$(FRA 5)$ Let $\alpha(n)$ be the number of pairs $(x, y)$ of integers such that $x+y = n, 0 \le y \le x$, and let $\beta(n)$ be the number of triples $(x, y, z)$ such that$ x + y + z = n$ and $0 \le z \le y \le x.$ Find a simple relation between $\alpha(n)$ and the integer part of the number $\frac{n+2}{2}$ and the relation among $\beta(n), \beta(n -3)$ and $\alpha(n).$ Then evaluate $\beta(n)$ as a function of the residue of $n$ modulo $6$. What can be said about $\beta(n)$ and $1+\frac{n(n+6)}{12}$? And what about $\frac{(n+3)^2}{6}$? Find the number of triples $(x, y, z)$ with the property $x+ y+ z \le n, 0 \le z \le y \le x$ as a function of the residue of $n$ modulo $6.$What can be said about the relation between this number and the number $\frac{(n+6)(2n^2+9n+12)}{72}$?

Denote by $a_n$ the greatest number that is not divisible by $3$ and that divides $n$. Consider the sequence $s_0 = 0, s_n = a_1 +a_2+\cdots+a_n, n \in \mathbb N$. Denote by $A(n)$ the number of all sums $s_k \ (0 \leq k \leq 3^n, k \in \mathbb N_0)$ that are divisible by $3$. Prove the formula \[A(n) = 3^{n-1} + 2 \cdot 3^{(n/2)-1} \cos \left(\frac{n\pi}{6}\right), \qquad n\in \mathbb N_0.\]

In how many distinguishable rearrangements of the letters ABCCDEEF does the A precede both C's, the F appears between the 2 C's, and the D appears after the F?

The SET game is a deck with $81$ unique cards that vary in four features across three possibilities for each kind of feature: shape (oval, squiggle or diamond), color (red, green or purple), number of shapes (one, two or three) and shading (solid, striped or open). A $\textbf{set}$ consists in three cards whose characteristics, when considered individually, are the same on each card or different on all of them. All features have to satisfy this rule. In other words: the shape must be the same on all three cards or different on all them, the color must be the same on the three cards or different on all them, and so on. Ana and Bárbara divided among themselves the $81$ SET cards. Ana got $40$ cards and Bárbara got $41$. Each girl counted the number of ways she could form a three-card $\textbf{set}$ with her cards. What are the possible values of the sum of these two numbers?

Let $A$ and $E$ be opposite vertices of an octagon. A frog starts at vertex $A.$ From any vertex except $E$ it jumps to one of the two adjacent vertices. When it reaches $E$ it stops. Let $a_n$ be the number of distinct paths of exactly $n$ jumps ending at $E$. Prove that: \[ a_{2n-1}=0, \quad a_{2n}={(2+\sqrt2)^{n-1} - (2-\sqrt2)^{n-1} \over\sqrt2}. \]

Let $ S \equal{} \{x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_{k \plus{} l}\}$ be a $ (k \plus{} l)$-element set of real numbers contained in the interval $ [0, 1]$; $ k$ and $ l$ are positive integers. A $ k$-element subset $ A\subset S$ is called [i]nice[/i] if \[ \left |\frac {1}{k}\sum_{x_i\in A} x_i \minus{} \frac {1}{l}\sum_{x_j\in S\setminus A} x_j\right |\le \frac {k \plus{} l}{2kl}\] Prove that the number of nice subsets is at least $ \dfrac{2}{k \plus{} l}\dbinom{k \plus{} l}{k}$. [i]Proposed by Andrey Badzyan, Russia[/i]

Each face of a regular tetrahedron is painted either red, white or blue. Two colorings are considered indistinguishable if two congruent tetrahedra with those colorings can be rotated so that their appearances are identical. How many distinguishable colorings are possible? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 15 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 18 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 27 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 54 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 81$

Prove that one can find 100 distinct pairs of integers such that every digit of each number is no less than 6 and the product of the numbers in each pair is also a number with all its digits being no less than 6. [i](4 points)[/i]

The integer $ 9$ can be written as a sum of two consecutive integers: $ 9 \equal{} 4\plus{}5.$ Moreover, it can be written as a sum of (more than one) consecutive positive integers in exactly two ways: $ 9 \equal{} 4\plus{}5 \equal{} 2\plus{}3\plus{}4.$ Is there an integer that can be written as a sum of $ 1990$ consecutive integers and that can be written as a sum of (more than one) consecutive positive integers in exactly $ 1990$ ways?

Find the number of triples of sets $(A, B, C)$ such that: (a) $A, B, C \subseteq \{1, 2, 3, \dots , 8 \}$. (b) $|A \cap B| = |B \cap C| = |C \cap A| = 2$. (c) $|A| = |B| = |C| = 4$. Here, $|S|$ denotes the number of elements in the set $S$.

Distinct pebbles are placed on a $1001 \times 1001$ board consisting of $1001^2$ unit tiles, such that every unit tile consists of at most one pebble. The [i]pebble set[/i] of a unit tile is the set of all pebbles situated in the same row or column with said unit tile. Determine the minimum amount of pebbles that must be placed on the board so that no two distinct tiles have the same [i]pebble set[/i]. [hide=Where's the Algebra Problem?]It's already posted [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c6h2742895_simple_inequality]here[/url].[/hide]

Let $k$, $\ell $ and $m$ be positive integers. Let $ABCDEF$ be a hexagon that has a center of symmetry whose angles are all $120^\circ$ and let its sidelengths be $AB=k$, $BC=\ell$ and $CD=m$. Let $f(k,\ell,m)$ denote the number of ways we can partition hexagon $ABCDEF$ into rhombi with unit sides and an angle of $120^\circ$. Prove that by fixing $\ell$ and $m$, there exists polynomial $g_{\ell,m}$ such that $f(k,\ell,m)=g_{\ell,m}(k)$ for every positive integer $k$, and find the degree of $g_{\ell,m}$ in terms of $\ell$ and $m$. [i]Submitted by Zoltán Gyenes, Budapest[/i]

Let $a_1,a_2,\ldots$ be a sequence of integers with infinitely many positive and negative terms. Suppose that for every positive integer $n$ the numbers $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n$ leave $n$ different remainders upon division by $n$. Prove that every integer occurs exactly once in the sequence $a_1,a_2,\ldots$.

Let $n \geq 1$ be an integer. A [b]path[/b] from $(0,0)$ to $(n,n)$ in the $xy$ plane is a chain of consecutive unit moves either to the right (move denoted by $E$) or upwards (move denoted by $N$), all the moves being made inside the half-plane $x \geq y$. A [b]step[/b] in a path is the occurence of two consecutive moves of the form $EN$. Show that the number of paths from $(0,0)$ to $(n,n)$ that contain exactly $s$ steps $(n \geq s \geq 1)$ is \[\frac{1}{s} \binom{n-1}{s-1} \binom{n}{s-1}.\]

Let $a$ and $b$ be positive integers. We tile a rectangle with dimensions $a$ and $b$ using squares whose side-length is a power of $2$, i.e. the tiling may include squares of dimensions $1\times 1, 2\times 2, 4\times 4$ etc. Denote by $M$ the minimal number of squares in such a tiling. Numbers $a$ and $b$ can be uniquely represented as the sum of distinct powers of $2$: $a=2^{a_1}+\cdots+2^{a_k},\; b=2^{b_1}+\cdots +2^{b_\ell}.$ Show that $$M=\sum_{i=1}^k \;\sum_{j=1}^{\ell} 2^{|a_i-b_j|}.$$

A permutation $ \{x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_{2n}\}$ of the set $ \{1,2, \ldots, 2n\}$ where $ n$ is a positive integer, is said to have property $ T$ if $ |x_i \minus{} x_{i \plus{} 1}| \equal{} n$ for at least one $ i$ in $ \{1,2, \ldots, 2n \minus{} 1\}.$ Show that, for each $ n$, there are more permutations with property $ T$ than without.

Find the number of second-degree polynomials $ f(x)$ with integer coefficients and integer zeros for which $ f(0)\equal{}2010$.

An urn contains balls of $k$ different colors; there are $n_i$ balls of $i-th$ color. Balls are selected at random from the urn, one by one, without replacement, until among the selected balls $m$ balls of the same color appear. Find the greatest number of selections.

Rohit is counting the minimum number of lines $m$, that can be drawn so that the number of distinct points of intersection exceeds $2020$. Find $m$. (A)$63$ (B)$64$ (C)$65$ (D)$66$

Let $n > 1$ be a positive integer. A 2-dimensional grid, infinite in all directions, is given. Each 1 by 1 square in a given $n$ by $n$ square has a counter on it. A [i]move[/i] consists of taking $n$ adjacent counters in a row or column and sliding them each by one space along that row or column. A [i]returning sequence[/i] is a finite sequence of moves such that all counters again fill the original $n$ by $n$ square at the end of the sequence. [list] [*] Assume that all counters are distinguishable except two, which are indistinguishable from each other. Prove that any distinguishable arrangement of counters in the $n$ by $n$ square can be reached by a returning sequence. [*] Assume all counters are distinguishable. Prove that there is no returning sequence that switches two counters and returns the rest to their original positions.[/list] [i]Mitchell Lee and Benjamin Gunby.[/i]

Let $N$ be the number of integral solutions of the equation \[x^2 - y^2 = z^3 - t^3\] satisfying the condition $0 \leq x, y, z, t \leq 10^6$, and let $M$ be the number of integral solutions of the equation \[x^2 - y^2 = z^3 - t^3 + 1\] satisfying the condition $0 \leq x, y, z, t \leq 10^6$. Prove that $N >M.$

There are 2018 points marked on a sphere. A zebra wants to paint each point white or black and, perhaps, connect some pairs of points of different colors with a segment. Find the residue modulo 5 of the number of ways to do this.

Farmer John has $ 5$ cows, $ 4$ pigs, and $ 7$ horses. How many ways can he pair up the animals so that every pair consists of animals of different species? (Assume that all animals are distinguishable from each other.)

Given $n>4$ points in the plane, no three collinear. Prove that there are at least $\frac{(n-3)(n-4)}{2}$ convex quadrilaterals with vertices amongst the $n$ points.

Consider all segments dividing the area of a triangle $ABC$ in two equal parts. Find the length of the shortest segment among them, if the side lengths $a,$ $b,$ $c$ of triangle $ABC$ are given. How many of these shortest segments exist ?