Let $n>1$ be a natural number. Let $U=\{1,2,...,n\}$, and define $A\Delta B$ to be the set of all those elements of $U$ which belong to exactly one of $A$ and $B$. Show that $|\mathcal{F}|\le 2^{n-1}$, where $\mathcal{F}$ is a collection of subsets of $U$ such that for any two distinct elements of $A,B$ of $\mathcal{F}$ we have $|A\Delta B|\ge 2$. Also find all such collections $\mathcal{F}$ for which the maximum is attained.

We define the sequence $x_n$ so that \[x_1=a, x_2=b, x_n=\frac{{x_{n-1}}^2+{x_{n-2}}^2}{x_{n-1}+x_{n-2}} \quad \forall n \geq 3.\] Where $a,b >1$ are relatively prime numbers. Show that $x_n$ is not an integer for $n \geq 3$.

Let $S=\{1,2,3,\ldots,2012\}.$ We want to partition $S$ into two disjoint sets such that both sets do not contain two different numbers whose sum is a power of $2.$ Find the number of such partitions.

Find all functions $ f :\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R} $, satisfying the condition $f (xf (y) + f (x)) = 2f (x) + xy$ for any real $x$ and $y$.

On a large, flat field $n$ people are positioned so that for each person the distances to all the other people are different. Each person holds a water pistol and at a given signal fires and hits the person who is closest. When $n$ is odd show that there is at least one person left dry. Is this always true when $n$ is even?

Let $f: (0,+\infty)\rightarrow (0,+\infty)$ be a function satisfying the following condition: for arbitrary positive real numbers $x$ and $y$, we have $f(xy)\le f(x)f(y)$. Show that for arbitrary positive real number $x$ and natural number $n$, inequality $f(x^n)\le f(x)f(x^2)^{\dfrac{1}{2}}\dots f(x^n)^{\dfrac{1}{n}}$ holds.

There are $ n \plus{} 1$ cells in a row labeled from $ 0$ to $ n$ and $ n \plus{} 1$ cards labeled from $ 0$ to $ n$. The cards are arbitrarily placed in the cells, one per cell. The objective is to get card $ i$ into cell $ i$ for each $ i$. The allowed move is to find the smallest $ h$ such that cell $ h$ has a card with a label $ k > h$, pick up that card, slide the cards in cells $ h \plus{} 1$, $ h \plus{} 2$, ... , $ k$ one cell to the left and to place card $ k$ in cell $ k$. Show that at most $ 2^n \minus{} 1$ moves are required to get every card into the correct cell and that there is a unique starting position which requires $ 2^n \minus{} 1$ moves. [For example, if $ n \equal{} 2$ and the initial position is 210, then we get 102, then 012, a total of 2 moves.]

Solve the equation $3^x=2^xy+1$ in positive integers.

Given a sequence $<a_1,a_2,a_3,\cdots >$ of real numbers, we define $m_n$ as the arithmetic mean of the numbers $a_1$ to $a_n$ for $n\in\mathbb{Z}^+$. If there is a real number $C$, such that \[ (i-j)m_k+(j-k)m_i+(k-i)m_j=C\] for every triple $(i,j,k)$ of distinct positive integers, prove that the sequence $<a_1,a_2,a_3,\cdots >$ is an arithmetic progression.

Let $n$ be positive integer, set $M = \{ 1, 2, \ldots, 2n \}$. Find the minimum positive integer $k$ such that for any subset $A$ (with $k$ elements) of set $M$, there exist four pairwise distinct elements in $A$ whose sum is $4n + 1$.

2011 storage buildings are connected by roads so that it is possible to reach any building from any other building, possibly using multiple roads. The buildings contain $x_1,\dots,x_{2011}$ kilogram of cement. In one move, it is possible to relocate any quantity of cement from one building to any other building that is connected to it. The target is to have $y_1,\dots,y_{2011}$ redistributed across storage buildings and \[x_1+x_2+\dots+x_{2011}=y_1+y_2+\dots+y_{2011}.\] What is the minimal number of moves that the redistribution can take regardless of values of $x_i$ and $y_i$ and of the road plan? (Author: P. Karasev)

In an infinite increasing sequence of positive integers, every term from the $2002^{\text{th}}$ term divides the sum of all preceding terms. Prove that every term starting from some term is equal to the sum of all preceding terms.

Find, with proof, all real numbers $x$ satisfying $x = 2\left( 2 \left( 2\left( 2\left( 2x-1 \right)-1 \right)-1 \right)-1 \right)-1$. [i]Proposed by Evan Chen[/i]

Let $a \neq b a,b \in \mathbb{R}$ such that $(x^2+20ax+10b)(x^2+20bx+10a)=0$ has no roots for $x$. Prove that $20(b-a)$ is not an integer.

Let $x_1, x_2, \ldots ,x_n(n\ge 2)$ be real numbers greater than $1$. Suppose that $|x_i-x_{i+1}|<1$ for $i=1, 2,\ldots ,n-1$. Prove that \[\frac{x_1}{x_2}+\frac{x_2}{x_3}+\ldots +\frac{x_{n-1}}{x_n}+\frac{x_n}{x_1}<2n-1\]

Show that for nonnegative real numbers $a,b$ and integers $n\ge 2$, \[\frac{a^n+b^n}{2}\ge\left(\frac{a+b}{2}\right)^n\] When does equality hold?

Let $a,b,c\ge0$. Show that $(a^2+2bc)^{2012}+(b^2+2ca)^{2012}+(c^2+2ab)^{2012}\le (a^2+b^2+c^2)^{2012}+2(ab+bc+ca)^{2012}$. [i]Calvin Deng.[/i]

For every integer $n \ge 1$, the function $f_n : \left\{ 0, 1, \cdots, n \right\} \to \mathbb R$ is defined recursively by $f_n(0) = 0$, $f_n(1) = 1$ and \[ (n-k) f_n(k-1) + kf_n(k+1) = nf_n(k) \] for each $1 \le k < n$. Let $S_N = f_{N+1}(1) + f_{N+2}(2) + \cdots + f_{2N} (N)$. Find the remainder when $\left\lfloor S_{2013} \right\rfloor$ is divided by $2011$. (Here $\left\lfloor x \right\rfloor$ is the greatest integer not exceeding $x$.) [i]Proposed by Lewis Chen[/i]

Determine all nonempty finite sets of positive integers $\{a_1, \dots, a_n\}$ such that $a_1 \cdots a_n$ divides $(x + a_1) \cdots (x + a_n)$ for every positive integer $x$. [i]Proposed by Ankan Bhattacharya[/i]

Prove that $2^{2^{n}}+2^{2^{{n-1}}}+1$ has at least $n$ distinct prime divisors.

An $ n \times n$ matrix whose entries come from the set $ S \equal{} \{1, 2, \ldots , 2n \minus{} 1\}$ is called a [i]silver matrix[/i] if, for each $ i \equal{} 1, 2, \ldots , n$, the $ i$-th row and the $ i$-th column together contain all elements of $ S$. Show that: (a) there is no silver matrix for $ n \equal{} 1997$; (b) silver matrices exist for infinitely many values of $ n$.

Let $a$ be an odd digit and $b$ an even digit. Prove that for every positive integer $n$ there exists a positive integer, divisible by $2^n$, whose decimal representation contains no digits other than $a$ and $b$.

For any two rational numbers $ p$ and $ q$ in the interval $ (0,1)$ and function $ f$, there is always $ \displaystyle f \left( \frac{p\plus{}q}{2} \right) \leq \frac{f(p) \plus{} f(q)}{2}$. Then prove that for any rational numbers $ \lambda, x_1, x_2 \in (0,1)$, there is always: \[ f( \lambda x_1 \plus{} (1\minus{}\lambda) x_2 ) \leq \lambda f(x_i) \plus{} (1\minus{}\lambda) f(x_2)\]

A Dyck $n$-path is a lattice path of $n$ upsteps $(1, 1)$ and $n$ downsteps $(1, -1)$ that starts at the origin $O$ and never dips below the $x$-axis. A return is a maximal sequence of contiguous downsteps that terminates on the $x$-axis. For example, the Dyck $5$-path illustrated has two returns, of length $3$ and $1$ respectively. Show that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the Dyck $n$-paths with no return of even length and the Dyck $(n - 1)$ paths. \[\begin{picture}(165,70) \put(-5,0){O} \put(0,10){\line(1,0){150}} \put(0,10){\line(1,1){30}} \put(30,40){\line(1,-1){15}} \put(45,25){\line(1,1){30}} \put(75,55){\line(1,-1){45}} \put(120,10){\line(1,1){15}} \put(135,25){\line(1,-1){15}} \put(0,10){\circle{1}}\put(0,10){\circle{2}}\put(0,10){\circle{3}}\put(0,10){\circle{4}} \put(15,25){\circle{1}}\put(15,25){\circle{2}}\put(15,25){\circle{3}}\put(15,25){\circle{4}} \put(30,40){\circle{1}}\put(30,40){\circle{2}}\put(30,40){\circle{3}}\put(30,40){\circle{4}} \put(45,25){\circle{1}}\put(45,25){\circle{2}}\put(45,25){\circle{3}}\put(45,25){\circle{4}} \put(60,40){\circle{1}}\put(60,40){\circle{2}}\put(60,40){\circle{3}}\put(60,40){\circle{4}} \put(75,55){\circle{1}}\put(75,55){\circle{2}}\put(75,55){\circle{3}}\put(75,55){\circle{4}} \put(90,40){\circle{1}}\put(90,40){\circle{2}}\put(90,40){\circle{3}}\put(90,40){\circle{4}} \put(105,25){\circle{1}}\put(105,25){\circle{2}}\put(105,25){\circle{3}}\put(105,25){\circle{4}} \put(120,10){\circle{1}}\put(120,10){\circle{2}}\put(120,10){\circle{3}}\put(120,10){\circle{4}} \put(135,25){\circle{1}}\put(135,25){\circle{2}}\put(135,25){\circle{3}}\put(135,25){\circle{4}} \put(150,10){\circle{1}}\put(150,10){\circle{2}}\put(150,10){\circle{3}}\put(150,10){\circle{4}} \end{picture}\]

2008 persons take part in a programming contest. In one round, the 2008 programmers are divided into two groups. Find the minimum number of groups such that every two programmers ever be in the same group.