Let $a_1, \ldots, a_n$ be $n$ positive numbers and $0 < q < 1.$ Determine $n$ positive numbers $b_1, \ldots, b_n$ so that: [i]a.)[/i] $ a_{k} < b_{k}$ for all $k = 1, \ldots, n,$ [i]b.)[/i] $q < \frac{b_{k+1}}{b_{k}} < \frac{1}{q}$ for all $k = 1, \ldots, n-1,$ [i]c.)[/i] $\sum \limits^n_{k=1} b_k < \frac{1+q}{1-q} \cdot \sum \limits^n_{k=1} a_k.$

Suppose $x$ is a positive real number such that $\{x\}, [x]$ and $x$ are in a geometric progression. Find the least positive integer $n$ such that $x^n > 100$. (Here $[x]$ denotes the integer part of $x$ and $\{x\} = x - [x]$.)

Let $A$ be a finite set of positive reals, let $B = \{x/y\mid x,y\in A\}$ and let $C = \{xy\mid x,y\in A\}$. Show that $|A|\cdot|B|\le|C|^2$. [i](Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Austria)[/i]

In an increasing sequence of four positive integers, the first three terms form an arithmetic progression, the last three terms form a geometric progression, and the first and fourth terms differ by 30. Find the sum of the four terms.

For every positive integer $n$, let $\operatorname{mod_5}(n)$ be the remainder obtained when $n$ is divided by $5$. Define a function $f : \{0, 1, 2, 3, \dots\} \times \{0, 1, 2, 3, 4\} \to \{0, 1, 2, 3, 4\}$ recursively as follows: \[f(i, j) = \begin{cases} \operatorname{mod_5}(j+1) & \text{if }i=0\text{ and }0\leq j\leq 4 \\ f(i-1, 1) & \text{if }i\geq 1\text{ and }j=0 \text{, and}\\ f(i-1, f(i, j-1)) & \text{if }i\geq 1\text{ and }1\leq j\leq 4 \end{cases}\] What is $f(2015, 2)$? $\textbf{(A) }0 \qquad\textbf{(B) }1 \qquad\textbf{(C) }2 \qquad\textbf{(D) }3 \qquad\textbf{(E) }4$

Prove that, for any integer $a_{1}>1$, there exist an increasing sequence of positive integers $a_{1}, a_{2}, a_{3}, \cdots$ such that \[a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots+a_{n}\; \vert \; a_{1}^{2}+a_{2}^{2}+\cdots+a_{n}^{2}\] for all $n \in \mathbb{N}$.

If $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$ is a sequence of positive numbers such that $a_{n+2}=a_na_{n+1}$ for all positive integers $n$, then the sequence $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$ is a geometric progression $\textbf{(A) }\text{for all positive values of }a_1\text{ and }a_2\qquad$ $\textbf{(B) }\text{if and only if }a_1=a_2\qquad$ $\textbf{(C) }\text{if and only if }a_1=1\qquad$ $\textbf{(D) }\text{if and only if }a_2=1\qquad $ $\textbf{(E) }\text{if and only if }a_1=a_2=1$

In a rectangular plot of land, a man walks in a very peculiar fashion. Labeling the corners $ABCD$, he starts at $A$ and walks to $C$. Then, he walks to the midpoint of side $AD$, say $A_1$. Then, he walks to the midpoint of side $CD$ say $C_1$, and then the midpoint of $A_1D$ which is $A_2$. He continues in this fashion, indefinitely. The total length of his path if $AB=5$ and $BC=12$ is of the form $a + b\sqrt{c}$. Find $\displaystyle\frac{abc}{4}$.

Given a set of $4n$ positive numbers such that any distinct choice of ordered foursomes of these numbers constitutes a geometric progression. Prove that at least $4$ numbers of the set are identical.

Let $a_n$ be a sequence of positive numbers such that: i) $\dfrac{a_{n+2}}{a_n}=\dfrac{1}{4}$, for every $n\in\mathbb{N}^{\star}$ ii) $\dfrac{a_{k+1}}{a_k}+\dfrac{a_{n+1}}{a_n}=1$, for every $ k,n\in\mathbb{N}^{\star}$ with $|k-n|\neq 1$. (a) Prove that $(a_n)$ is a geometric progression. (n) Prove that exists $t>0$, such that $\sqrt{a_{n+1}}\leq \dfrac{1}{2}a_n+t$

Alice, Bob, and Carol repeatedly take turns tossing a die. Alice begins; Bob always follows Alice; Carol always follows Bob; and Alice always follows Carol. Find the probability that Carol will be the first one to toss a six. (The probability of obtaining a six on any toss is $ \frac{1}{6}$, independent of the outcome of any other toss.) $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac{1}{3}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac{2}{9}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac{5}{18}\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac{25}{91}\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac{36}{91}$

Consider infinite sequences $\{x_n\}$ of positive reals such that $x_0=1$ and $x_0\ge x_1\ge x_2\ge\ldots$. [b]a)[/b] Prove that for every such sequence there is an $n\ge1$ such that: \[ {x_0^2\over x_1}+{x_1^2\over x_2}+\ldots+{x_{n-1}^2\over x_n}\ge3.999. \] [b]b)[/b] Find such a sequence such that for all $n$: \[ {x_0^2\over x_1}+{x_1^2\over x_2}+\ldots+{x_{n-1}^2\over x_n}<4. \]

Two infinite arithmetic progressions are called considerable different if the do not only differ by the absence of finitely many members at the beginning of one of the sequences. How many pairwise considerable different non-constant arithmetic progressions of positive integers that contain an infinite non-constant geometric progression $ (b_n)_{n\ge0}$ with $ b_2\equal{}40 \cdot 2009$ are there?

In a geometric sequence of real numbers, the sum of the first two terms is 7, and the sum of the first 6 terms is 91. The sum of the first 4 terms is $\text{(A)}\ 28 \qquad \text{(B)}\ 32 \qquad \text{(C)}\ 35 \qquad \text{(D)}\ 49 \qquad \text{(E)}\ 84$

Professor Piraldo takes part in soccer matches with a lot of goals and judges a match in his own peculiar way. A match with score of $m$ goals to $n$ goals, $m\geq n$, is [i]tough[/i] when $m\leq f(n)$, where $f(n)$ is defined by $f(0) = 0$ and, for $n \geq 1$, $f(n) = 2n-f(r)+r$, where $r$ is the largest integer such that $r < n$ and $f(r) \leq n$. Let $\phi ={1+\sqrt 5\over 2}$. Prove that a match with score of $m$ goals to $n$, $m\geq n$, is tough if $m\leq \phi n$ and is not tough if $m \geq \phi n+1$.

In a rectangular plot of land, a man walks in a very peculiar fashion. Labeling the corners $ABCD$, he starts at $A$ and walks to $C$. Then, he walks to the midpoint of side $AD$, say $A_1$. Then, he walks to the midpoint of side $CD$ say $C_1$, and then the midpoint of $A_1D$ which is $A_2$. He continues in this fashion, indefinitely. The total length of his path if $AB=5$ and $BC=12$ is of the form $a + b\sqrt{c}$. Find $\displaystyle\frac{abc}{4}$.

Positive integers $ a$, $ b$, and $ 2009$, with $ a<b<2009$, form a geometric sequence with an integer ratio. What is $ a$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 7 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 41 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 49 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 289 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 2009$

By adding the same constant to $20,50,100$ a geometric progression results. The common ratio is: $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac53 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \frac43\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \frac32\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \frac12\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \frac13 $

Initially Alex, Betty, and Charlie had a total of $444$ peanuts. Charlie had the most peanuts, and Alex had the least. The three numbers of peanuts that each person had form a geometric progression. Alex eats 5 of his peanuts, Betty eats 9 of her peanuts, and Charlie eats 25 of his peanuts. Now the three numbers of peanuts that each person has form an arithmetic progression. Find the number of peanuts Alex had initially.

Prove that the natural numbers can be divided into two groups in a way that both conditions are fulfilled: 1) For every prime number $p$ and every natural number $n$, the numbers $p^n,p^{n+1}$ and $p^{n+2}$ do not have the same colour. 2) There does not exist an infinite geometric sequence of natural numbers of the same colour.

In $ \triangle ABC$, $ AB \equal{} BC$, and $ BD$ is an altitude. Point $ E$ is on the extension of $ \overline{AC}$ such that $ BE \equal{} 10$. The values of $ \tan CBE$, $ \tan DBE$, and $ \tan ABE$ form a geometric progression, and the values of $ \cot DBE$, $ \cot CBE$, $ \cot DBC$ form an arithmetic progression. What is the area of $ \triangle ABC$? [asy]unitsize(3mm); defaultpen(linewidth(.8pt)+fontsize(10pt)); pair D=(0,0), C=(3,0), A=(-3,0), B=(0, 8), Ep=(6,0); draw(A--B--Ep--cycle); draw(D--B--C); label("$A$",A,S); label("$D$",D,S); label("$C$",C,S); label("$E$",Ep,S); label("$B$",B,N);[/asy]$ \textbf{(A)}\ 16 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac {50}{3} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 10\sqrt3 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 8\sqrt5 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 18$

Let $ABC$ be an isosceles triangle with $AB=4$, $BC=CA=6$. On the segment $AB$ consecutively lie points $X_{1},X_{2},X_{3},\ldots$ such that the lengths of the segments $AX_{1},X_{1}X_{2},X_{2}X_{3},\ldots$ form an infinite geometric progression with starting value $3$ and common ratio $\frac{1}{4}$. On the segment $CB$ consecutively lie points $Y_{1},Y_{2},Y_{3},\ldots$ such that the lengths of the segments $CY_{1},Y_{1}Y_{2},Y_{2}Y_{3},\ldots$ form an infinite geometric progression with starting value $3$ and common ratio $\frac{1}{2}$. On the segment $AC$ consecutively lie points $Z_{1},Z_{2},Z_{3},\ldots$ such that the lengths of the segments $AZ_{1},Z_{1}Z_{2},Z_{2}Z_{3},\ldots$ form an infinite geometric progression with starting value $3$ and common ratio $\frac{1}{2}$. Find all triplets of positive integers $(a,b,c)$ such that the segments $AY_{a}$, $BZ_{b}$ and $CX_{c}$ are concurrent.

If $x, 2x+2, 3x+3, \dots$ are in geometric progression, the fourth term is: ${{ \textbf{(A)}\ -27 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ -13\frac{1}{2} \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 12\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 13\frac{1}{2} }\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 27 } $

If the discriminant of $ ax^2\plus{}2bx\plus{}c\equal{}0$ is zero, then another true statement about $ a$, $ b$, and $ c$ is that: $ \textbf{(A)}\ \text{they form an arithmetic progression} \\ \textbf{(B)}\ \text{they form a geometric progression} \\ \textbf{(C)}\ \text{they are unequal} \\ \textbf{(D)}\ \text{they are all negative numbers} \\ \textbf{(E)}\ \text{only b is negative and a and c are positive}$

Find all triples of natural numbers $(a,b,c)$ such that $a$, $b$ and $c$ are in geometric progression and $a + b + c = 111$.