Olympiad problems

2002 Polish MO Finals, 1

Tags: inequalities

$x_1,...,x_n$ are non-negative reals and $n \geq 3$. Prove that at least one of the following inequalities is true: \[ \sum_{i=1} ^n \frac{x_i}{x_{i+1}+x_{i+2}} \geq \frac{n}{2}, \] \[ \sum_{i=1} ^n \frac{x_i}{x_{i-1}+x_{i-2}} \geq \frac{n}{2} . \]

2002 AMC 10, 4

Tags: inequalities

For how many positive integers $ m$ does there exist at least one positive integer $ n$ such that $ m\cdot n \le m \plus{} n$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 4 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 6 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 9 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 12 \qquad \textbf{(E)}$ infinitely many

1982 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 341

Tags: inequalities , exponential , algebra

Prove that the following inequality is valid for the positive $x$: $$2^{x^{1/12}}+ 2^{x^{1/4}} \ge 2^{1 + x^{1/6} }$$

2009 Jozsef Wildt International Math Competition, W. 16

Tags: inequalities , number theory

Prove that $$\sum \limits_{k=1}^n \frac{1}{d(k)}>\sqrt{n+1}-1$$ For every $n\geq 1$, $d(n)$ is the number of divisors of $n$

1987 AIME Problems, 2

Tags: triangle inequality , inequalities , 3d geometry , sphere , geometry

What is the largest possible distance between two points, one on the sphere of radius 19 with center $(-2, -10, 5)$ and the other on the sphere of radius 87 with center $(12, 8, -16)$?

2001 Federal Math Competition of S&M, Problem 2

Tags: inequalities , summation

Let $x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_{2001}$ be positive numbers such that $$x_i^2\ge x_1^2+\frac{x_2^2}{2^3}+\frac{x_3^2}{3^3}+\ldots+\frac{x_{i-1}^2}{(i-1)^3}\enspace\text{for }2\le i\le2001.$$Prove that $\sum_{i=2}^{2001}\frac{x_i}{x_1+x_2+\ldots+x_{i-1}}>1.999$.

2014 Tuymaada Olympiad, 3

Tags: function , inequalities

Positive numbers $a,\ b,\ c$ satisfy $\dfrac{1}{a}+\dfrac{1}{b}+\dfrac{1}{c}=3$. Prove the inequality \[\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a^3+1}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{b^3+1}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{c^3+1}}\le \dfrac{3}{\sqrt{2}}. \] [i](N. Alexandrov)[/i]

2002 Federal Competition For Advanced Students, Part 1, 2

Tags: inequalities

Find the greatest real number $C$ such that, for all real numbers $x$ and $y \neq x$ with $xy = 2$ it holds that \[\frac{((x + y)^2 - 6)((x - y)^2 + 8)}{(x-y)^2}\geq C.\] When does equality occur?

2003 Estonia National Olympiad, 4

Tags: inequalities , algebra

Let $a, b$, and $c$ be positive real numbers not greater than $2$. Prove the inequality $\frac{abc}{a + b + c} \le \frac43$

1982 IMO Longlists, 56

Tags: graphing lines , analytic geometry , inequalities , algebra , conic , parabola , polynomial

Let $f(x) = ax^2 + bx+ c$ and $g(x) = cx^2 + bx + a$. If $|f(0)| \leq 1, |f(1)| \leq 1, |f(-1)| \leq 1$, prove that for $|x| \leq 1$, [b](a)[/b] $|f(x)| \leq 5/4$, [b](b)[/b] $|g(x)| \leq 2$.

2011 Bogdan Stan, 3

Tags: inequalities , cauchy schwarz

Prove that $$ a+b+c>\left( \sqrt\alpha +\sqrt\beta +\sqrt\gamma \right)^2, $$ for all positive real numbers $ a,b,c,\alpha ,\beta ,\gamma $ that are under the condition $$ abc>\alpha bc+\beta ac+\gamma ab. $$ [i]Țuțescu Lucian[/i] and [i]Chiriță Aurel[/i]

1996 Czech and Slovak Match, 3

Tags: solid geometry , 3d geometry , inequalities , geometry , pyramid

The base of a regular quadrilateral pyramid $\pi$ is a square with side length $2a$ and its lateral edge has length a$\sqrt{17}$. Let $M$ be a point inside the pyramid. Consider the five pyramids which are similar to $\pi$ , whose top vertex is at $M$ and whose bases lie in the planes of the faces of $\pi$ . Show that the sum of the surface areas of these five pyramids is greater or equal to one fifth the surface of $\pi$ , and find for which $M$ equality holds.

2009 Canada National Olympiad, 3

Tags: inequalities , calculus

Define $f(x,y,z)=\frac{(xy+yz+zx)(x+y+z)}{(x+y)(y+z)(z+x)}$. Determine the set of real numbers $r$ for which there exists a triplet of positive real numbers satisfying $f(x,y,z)=r$.

2007 India Regional Mathematical Olympiad, 6

Tags: inequalities

Prove that: [b](a)[/b] $ 5<\sqrt {5}\plus{}\sqrt [3]{5}\plus{}\sqrt [4]{5}$ [b](b)[/b] $ 8>\sqrt {8}\plus{}\sqrt [3]{8}\plus{}\sqrt [4]{8}$ [b](c)[/b] $ n>\sqrt {n}\plus{}\sqrt [3]{n}\plus{}\sqrt [4]{n}$ for all integers $ n\geq 9 .$ [b][Weightage 16/100][/b]

2019 Romania National Olympiad, 4

Tags: inequalities

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

2006 IMO Shortlist, 4

Tags: function , inequalities , algebra

Prove the inequality: \[\sum_{i < j}{\frac {a_{i}a_{j}}{a_{i} \plus{} a_{j}}}\leq \frac {n}{2(a_{1} \plus{} a_{2} \plus{}\cdots \plus{} a_{n})}\cdot \sum_{i < j}{a_{i}a_{j}}\] for positive reals $ a_{1},a_{2},\ldots,a_{n}$. [i]Proposed by Dusan Dukic, Serbia[/i]

2004 Singapore Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: trigonometry , inequalities , function

Let $0 < a, b, c < 1$ with $ab + bc + ca = 1$. Prove that \[\frac{a}{1-a^2} + \frac{b}{1-b^2} + \frac{c}{1-c^2} \geq \frac {3 \sqrt{3}}{2}.\] Determine when equality holds.

2012 Romania Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: domain , inequalities , function , algebra

Let $k$ be a positive integer. Find the maximum value of \[a^{3k-1}b+b^{3k-1}c+c^{3k-1}a+k^2a^kb^kc^k,\] where $a$, $b$, $c$ are non-negative reals such that $a+b+c=3k$.

2018 IFYM, Sozopol, 4

Tags: algebra , inequalities

$x \geq 0$ and $y$ are real numbers for which $y^2 \geq x(x + 1)$. Prove that: $(y - 1)^2 \geq x(x-1)$.

2013 ELMO Shortlist, 4

Tags: inequalities

Positive reals $a$, $b$, and $c$ obey $\frac{a^2+b^2+c^2}{ab+bc+ca} = \frac{ab+bc+ca+1}{2}$. Prove that \[ \sqrt{a^2+b^2+c^2} \le 1 + \frac{\lvert a-b \rvert + \lvert b-c \rvert + \lvert c-a \rvert}{2}. \][i]Proposed by Evan Chen[/i]

2017 Korea National Olympiad, problem 7

Tags: functional equation , inequalities , function , algebra

Find all real numbers $c$ such that there exists a function $f: \mathbb{R}_{ \ge 0} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ which satisfies the following. For all nonnegative reals $x, y$, $f(x+y^2) \ge cf(x)+y$. Here $\mathbb{R}_{\ge 0}$ is the set of all nonnegative reals.

2011 Serbia National Math Olympiad, 1

Tags: induction , inequalities , algebra

Let $n \ge 2$ be integer. Let $a_0$, $a_1$, ... $a_n$ be sequence of positive reals such that: $(a_{k-1}+a_k)(a_k+a_{k+1})=a_{k-1}-a_{k+1}$, for $k=1, 2, ..., n-1$. Prove $a_n< \frac{1}{n-1}$.

2011 Moldova Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , inequalities , derivative , calculus

Find all real numbers $x, y$ such that: $y+3\sqrt{x+2}=\frac{23}2+y^2-\sqrt{49-16x}$

2011 AMC 10, 2

Tags: inequalities

Josanna's test scores to date are 90, 80, 70, 60, and 85. Her goal is to raise her test average at least 3 points with her next test. What is the minimum test score she would need to accomplish this goal? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 80 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 82 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 85 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 90 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 95 $

2009 USAMTS Problems, 5

Tags: inequalities , induction

The sequences $(a_n), (b_n),$ and $(c_n)$ are defined by $a_0 = 1, b_0 = 0, c_0 = 0,$ and \[a_n = a_{n-1} + \frac{c_{n-1}}{n}, b_n = b_{n-1} +\frac{a_{n-1}}{n}, c_n = c_{n-1} +\frac{b_{n-1}}{n}\] for all $n \geq1$. Prove that \[\left|a_n -\frac{n + 1}{3}\right|<\frac{2}{\sqrt{3n}}\] for all $n \geq 1$.