In a badminton competition, $16$ players participate, of which $10$ are professionals and $6$ are amateurs. In the first phase, eight games are drawn. Among the eight winners of these games, four games are drawn. The four winners qualify for the semi-finals of the competition. Assuming that, whenever a professional player and an amateur play each other, the professional wins the game, what is the probability that an amateur player will reach the semi-finals of the competition?

Each box in the equation $$\square \times \square \times \square - \square \times \square \times \square = 9$$ is filled in with a different number in the list 2, $3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8$ so that the equation is true. Which number in the list is not used to fill in a box?

Suppose $p(x)$ is a polynomial with integer coefficients. It is known that $p(a) - p(b) = 1$ (where $a$ and $b$ are integers). Prove that $a$ and $b$ differ by $1$ . (Folklore)

Find all pairs of integers ($a, b$) such that $a^2 + b = b^{1999}$ .

Let $ABCD$ be a quadrilateral inscribed in a circle. Show that the centroids of triangles $ABC,$ $CDA,$ $BCD,$ $DAB$ lie on one circle.

A triangular piece of sheet metal weighs $900$ g. Prove that by cutting this sheet metal along a straight line passing through the center of gravity of the triangle, it is impossible to cut off a piece weighing less than $400$ g.

Betty used a calculator to find the product $ 0.075\times 2.56 $. She forgot to enter the decimal points. The calculator showed $ 19200 $. If Betty had entered the decimal points correctly, the answer would have been $ \text{(A)}\ .0192\qquad\text{(B)}\ .192\qquad\text{(C)}\ 1.92\qquad\text{(D)}\ 19.2\qquad\text{(E)}\ 192 $

Let $\Gamma$ be a circle with center $O$ and $AE$ be a diameter. Point $D$ lies on segment $OE$ and point $B$ is the midpoint of one of the arcs $\widehat{AE}$ of $\Gamma$. Construct point $C$ such that $ABCD$ is a parallelogram. Lines $EB$ and $CD$ meet at $F$. Line $OF$ meets the minor arc $\widehat{EB}$ at $I$. Prove that $EI$ bisects $\angle BEC$.

Let $ABC$ be an acute, scalene triangle with orthocentre $H$. Let $\ell_a$ be the line through the reflection of $B$ with respect to $CH$ and the reflection of $C$ with respect to $BH$. Lines $\ell_b$ and $\ell_c$ are defined similarly. Suppose lines $\ell_a$, $\ell_b$, and $\ell_c$ determine a triangle $\mathcal T$. Prove that the orthocentre of $\mathcal T$, the circumcentre of $\mathcal T$, and $H$ are collinear. [i]Fedir Yudin, Ukraine[/i]

Consider the points $O = (0,0), A = (- 2,0)$ and $B = (0,2)$ in the coordinate plane. Let $E$ and $F$ be the midpoints of $OA$ and $OB$ respectively. We rotate the triangle $OEF$ with a center in $O$ clockwise until we obtain the triangle $OE'F'$ and, for each rotated position, let $P = (x, y)$ be the intersection of the lines $AE'$ and $BF'$. Find the maximum possible value of the $y$-coordinate of $P$.

The point $O$ is the center of the circle circumscribed of the acute triangle $ABC$, and $H$ is the point of intersection of the heights of this triangle. Let $A_1, B_1, C_1$ be the points diametrically opposed to the vertices $A, B , C$ respectively of the triangle, and $A_2, B_2, C_2$ be the midpoints of the segments $[AH], [BH] ¸[CH]$ respectively . Prove that the lines $A_1A_2, B_1B_2, C_1C_2$ are concurrent .

Consider all $26^{26}$ words of length 26 in the Latin alphabet. Define the $\emph{weight}$ of a word as $1/(k+1)$, where $k$ is the number of letters not used in this word. Prove that the sum of the weights of all words is $3^{75}$. Proposed by Fedor Petrov, St. Petersburg State University

In a contest there are $ n$ yes-no problems. We know that no two contestants have the same set of answers. To each question we give a random uniform grade of set $ \{1,2,3,\dots,2n\}$. Prove that the probability that exactly one person gets first is at least $ \frac12$.

Study the derivatives of the function \[y=\sqrt{x^3-4x}\] and sketch its graph on the real line.

An acute-angled unequal triangle $ABC$ is drawn with its circumcircle and circumcenter $O$. The incenter $I$ is also marked. Using only a ruler (without divisions), construct the symedian (a line symmetrical to the median relative to the corresponding bisector) of the triangle, drawing no more than four lines.

Let $k,n\ge 1$ be relatively prime integers. All positive integers not greater than $k+n$ are written in some order on the blackboard. We can swap two numbers that differ by $k$ or $n$ as many times as we want. Prove that it is possible to obtain the order $1,2,\dots,k+n-1, k+n$.

For a positive number $n$, we write $d (n)$ for the number of positive divisors of $n$. Determine all positive integers $k$ for which exist positive integers $a$ and $b$ with the property $k = d (a) = d (b) = d (2a + 3b)$.

Let $X$ be the intersection of the diagonals $AC$ and $BD$ of convex quadrilateral $ABCD$. Let $P$ be the intersection of lines $AB$ and $CD$, and let $Q$ be the intersection of lines $PX$ and $AD$. Suppose that $\angle ABX = \angle XCD = 90^o$. Prove that $QP$ is the angle bisector of $\angle BQC$.

Let ( M , g ) be a Riemannian manifold. Extend the metric tensor g to the set of tangents TM with the following specification: if $a,b\in T_v TM \, (v\in T_p M)$, then $$\tilde g_v (a, b): = g_p (\dot {\alpha} (0), \dot {\beta} (0) ) + g_p (D _ {\alpha} X(0) , D_{\beta} Y(0) )$$ where $\alpha, \beta$ are curves in M such that $\alpha(0) = \beta(0) = p$. X and Y are vector fields along $\alpha,\beta$ respectively, with the condition $\dot X (0) = a,\dot Y(0) = b$. $D _{\alpha}$ and $D _{\beta}$ are the operators of the covariant derivative along the corresponding curves according to the Levi-Civita connection. Is the eigenfunction from the Riemannian manifold (M,g) to the Riemannian manifold $(TM, \tilde g)$ harmonic?

In a text editor program, initially there is a footprint symbol (L) that we want to multiply. Unfortunately, our computer has been the victim of a hacker attack, and only two functions are working: Copy and Paste, each costing 1 Dürer dollar to use. Using the Copy function, we can select one or more consecutive symbols from the existing ones, and the computer memorizes their number. When using the Paste function, the computer adds as many new footprint symbols to the sequence as were selected in the last Copy. If no Copy has been done yet, Paste cannot be used. Let $D(n)$ denote the minimum number of Dürer dollars required to obtain exactly $n$ footprint symbols. Prove that for any positive integer $k$, there exists a positive integer $N$ such that \[D(N)=D(N+1)+1=D(N+2)=D(N+3)+1=D(N+4)=\ldots=D(N+2k-1)+1=D(N+2k).\] [i]Based on a problem of the Dürer Competition[/i]

Let $n \geq 2$ be a natural number. Find a way to assign natural numbers to the vertices of a regular $2n$-gon such that the following conditions are satisfied: (1) only digits $1$ and $2$ are used; (2) each number consists of exactly $n$ digits; (3) different numbers are assigned to different vertices; (4) the numbers assigned to two neighboring vertices differ at exactly one digit.

In quadrilateral $ABCD$, $BC=8$, $CD=12$, $AD=10$, and $m\angle A= m\angle B = 60^\circ$. Given that $AB=p + \sqrt{q}$, where $p$ and $q$ are positive integers, find $p+q$.

In the circle $\Omega$ the hexagon $ABCDEF$ is inscribed. It is known that the point $D{}$ divides the arc $BC$ in half, and the triangles $ABC$ and $DEF$ have a common inscribed circle. The line $BC$ intersects segments $DF$ and $DE$ at points $X$ and $Y$ and the line $EF$ intersects segments $AB$ and $AC$ at points $Z$ and $T$ respectively. Prove that the points $X, Y, T$ and $Z$ lie on the same circle. [i]Proposed by D. Brodsky[/i]

Divide a regular hexagon into $24$ identical small equilateral triangles as shown. To each of the $19$ points that are vertices of at least one of the equilateral triangles, a different number is assigned. Find the maximum possible number of small equilateral triangles with their vertices having numbers in ascending order going clockwise. [asy] size(5.5cm); int n=6; pair[] V= sequence(new pair(int i){return dir(360*i/n);}, n); V.cyclic=true; for(int i=0;i<n;++i){ draw(V[i]--V[i+1],black+0.7bp); draw(V[i]--V[i+3],black+0.7bp); draw(midpoint(V[i]--V[i+1])--midpoint(V[i+2]--V[i+3]),black+0.7bp); } [/asy]

What is the positive difference between the sum of the first $5$ positive even integers and the first $5$ positive odd integers? $\textbf{(A) }2\qquad\textbf{(B) }3\qquad\textbf{(C) }4\qquad\textbf{(D) }5\qquad\textbf{(E) }6$