Olympiad problems

2021 Dutch IMO TST, 4

Tags: combinatorics , dominos

On a rectangular board with $m \times n$ squares ($m, n \ge 3$) there are dominoes ($2 \times 1$ or $1\times 2$ tiles), which do not overlap and do not extend beyond the board. Every domino covers exactly two squares of the board. Assume that the dominos cover the has the property that no more dominos can be added to the board and that the four corner spaces of the board are not all empty. Prove that at least $2/3$ of the squares of the board are covered with dominos.

1993 Italy TST, 4

Tags: combinatorics , dominos , Tiling , graph theory

An $m \times n$ chessboard with $m,n \ge 2$ is given. Some dominoes are placed on the chessboard so that the following conditions are satisfied: (i) Each domino occupies two adjacent squares of the chessboard, (ii) It is not possible to put another domino onto the chessboard without overlapping, (iii) It is not possible to slide a domino horizontally or vertically without overlapping. Prove that the number of squares that are not covered by a domino is less than $\frac15 mn$.

2001 Swedish Mathematical Competition, 6

Tags: combinatorics , combinatorial geometry , Chessboard , dominos

A chessboard is covered with $32$ dominos. Each domino covers two adjacent squares. Show that the number of horizontal dominos with a white square on the left equals the number with a white square on the right.

2021 Dutch IMO TST, 1

Tags: combinatorics , game , game strategy , winning strategy , dominos

Let $m$ and $n$ be natural numbers with $mn$ even. Jetze is going to cover an $m \times n$ board (consisting of $m$ rows and $n$ columns) with dominoes, so that every domino covers exactly two squares, dominos do not protrude or overlap, and all squares are covered by a domino. Merlin then moves all the dominoe color red or blue on the board. Find the smallest non-negative integer $V$ (in terms of $m$ and $n$) so that Merlin can always ensure that in each row the number squares covered by a red domino and the number of squares covered by a blue one dominoes are not more than $V$, no matter how Jetze covers the board.

1999 Singapore Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: combinatorial geometry , combinatorics , geometry , Coloring , dominos

Is it possible to use $2 \times 1$ dominoes to cover a $2k \times 2k$ checkerboard which has $2$ squares, one of each colour, removed ?

2021 Dutch IMO TST, 4

Tags: combinatorics , dominos

On a rectangular board with $m \times n$ squares ($m, n \ge 3$) there are dominoes ($2 \times 1$ or $1\times 2$ tiles), which do not overlap and do not extend beyond the board. Every domino covers exactly two squares of the board. Assume that the dominos cover the has the property that no more dominos can be added to the board and that the four corner spaces of the board are not all empty. Prove that at least $2/3$ of the squares of the board are covered with dominos.

2001 Saint Petersburg Mathematical Olympiad, 11.7

Tags: combinatorics , Tiling , Coloring , Rectangles , dominos

Rectangles $1\times20$, $1\times 19$, ..., $1\times 1$ were cut out of $20\times20$ table. Prove that at least 85 dominoes(1×2 rectangle) can be removed from the remainder. Proposed by S. Berlov

2021 Dutch IMO TST, 1

Tags: combinatorics , game , game strategy , winning strategy , dominos

Let $m$ and $n$ be natural numbers with $mn$ even. Jetze is going to cover an $m \times n$ board (consisting of $m$ rows and $n$ columns) with dominoes, so that every domino covers exactly two squares, dominos do not protrude or overlap, and all squares are covered by a domino. Merlin then moves all the dominoe color red or blue on the board. Find the smallest non-negative integer $V$ (in terms of $m$ and $n$) so that Merlin can always ensure that in each row the number squares covered by a red domino and the number of squares covered by a blue one dominoes are not more than $V$, no matter how Jetze covers the board.