Let \[ A = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \sum_{i=0}^{2016} (-1)^i \cdot \frac{\binom{n}{i}\binom{n}{i+2}}{\binom{n}{i+1}^2} \] Find the largest integer less than or equal to $\frac{1}{A}$. The following decimal approximation might be useful: $ 0.6931 < \ln(2) < 0.6932$, where $\ln$ denotes the natural logarithm function.

Find all triplets of positive integers $(a,b,c)$ for which the number $3^a+3^b+3^c$ is a perfect square.

Six distinct positive integers are randomly chosen between 1 and 2006, inclusive. What is the probability that some pair of these integers has a difference that is a multiple of 5? $ \textbf{(A) } \frac 12 \qquad \textbf{(B) } \frac 35 \qquad \textbf{(C) } \frac 23 \qquad \textbf{(D) } \frac 45 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 1$

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that, for all integers $a$ and $b$, $P(a+b) - P(b)$ is a multiple of $P(a)$.

Let $ABCDEF$ be a convex hexagon such that $BCEF$ is a parallelogram and $ABF$ an equilateral triangle. Given that $BC = 1, AD = 3, CD+DE = 2$, compute the area of $ABCDEF$

$64$ teams with distinct skill levels participate in a knockout tournament. In each of the $6$ rounds, teams are paired into match-ups and compete; the winning team moves on to the next round and the losing team is eliminated. After the second-to-last round, winners compete for first and second and losers compete for third and fourth. Assume that the team with higher skill level always wins. What is the probability that the first, second, and third place teams have the highest, second highest, and third highest skill levels, respectively? [i]2019 CCA Math Bonanza Lightning Round #3.3[/i]

Find all integers $a,b,c$ such that $a^2 = bc + 1$ and $b^2 = ac + 1$

$f(x)$ is a nonconstant polynomial. Given that $f(f(x)) + f(x) = f(x)^2$, compute $f(3)$.

USAYNO: \url{http://goo.gl/wVR25} % USAYNO link: http://goo.gl/wVR25 [i]Proposed by Lewis Chen, Evan Chen, Eugene Chen[/i]

In the acute-angled triangle $ABC$, the point $F$ is the foot of the altitude from $A$, and $P$ is a point on the segment $AF$. The lines through $P$ parallel to $AC$ and $AB$ meet $BC$ at $D$ and $E$, respectively. Points $X \ne A$ and $Y \ne A$ lie on the circles $ABD$ and $ACE$, respectively, such that $DA = DX$ and $EA = EY$. Prove that $B, C, X,$ and $Y$ are concyclic.

Line $\ell $ intersects the plane $a$. It is known that in this plane there are $2011$ straight lines equidistant from $\ell$ and not intersecting $\ell$. Is it true that $\ell$ is perpendicular to $a$?

If an integer $n > 8$ is a solution of the equation $x^2 - ax+b=0$ and the representation of $a$ in the base-$n$ number system is $18$, then the base-$n$ representation of $b$ is $\textbf{(A)}\ 18 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 20 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 80 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 81 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 280$

For how many ordered triplets of three positive integers is it true that their product is four more than twice their sum?

Let s be a positive real. Consider a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. A [i]lattice point[/i] is defined as a point whose coordinates in this system are both integers. At each lattice point of our coordinate system, there is a lamp. Initially, only the lamp in the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system is turned on; all other lamps are turned off. Each minute, we additionally turn on every lamp L for which there exists another lamp M such that - the lamp M is already turned on, and - the distance between the lamps L and M equals s. Prove that each lamp will be turned on after some time ... [b](a)[/b] ... if s = 13. [This was the problem for class 11.] [b](b)[/b] ... if s = 2005. [This was the problem for classes 12/13.] [b](c)[/b] ... if s is an integer of the form $s=p_1p_2...p_k$ if $p_1$, $p_2$, ..., $p_k$ are different primes which are all $\equiv 1\mod 4$. [This is my extension of the problem, generalizing both parts [b](a)[/b] and [b](b)[/b].] [b](d)[/b] ... if s is an integer whose prime factors are all $\equiv 1\mod 4$. [This is ZetaX's extension of the problem, and it is stronger than [b](c)[/b].] Darij

The point $E$ lies on the base $[AD]$ of the trapezoid $ABCD$. The perimeters of the triangles $ABE, BCE$ and $CDE$ are equal. Prove that $|BC| = |AD|/2$

Let $ABC$ be an isosceles triangle with $BC=CA$, and let $D$ be a point inside side $AB$ such that $AD< DB$. Let $P$ and $Q$ be two points inside sides $BC$ and $CA$, respectively, such that $\angle DPB = \angle DQA = 90^{\circ}$. Let the perpendicular bisector of $PQ$ meet line segment $CQ$ at $E$, and let the circumcircles of triangles $ABC$ and $CPQ$ meet again at point $F$, different from $C$. Suppose that $P$, $E$, $F$ are collinear. Prove that $\angle ACB = 90^{\circ}$.

A cake has the form of an $ n$ x $ n$ square composed of $ n^{2}$ unit squares. Strawberries lie on some of the unit squares so that each row or column contains exactly one strawberry; call this arrangement $\mathcal{A}$. Let $\mathcal{B}$ be another such arrangement. Suppose that every grid rectangle with one vertex at the top left corner of the cake contains no fewer strawberries of arrangement $\mathcal{B}$ than of arrangement $\mathcal{A}$. Prove that arrangement $\mathcal{B}$ can be obtained from $ \mathcal{A}$ by performing a number of switches, defined as follows: A switch consists in selecting a grid rectangle with only two strawberries, situated at its top right corner and bottom left corner, and moving these two strawberries to the other two corners of that rectangle.

Let be a real number $ a, $ and a nondecreasing function $ f:\mathbb{R}\longrightarrow\mathbb{R} . $ Prove that $ f $ is continuous in $ a $ if and only if there exists a sequence $ \left( a_n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ of real positive numbers such that $$ \int_a^{a+a_n} f(x)dx+\int_a^{a-a_n} f(x)dx\le\frac{a_n}{n} , $$ for all natural numbers $ n. $ [i]Dan Marinescu[/i]

Given $n$ different positive numbers $a_1,a_2,...,a_n$. We construct all the possible sums (from $1$ to $n$ terms). Prove that among those sums there are at least $n(n+1)/2$ different ones.

Let $P$ be a point inside a square $ABCD$ such that $PA:PB:PC$ is $1:2:3$. Determine the angle $\angle BPA$.

Let $p$ be a real number and $c\neq 0$ such that \[c-0.1<x^p\left(\dfrac{1-(1+x)^{10}}{1+(1+x)^{10}}\right)<c+0.1\] for all (positive) real numbers $x$ with $0<x<10^{-100}$. (The exact value $10^{-100}$ is not important. You could replace it with any "sufficiently small number".) Find the ordered pair $(p,c)$.

In this problem, a [i]simple polygon[/i] is a polygon that does not intersect itself and has no holes, and a [i]side[/i] of a polygon is a maximal set of collinear, consecutive line segments in the polygon. In particular, we allow two or more consecutive vertices in a simple polygon to be identical, and three or more consecutive vertices in a simple polygon to be collinear. By convention, polygons must have at least three sides. A simple polygon is [i]convex[/i] if every one of its interior angles is $180^\circ$ degrees or less. A simple polygon is concave if it is not [i]convex[/i]. Let P be the plane. Prove or disprove each of the following statements: $(a)$ There exists a function $f : P \to P$ such that for all positive integers $n \geq 4$, if $v_1, v_2, \ldots , v_n$ are the vertices of a simple concave $n$-sided polygon in some order, then $f(v_1), f(v_2), \ldots, f(v_n)$ are the vertices of a simple convex polygon in some order (which may or may not have $n$ sides). $(b)$ There exists a function $f : P \to P$ such that for all positive integers $n \geq 4$, if $v_1, v_2, \ldots , v_n$ are the vertices of a simple convex $n$-sided polygon in some order, then $f(v_1), f(v_2), \ldots, f(v_n)$ are the vertices of a simple concave polygon in some order (which may or may not have $n$ sides).

Six teams participate in a hockey tournament. Each team plays once against every other team. In each game, a team is awarded $3$ points for a win, $1$ point for a draw, and none for a loss. After the tournament the teams are ranked by total points. No two teams have the same total points. Each team (except the bottom team) has $2$ points more than the team ranking one place lower. Prove that the team that finished fourth has won two games and lost three games.

Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ with the property that \[f(x-f(y))=f(f(x))-f(y)-1\] holds for all $x,y\in\mathbb{Z}$.

Consider the sequence $1, \frac12, \frac13, \frac14 ,...$ Does there exist an arithmetic progression composed of terms of this sequence (a) of length $5$, (b) of length greater than $5$ (if so, what possible length)? (G Galperin, Moscow)