Olympiad problems

2016 Rioplatense Mathematical Olympiad, Level 3, 4

Let $c > 1$ be a real number. A function $f: [0 ,1 ] \to R$ is called c-friendly if $f(0) = 0, f(1) = 1$ and $|f(x) -f(y)| \le c|x - y|$ for all the numbers $x ,y \in [0,1]$. Find the maximum of the expression $|f(x) - f(y)|$ for all [i]c-friendly[/i] functions $f$ and for all the numbers $x,y \in [0,1]$.

2002 USA Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: inequalities , trigonometry , trigonometric inequality , function

Let $ ABC$ be a triangle, and $ A$, $ B$, $ C$ its angles. Prove that \[ \sin\frac{3A}{2}+\sin\frac{3B}{2}+\sin\frac{3C}{2}\leq \cos\frac{A-B}{2}+\cos\frac{B-C}{2}+\cos\frac{C-A}{2}. \]

1998 Hong kong National Olympiad, 4

Tags: function , algebra

Define a function $f$ on positive real numbers to satisfy \[f(1)=1 , f(x+1)=xf(x) \textrm{ and } f(x)=10^{g(x)},\] where $g(x) $ is a function defined on real numbers and for all real numbers $y,z$ and $0\leq t \leq 1$, it satisfies \[g(ty+(1-t)z) \leq tg(y)+(1-t)g(z).\] (1) Prove: for any integer $n$ and $0 \leq t \leq 1$, we have \[t[g(n)-g(n-1)] \leq g(n+t)-g(n) \leq t[g(n+1)-g(n)].\] (2) Prove that \[\frac{4}{3} \leq f(\frac{1}{2}) \leq \frac{4}{3} \sqrt{2}.\]

2014 ELMO Shortlist, 5

Tags: function , combinatorics

Let $n$ be a positive integer. For any $k$, denote by $a_k$ the number of permutations of $\{1,2,\dots,n\}$ with exactly $k$ disjoint cycles. (For example, if $n=3$ then $a_2=3$ since $(1)(23)$, $(2)(31)$, $(3)(12)$ are the only such permutations.) Evaluate \[ a_n n^n + a_{n-1} n^{n-1} + \dots + a_1 n. \][i]Proposed by Sammy Luo[/i]

1991 China Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: polynomial , inequalities , function , algebra

Let real coefficient polynomial $f(x) = x^n + a_1 \cdot x^{n-1} + \ldots + a_n$ has real roots $b_1, b_2, \ldots, b_n$, $n \geq 2,$ prove that $\forall x \geq max\{b_1, b_2, \ldots, b_n\}$, we have \[f(x+1) \geq \frac{2 \cdot n^2}{\frac{1}{x-b_1} + \frac{1}{x-b_2} + \ldots + \frac{1}{x-b_n}}.\]

2017 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 3

Tags: function , algebra , functional equation

Let $f: \mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ be a function satisfying $f(x)f(y)=f(x-y)$. Find all possible values of $f(2017)$.

1982 IMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: function , algebra , functional equation

The function $f(n)$ is defined on the positive integers and takes non-negative integer values. $f(2)=0,f(3)>0,f(9999)=3333$ and for all $m,n:$ \[ f(m+n)-f(m)-f(n)=0 \text{ or } 1. \] Determine $f(1982)$.

2024 Romania National Olympiad, 1

Tags: real analysis , calculus , integration , function

Let $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ be a continuous function such that $f(x)+\sin(f(x)) \ge x,$ for all $x \in \mathbb{R}.$ Prove that $$\int\limits_0^{\pi} f(x) \mathrm{d}x \ge \frac{\pi^2}{2}-2.$$

2000 Putnam, 4

Tags: function , trigonometry , induction

Let $f(x)$ be a continuous function such that $f(2x^2-1)=2xf(x)$ for all $x$. Show that $f(x)=0$ for $-1\le x \le 1$.

2011 Kosovo National Mathematical Olympiad, 2

Tags: function

It is given the function $f: \left(\mathbb{R} - \{0\}\right) \to \mathbb{R}$ such that $f(x)=x+\frac{1}{x}$. Is this function injective ? Justify your answer.

2005 District Olympiad, 2

Tags: calculus , integration , function , limit , geometry , rectangle , analytic geometry

Let $f:[0,1]\to\mathbb{R}$ be a continuous function and let $\{a_n\}_n$, $\{b_n\}_n$ be sequences of reals such that \[ \lim_{n\to\infty} \int^1_0 | f(x) - a_nx - b_n | dx = 0 . \] Prove that: a) The sequences $\{a_n\}_n$, $\{b_n\}_n$ are convergent; b) The function $f$ is linear.

1999 All-Russian Olympiad, 2

Tags: induction , function , combinatorics

Each rational point on a real line is assigned an integer. Prove that there is a segment such that the sum of the numbers at its endpoints does not exceed twice the number at its midpoint.

2013 IMO Shortlist, N6

Tags: function , number theory , functional equation

Determine all functions $f: \mathbb{Q} \rightarrow \mathbb{Z} $ satisfying \[ f \left( \frac{f(x)+a} {b}\right) = f \left( \frac{x+a}{b} \right) \] for all $x \in \mathbb{Q}$, $a \in \mathbb{Z}$, and $b \in \mathbb{Z}_{>0}$. (Here, $\mathbb{Z}_{>0}$ denotes the set of positive integers.)

2006 Iran Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: induction , function , triangle inequality , inequalities

Let $x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n$ be real numbers. Prove that \[ \sum_{i,j=1}^n |x_i+x_j|\geq n\sum_{i=1}^n |x_i| \]

2013 ELMO Shortlist, 7

Tags: function , induction , algebra , 3n-3 theorem , continuity

Consider a function $f: \mathbb Z \to \mathbb Z$ such that for every integer $n \ge 0$, there are at most $0.001n^2$ pairs of integers $(x,y)$ for which $f(x+y) \neq f(x)+f(y)$ and $\max\{ \lvert x \rvert, \lvert y \rvert \} \le n$. Is it possible that for some integer $n \ge 0$, there are more than $n$ integers $a$ such that $f(a) \neq a \cdot f(1)$ and $\lvert a \rvert \le n$? [i]Proposed by David Yang[/i]

1988 Polish MO Finals, 1

Tags: function , algebra

$d$ is a positive integer and $f : [0,d] \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is a continuous function with $f(0) = f(d)$. Show that there exists $x \in [0,d-1]$ such that $f(x) = f(x+1)$.

2010 Albania Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: function , induction , domain , functional equation , algebra

Find all the continuous functions $f : \mathbb{R} \mapsto\mathbb{R}$ such that $\forall x,y \in \mathbb{R}$, $(1+f(x)f(y))f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y)$.

2009 Middle European Mathematical Olympiad, 1

Tags: function , algebra , functional equation , real

Find all functions $ f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$, such that \[ f(xf(y)) \plus{} f(f(x) \plus{} f(y)) \equal{} yf(x) \plus{} f(x \plus{} f(y))\] holds for all $ x$, $ y \in \mathbb{R}$, where $ \mathbb{R}$ denotes the set of real numbers.

2005 District Olympiad, 2

Tags: function , real analysis

Let $f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ a continuous function such that for any $a,b\in \mathbb{R}$, with $a<b$ such that $f(a)=f(b)$, there exist some $c\in (a,b)$ such that $f(a)=f(b)=f(c)$. Prove that $f$ is monotonic over $\mathbb{R}$.

1940 Putnam, A3

Tags: function , integration , calculus

Let $a$ be a real number. Find all real-valued functions $f$ such that $$\int f(x)^{a} dx=\left( \int f(x) dx \right)^{a}$$ when constants of integration are suitably chosen.

2008 Iran Team Selection Test, 5

Tags: inequalities , function , three variable inequality

Let $a,b,c > 0$ and $ab+bc+ca = 1$. Prove that: \[ \sqrt {a^3 + a} + \sqrt {b^3 + b} + \sqrt {c^3 + c}\geq2\sqrt {a + b + c}. \]

2011 Iran Team Selection Test, 5

Tags: function , algebra

Find all surjective functions $f: \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$ such that for every $x,y\in \mathbb R,$ we have \[f(x+f(x)+2f(y))=f(2x)+f(2y).\]

2014 JHMMC 7 Contest, 13

Tags: function

Define $x\star y$ to be $x^y+y^x$.Compute $2\star (2\star 2)$.

1990 IMO Longlists, 64

Tags: function , combinatorics

Given an $m$-element set $M$ and a $k$-element subset $K \subset M$. We call a function $f: K \to M$ has "path", if there exists an element $x_0 \in K$ such that $f(x_0) = x_0$, or there exists a chain $x_0, x_1, \ldots, x_j = x_0 \in K$ such that $_xi = f(x_{i-1})$ for $i = 1, 2, \ldots, j$. Find the number of functions $f: K \to M$ which have path.

2007 Miklós Schweitzer, 5

Tags: real analysis , function

Let $D=\{ (x,y) \mid x>0, y\neq 0\}$ and let $u\in C^1(\overline {D})$ be a bounded function that is harmonic on $D$ and for which $u=0$ on the $y$-axis. Prove that $u$ is identically zero. (translated by Miklós Maróti)