Real function $f$ [b]generates[/b] real function $g$ if there exists a natural $k$ such that $f^k=g$ and we show this by $f \rightarrow g$. In this question we are trying to find some properties for relation $\rightarrow$, for example it's trivial that if $f \rightarrow g$ and $g \rightarrow h$ then $f \rightarrow h$.(transitivity) (a) Give an example of two real functions $f,g$ such that $f\not = g$ ,$f\rightarrow g$ and $g\rightarrow f$. (b) Prove that for each real function $f$ there exists a finite number of real functions $g$ such that $f \rightarrow g$ and $g \rightarrow f$. (c) Does there exist a real function $g$ such that no function generates it, except for $g$ itself? (d) Does there exist a real function which generates both $x^3$ and $x^5$? (e) Prove that if a function generates two polynomials of degree 1 $P,Q$ then there exists a polynomial $R$ of degree 1 which generates $P$ and $Q$. Time allowed for this problem was 75 minutes.

Denote by $C,\ l$ the graphs of the cubic function $C: y=x^3-3x^2+2x$, the line $l: y=ax$. (1) Find the range of $a$ such that $C$ and $l$ have intersection point other than the origin. (2) Denote $S(a)$ by the area bounded by $C$ and $l$. If $a$ move in the range found in (1), then find the value of $a$ for which $S(a)$ is minimized. 50 points

A $n+1$-tuple $\left(h_1,h_2, \cdots, h_{n+1}\right)$ where $h_i\left(x_1,x_2, \cdots , x_n\right)$ are $n$ variable polynomials with real coefficients is called [i]good[/i] if the following condition holds: For any $n$ functions $f_1,f_2, \cdots ,f_n : \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$ if for all $1 \le i \le n+1$, $P_i(x)=h_i \left(f_1(x),f_2(x), \cdots, f_n(x) \right)$ is a polynomial with variable $x$, then $f_1(x),f_2(x), \cdots, f_n(x)$ are polynomials. $a)$ Prove that for all positive integers $n$, there exists a [i]good[/i] $n+1$-tuple $\left(h_1,h_2, \cdots, h_{n+1}\right)$ such that the degree of all $h_i$ is more than $1$. $b)$ Prove that there doesn't exist any integer $n>1$ that for which there is a [i]good[/i] $n+1$-tuple $\left(h_1,h_2, \cdots, h_{n+1}\right)$ such that all $h_i$ are symmetric polynomials. [i]Proposed by Alireza Shavali[/i]

A function $ f$ has the property that $ f(3x \minus{} 1) \equal{} x^{2} \plus{} x \plus{} 1$ for all real numbers $ x$. What is $ f(5)$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 7 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 13 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 31 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 111 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 211$

Given a function $ f:\mathbb{N}\longrightarrow\mathbb{N} , $ find the necessary and sufficient condition that makes the sequence $$ \left(\left( 1+\frac{(-1)^{f(n)}}{n+1} \right)^{(-1)^{-f(n+1)}\cdot(n+2)}\right)_{n\ge 1} $$ to be monotone.

Let $V$ be the set of non-collinear pairs of vectors in $\mathbb{R}^3$, and $H$ be the set of lines passing through the origin. Is is true that for every continuous map $f\colon V\rightarrow H$ there exists a continuous map $g\colon V\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^3\,\backslash\,\{ 0\}$ such that $g(v)\in f(v)$ for all $v\in V$? (translated by Miklós Maróti)

In the sequence $1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 3, 5, \cdots$, each member after the sixth one is equal to the last digit of the sum of the six members just preceeding it. Prove that in this sequence one cannot find the following group of six consecutive members: \[0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1\]

Let $n$ be a positive integer and let $V$ be a $(2n-1)$-dimensional vector space over the two-element field. Prove that for arbitrary vectors $v_1,\dots,v_{4n-1} \in V,$ there exists a sequence $1\leq i_1<\dots<i_{2n}\leq 4n-1$ of indices such that $v_{i_1}+\dots+v_{i_{2n}}=0.$

Let $n$ and $k$ be positive integers. A function $f : \{1, 2, 3, 4, \dots , kn - 1, kn\} \to \{1, \cdots , 5\}$ is [i]good[/i] if $f(j + k) - f(j)$ is multiple of $k$ for every $j = 1, 2. \cdots , kn - k$. [b](a)[/b] Prove that, if $k = 2$, then the number of good functions is a perfect square for every positive integer $n$. [b](b)[/b] Prove that, if $k = 3$, then the number of good functions is a perfect cube for every positive integer $n$.

Consider the real numbers $ a\ne 0,b,c$ such that the function $ f(x) \equal{} ax^2 \plus{} bx \plus{} c$ satisfies $ |f(x)|\le 1$ for all $ x\in [0,1]$. Find the greatest possible value of $ |a| \plus{} |b| \plus{} |c|$.

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{N}\to \mathbb{N}$ such that for all $n\in \mathbb{N}$: \[f(f(n))+f(n)=2n+2001 \text{ or }2n+2002.\]

[b]a)[/b] Let $ u $ be a polynom in $ \mathbb{Q}[X] . $ Prove that the function $ E_u:\mathbb{Q}[X]\longrightarrow\mathbb{Q}[X] $ defined as $ E_u(P)=P(u) $ is an endomorphism. [b]b)[/b] Let $ E $ be an injective endomorphism of $ \mathbb{Q} [X] . $ Show that there exists a nonconstant polynom $ v $ in $ \mathbb{Q}[X] $ such that $ E(P)=P(v) , $ for any $ P $ in $ \mathbb{Q}[X] . $ [b]c)[/b] Let $ A $ be an automorphism of $ \mathbb{Q}[X] . $ Demonstrate that there is a nonzero constant polynom $ w $ in $ \mathbb{Q}[X] $ which has the property that $ A(P)=P(w) , $ for any $ P $ in $ \mathbb{Q}[X] . $ [i]Marcel Țena[/i]

Each positive integer is coloured red or blue. A function $f$ from the set of positive integers to itself has the following two properties: (a) if $x\le y$, then $f(x)\le f(y)$; and (b) if $x,y$ and $z$ are (not necessarily distinct) positive integers of the same colour and $x+y=z$, then $f(x)+f(y)=f(z)$. Prove that there exists a positive number $a$ such that $f(x)\le ax$ for all positive integers $x$. [i](United Kingdom) Ben Elliott[/i]

Find the range of the function $f(x)=\frac{\sqrt{x^2+1}}{x-1}$.

Prove that there is a function $f$ from the set of all natural numbers into itself such that $f(f(n))=n^2$ for all $n \in \mathbb{N}$.

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R}^+\to\mathbb{R}$ such that $f(x+y)=f(x^2)+f(y^2)$ for any $x,y \in\mathbb{R}^+$

For a subset $ S$ of vertices of graph $ G$, let $ \Lambda(S)$ be the subset of all edges of $ G$ such that at least one of their ends is in $ S$. Suppose that $ G$ is a graph with $ m$ edges. Let $ d^*: V(G)\longrightarrow\mathbb N\cup\{0\}$ be a function such that a) $ \sum_{u}d^*(u)\equal{}m$. b) For each subset $ S$ of $ V(G)$: \[ \sum_{u\in S}d^*(u)\leq|\Lambda(S)|\] Prove that we can give directions to edges of $ G$ such that for each edge $ e$, $ d^\plus{}(e)\equal{}d^*(e)$.

Let $\mathcal F = \{ f: [0,1] \to [0,\infty) \mid f$ continuous $\}$ and $n$ an integer, $n\geq 2$. Find the smallest real constant $c$ such that for any $f\in \mathcal F$ the following inequality takes place \[ \int^1_0 f \left( \sqrt [n] x \right) dx \leq c \int^1_0 f(x) dx. \]

Given a prime number $p\ge 3,$ and an integer $d \ge 1$. Prove that there exists an integer $n\ge 1,$ such that $\gcd(n,d) = 1,$ and the product \[P=\prod\limits_{1 \le i < j < p} {({i^{n + j}} - {j^{n + i}})} \text{ is not divisible by } p^n.\]

Let $ f(x) \equal{} \frac{x^2\plus{}1}{2x}$ for $ x \neq 0.$ Define $ f^{(0)}(x) \equal{} x$ and $ f^{(n)}(x) \equal{} f(f^{(n\minus{}1)}(x))$ for all positive integers $ n$ and $ x \neq 0.$ Prove that for all non-negative integers $ n$ and $ x \neq \{\minus{}1,0,1\}$ \[ \frac{f^{(n)}(x)}{f^{(n\plus{}1)}(x)} \equal{} 1 \plus{} \frac{1}{f \left( \left( \frac{x\plus{}1}{x\minus{}1} \right)^{2n} \right)}.\]

Let $0<a<b$.Prove the following inequaliy. \[\frac{1}{b-a}\int_a^b \left(\ln \frac{b}{x}\right)^2 dx<2\]

The function $ F$ is defined on the set of nonnegative integers and takes nonnegative integer values satisfying the following conditions: for every $ n \geq 0,$ (i) $ F(4n) \equal{} F(2n) \plus{} F(n),$ (ii) $ F(4n \plus{} 2) \equal{} F(4n) \plus{} 1,$ (iii) $ F(2n \plus{} 1) \equal{} F(2n) \plus{} 1.$ Prove that for each positive integer $ m,$ the number of integers $ n$ with $ 0 \leq n < 2^m$ and $ F(4n) \equal{} F(3n)$ is $ F(2^{m \plus{} 1}).$

Given a positive integer $n$, find all $n$-tuples of real number $(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n)$ such that \[ f(x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_n)=\sum_{k_1=0}^{2} \sum_{k_2=0}^{2} \cdots \sum_{k_n=0}^{2} \big| k_1x_1+k_2x_2+\cdots+k_nx_n-1 \big| \] attains its minimum.

Denote by $\mathbb{N}$ the set of all positive integers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{N}\rightarrow \mathbb{N}$ such that for all positive integers $m$ and $n$, the integer $f(m)+f(n)-mn$ is nonzero and divides $mf(m)+nf(n)$. [i]Proposed by Dorlir Ahmeti, Albania[/i]

On the coordinate plane, Let $C$ be the graph of $y=(\ln x)^2\ (x>0)$ and for $\alpha >0$, denote $L(\alpha)$ be the tangent line of $C$ at the point $(\alpha ,\ (\ln \alpha)^2).$ (1) Draw the graph. (2) Let $n(\alpha)$ be the number of the intersection points of $C$ and $L(\alpha)$. Find $n(\alpha)$. (3) For $0<\alpha <1$, let $S(\alpha)$ be the area of the region bounded by $C,\ L(\alpha)$ and the $x$-axis. Find $S(\alpha)$. 2010 Tokyo Institute of Technology entrance exam, Second Exam.