{3^n}$ ? [b]p16.[/b] Put the numbers $0-9$ in some order so that every $2$-digit substring creates a number which is either a multiple of $7$, or a power of $2$. [b]p17.[/b] Evaluate $\dfrac{8+ \dfrac{8+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}{3+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}}{3+\dfrac{8+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}{ 3+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}}$, assuming that it is a positive real number. [b]p18.[/b] $4$ non-overlapping triangles, each of area $A$, are placed in a unit circle. What is the maximum value of $A$? [b]p19.[/b] What is the sum of the reciprocals of all the (positive integer) factors of $120$ (including $1$ and $120$ itself). [b]p20.[/b] How many ways can you choose $3$ distinct elements of $\{1, 2, 3,...,4000\}$ to make an increasing arithmetic series? PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

During the factoring class, Esmeralda observed that $1$, $3$ and $5$ can be written as the difference of two perfect squares, as can be seen: $1 = 1^2 - 0^2$ $3 = 2^2 - 1^2$ $5 = 3^2 - 2^2$ a) Show that all numbers written in the form $2 * m + 1$ can be written as a difference of two perfect squares. b) Show how to calculate the value of the expression $E = 1 + 3 + 5 + ... + (2m + 1)$. c) Esmeralda, happy with what she discovered, decided to look for other ways to write $2019$ as the difference of two perfect squares of positive integers. Determine how many ways it can do what you want.

Let $A$ and $B$ be nonempty subsets of $\mathbb{N}$. The sum of $2$ distinct elements in $A$ is always an element of $B$. Furthermore, the result of the division of $2$ distinct elements in $B$ (where the larger number is divided by the smaller number) is always a member of $A$. Determine the maximum number of elements in $A \cup B$.

Let $n$ be a given positive integer. Sisyphus performs a sequence of turns on a board consisting of $n + 1$ squares in a row, numbered $0$ to $n$ from left to right. Initially, $n$ stones are put into square $0$, and the other squares are empty. At every turn, Sisyphus chooses any nonempty square, say with $k$ stones, takes one of these stones and moves it to the right by at most $k$ squares (the stone should say within the board). Sisyphus' aim is to move all $n$ stones to square $n$. Prove that Sisyphus cannot reach the aim in less than \[ \left \lceil \frac{n}{1} \right \rceil + \left \lceil \frac{n}{2} \right \rceil + \left \lceil \frac{n}{3} \right \rceil + \dots + \left \lceil \frac{n}{n} \right \rceil \] turns. (As usual, $\lceil x \rceil$ stands for the least integer not smaller than $x$. )

Let $n$ be a positive integer. In how many ways can a $4 \times 4n$ grid be tiled with the following tetromino? [asy] size(4cm); draw((1,0)--(3,0)--(3,1)--(0,1)--(0,0)--(1,0)--(1,2)--(2,2)--(2,0)); [/asy]

(a) Let $k,n\ge 1$.Find the number of sequences $\phi=S_0,S_1,\ldots,S_k$ of subsets of $[n]=\{1,2,3,\ldots,n\}$ if for all $1\le i\le k$ we have either (i)$S_{i-1}\subset S_i$ and $|S_i-S_{i-1}|$,or (ii)$S_i\subset S_{i-1}$ and $|S_{i-1}-S_i|=1$. (b) Suppose that we add the additional condition that $S_k=\phi$.Show that now the number $f_k(n)$ of sequences is given by$f_k(n)=\frac{1}{2^n}\sum_{i=0}^n\binom ni (n-2i)^k$. Note that $f_k(n)=0$ if $k$ is odd.