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

Tags were heavily modified to better represent problems.

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Found problems: 53

1964 Putnam, A3

Let $P_1 , P_2 , \ldots$ be a sequence of distinct points which is dense in the interval $(0,1)$. The points $P_1 , \ldots , P_{n-1}$ decompose the interval into $n$ parts, and $P_n$ decomposes one of these into two parts. Let $a_n$ and $b_n$ be the length of these two intervals. Prove that $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} a_n b_n (a_n +b_n) =1 \slash 3.$$

2015 VJIMC, 3

[b]Problem 3[/b] Determine the set of real values of $x$ for which the following series converges, and find its sum: $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \left(\sum_{\substack{k_1, k_2,\ldots , k_n \geq 0\\ 1\cdot k_1 + 2\cdot k_2+\ldots +n\cdot k_n = n}} \frac{(k_1+\ldots+k_n)!}{k_1!\cdot \ldots \cdot k_n!} x^{k_1+\ldots +k_n} \right) \ . $$

2003 Gheorghe Vranceanu, 3

Let be a sequence of functions $ a_n:\mathbb{R}\longrightarrow\mathbb{Z} $ defined as $ a_n(x)=\sum_{i=1}^n (-1)^i\lfloor xi\rfloor . $ [b]a)[/b] Find the real numbers $ y $ such that $ \left( a_n(y) \right)_{n\ge 1} $ converges to $ 1. $ [b]b)[/b] Find the real numbers $ z $ such that $ \left( a_n(z) \right)_{n\ge 1} $ converges.

2004 VJIMC, Problem 3

Let $\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n$ be a divergent series with positive nonincreasing terms. Prove that the series $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{a_n}{1+na_n}$$diverges.

2001 SNSB Admission, 2

Let be a number $ a\in \left[ 1,\infty \right) $ and a function $ f\in\mathcal{C}^2(-a,a) . $ Show that the sequence $$ \left( \sum_{k=1}^n f\left( \frac{k}{n^2} \right) \right)_{n\ge 1} $$ is convergent, and determine its limit.

1952 Putnam, B5

If the terms of a sequence $a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots$ are monotonic, and if $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} a_n$ converges, show that $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} n(a_{n} -a_{n+1 })$ converges.

1952 Putnam, B7

Given any real number $N_0,$ if $N_{j+1}= \cos N_j ,$ prove that $\lim_{j\to \infty} N_j$ exists and is independent of $N_0.$

1981 Putnam, A1

Tags: convergence
Let $E(n)$ denote the largest integer $k$ such that $5^k$ divides $1^{1}\cdot 2^{2} \cdot 3^{3} \cdot \ldots \cdot n^{n}.$ Calculate $$\lim_{n\to \infty} \frac{E(n)}{n^2 }.$$

1996 IMC, 7

Prove that if $f:[0,1]\rightarrow[0,1]$ is a continuous function, then the sequence of iterates $x_{n+1}=f(x_{n})$ converges if and only if $$\lim_{n\to \infty}(x_{n+1}-x_{n})=0$$

2022 Miklós Schweitzer, 8

Original in Hungarian; translated with Google translate; polished by myself. Prove that, the signs $\varepsilon_n = \pm 1$ can be chosen such that the function $f(s) = \sum_{n = 1}^\infty\frac{\varepsilon_n}{n^s}\colon \{s\in\Bbb C:\operatorname{Re}s > 1\}\to \Bbb C$ converges to every complex value at every point $\xi \in \{s\in\Bbb C:\operatorname{Re}s = 1\}$ (i.e. for every $\xi \in \{s\in\Bbb C:\operatorname{Re}s = 1\}$ and every $z \in \Bbb C$, there exists a sequence $s_n \to \xi$, $\operatorname{Re}s_n > 1$, for which $f(s_n) \to z$).

1975 Putnam, B5

Define $f_{0}(x)=e^x$ and $f_{n+1}(x)=x f_{n}'(x)$. Show that $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{f_{n}(1)}{n!}=e^e$.

2006 VJIMC, Problem 2

Tags: limit , convergence
Suppose that $(a_n)$ is a sequence of real numbers such that the series $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{a_n}n$$is convergent. Show that the sequence $$b_n=\frac1n\sum^n_{j=1}a_j$$is convergent and find its limit.

1961 Putnam, B7

Given a sequence $(a_n)$ of non-negative real numbers such that $a_{n+m}\leq a_{n} a_{m} $ for all pairs of positive integers $m$ and $n,$ prove that the sequence $(\sqrt[n]{a_n })$ converges.

1964 Putnam, B1

Tags: convergence
Let $u_k$ be a sequence of integers, and let $V_n$ be the number of those which are less than or equal to $n$. Show that if $$\sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{u_k } < \infty,$$ then $$\lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{ V_{n}}{n}=0.$$

2002 German National Olympiad, 4

Given a positive real number $a_1$, we recursively define $a_{n+1} = 1+a_1 a_2 \cdots \cdot a_n.$ Furthermore, let $$b_n = \frac{1}{a_1 } + \frac{1}{a_2 } +\cdots + \frac{1}{a_n }.$$ Prove that $b_n < \frac{2}{a_1}$ for all positive integers $n$ and that this is the smallest possible bound.

1964 Putnam, B5

Let $u_n$ denote the least common multiple of the first $n$ terms of a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers. Prove that the series $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{ u_n }$$ is convergent

1973 Putnam, A2

Consider an infinite series whose $n$-th term is $\pm (1\slash n)$, the $\pm$ signs being determined according to a pattern that repeats periodically in blocks of eight (there are $2^{8}$ possible patterns). (a) Show that a sufficient condition for the series to be conditionally convergent is that there are four "$+$" signs and four "$-$" signs in the block of eight signs. (b) Is this sufficient condition also necessary?

2019 District Olympiad, 1

Let $(a_n)_{n \ge 1}$ be a sequence of positive real numbers such that the sequence $(a_{n+1}-a_n)_{n \ge 1}$ is convergent to a non-zero real number. Evaluate the limit $$ \lim_{n \to \infty} \left( \frac{a_{n+1}}{a_n} \right)^n.$$

2023 SEEMOUS, P4

Let $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ be a continuous, strictly decreasing function such that $f([0,1])\subseteq[0,1]$. [list=i] [*]For all positive integers $n{}$ prove that there exists a unique $a_n\in(0,1)$, solution of the equation $f(x)=x^n$. Moreover, if $(a_n){}$ is the sequence defined as above, prove that $\lim_{n\to\infty}a_n=1$. [*]Suppose $f$ has a continuous derivative, with $f(1)=0$ and $f'(1)<0$. For any $x\in\mathbb{R}$ we define \[F(x)=\int_x^1f(t) \ dt.\]Let $\alpha{}$ be a real number. Study the convergence of the series \[\sum_{n=1}^\infty F(a_n)^\alpha.\] [/list]

2025 VJIMC, 3

Let us call a sequence $(b_1, b_2, \ldots)$ of positive integers fast-growing if $b_{n+1} \geq b_n + 2$ for all $n \geq 1$. Also, for a sequence $a = (a(1), a(2), \ldots)$ of real numbers and a sequence $b = (b_1, b_2, \ldots)$ of positive integers, let us denote \[ S(a, b) = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \left| a(b_n) + a(b_n + 1) + \cdots + a(b_{n+1} - 1) \right|. \] a) Do there exist two fast-growing sequences $b = (b_1, b_2, \ldots)$, $c = (c_1, c_2, \ldots)$ such that for every sequence $a = (a(1), a(2), \ldots)$, if all the series \[ \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} a(n), \quad S(a, b) \quad \text{and} \quad S(a, c) \] are convergent, then the series $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} |a(n)|$ is also convergent? b) Do there exist three fast-growing sequences $b = (b_1, b_2, \ldots)$, $c = (c_1, c_2, \ldots)$, $d = (d_1, d_2, \ldots)$ such that for every sequence $a = (a(1), a(2), \ldots)$, if all the series \[ S(a, b), \quad S(a, c) \quad \text{and} \quad S(a, d) \] are convergent, then the series $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} |a(n)|$ is also convergent?

2006 VTRMC, Problem 5

Let $\{a_n\}$ be a monotonically decreasing sequence of positive real numbers with limit $0$. Let $\{b_n\}$ be a rearrangement of the sequence such that for every non-negative integer $m$, the terms $b_{3m+1}$, $b_{3m+2}$, $b_{3m+3}$ are a rearrangement of the terms $a_{3m+1}$, $a_{3m+2}$, $a_{3m+3}$. Prove or give a counterexample to the following statement: the series $\sum_{n=1}^\infty(-1)^nb_n$ is convergent.

1941 Putnam, B2

Find (i) $\lim_{n\to \infty} \sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2 +i^{2}}}$. (ii) $\lim_{n\to \infty} \sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2 +i}}$. (iii) $\lim_{n\to \infty} \sum_{i=1}^{n^{2}} \frac{1}{\sqrt{n^2 +i}}$.

2020 LIMIT Category 2, 20

Let $\{a_n \}_n$ be a sequence of real numbers such there there are countably infinite distinct subsequences converging to the same point. We call two subsequences distinct if they do not have a common term. Which of the following statements always holds: (A) $\{a_n \}_n$ is bounded (B) $\{a_n \}_n$ is unbounded (C) The set of convergent subsequence $\{a_n \}_n$ is countable (D) None of these

2010 VJIMC, Problem 1

a) Is it true that for every bijection $f:\mathbb N\to\mathbb N$ the series $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac1{nf(n)}$$is convergent? b) Prove that there exists a bijection $f:\mathbb N\to\mathbb N$ such that the series $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac1{n+f(n)}$$is convergent. ($\mathbb N$ is the set of all positive integers.)

Kvant 2020, M365

[list=a] [*]The sum of several numbers is equal to one. Can the sum of their cubes be greater than one? [*]The same question as before, for numbers not exceeding one. [*]Can it happen that the series $a_1+a_2+\cdots$ converges, but the series $a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots$ diverges? [/list]