Let $n > 1$ be an integer. In a circular arrangement of $n$ lamps $L_0, \ldots, L_{n-1},$ each of of which can either ON or OFF, we start with the situation where all lamps are ON, and then carry out a sequence of steps, $Step_0, Step_1, \ldots .$ If $L_{j-1}$ ($j$ is taken mod $n$) is ON then $Step_j$ changes the state of $L_j$ (it goes from ON to OFF or from OFF to ON) but does not change the state of any of the other lamps. If $L_{j-1}$ is OFF then $Step_j$ does not change anything at all. Show that: (i) There is a positive integer $M(n)$ such that after $M(n)$ steps all lamps are ON again, (ii) If $n$ has the form $2^k$ then all the lamps are ON after $n^2-1$ steps, (iii) If $n$ has the form $2^k + 1$ then all lamps are ON after $n^2 - n + 1$ steps.

Let $n\geqslant 2$ be a positive integer. Paul has a $1\times n^2$ rectangular strip consisting of $n^2$ unit squares, where the $i^{\text{th}}$ square is labelled with $i$ for all $1\leqslant i\leqslant n^2$. He wishes to cut the strip into several pieces, where each piece consists of a number of consecutive unit squares, and then [i]translate[/i] (without rotating or flipping) the pieces to obtain an $n\times n$ square satisfying the following property: if the unit square in the $i^{\text{th}}$ row and $j^{\text{th}}$ column is labelled with $a_{ij}$, then $a_{ij}-(i+j-1)$ is divisible by $n$. Determine the smallest number of pieces Paul needs to make in order to accomplish this.

Let $a$ and $b$ be distinct positive integers. The following infinite process takes place on an initially empty board. [list=i] [*] If there is at least a pair of equal numbers on the board, we choose such a pair and increase one of its components by $a$ and the other by $b$. [*] If no such pair exists, we write two times the number $0$. [/list] Prove that, no matter how we make the choices in $(i)$, operation $(ii)$ will be performed only finitely many times. Proposed by [I]Serbia[/I].

We are given a natural number $k$. Let us consider the following game on an infinite onedimensional board. At the start of the game, we distrubute $n$ coins on the fields of the given board (one field can have multiple coins on itself). After that, we have two choices for the following moves: $(i)$ We choose two nonempty fields next to each other, and we transfer all the coins from one of the fields to the other. $(ii)$ We choose a field with at least $2$ coins on it, and we transfer one coin from the chosen field to the $k-\mathrm{th}$ field on the left , and one coin from the chosen field to the $k-\mathrm{th}$ field on the right. $\mathbf{(a)}$ If $n\leq k+1$, prove that we can play only finitely many moves. $\mathbf{(b)}$ For which values of $k$ we can choose a natural number $n$ and distribute $n$ coins on the given board such that we can play infinitely many moves.

There are 3 heaps with $100,101,102$ stones. Ilya and Kostya play next game. Every step they take one stone from some heap, but not from same, that was on previous step. They make his steps in turn, Ilya make first step. Player loses if can not make step. Who has winning strategy?

The numbers $1,2,\dots,10$ are written on a board. Every minute, one can select three numbers $a$, $b$, $c$ on the board, erase them, and write $\sqrt{a^2+b^2+c^2}$ in their place. This process continues until no more numbers can be erased. What is the largest possible number that can remain on the board at this point? [i]Proposed by Evan Chen[/i]

A finite set $S$ of unit squares is chosen out of a large grid of unit squares. The squares of $S$ are tiled with isosceles right triangles of hypotenuse $2$ so that the triangles do not overlap each other, do not extend past $S$, and all of $S$ is fully covered by the triangles. Additionally, the hypotenuse of each triangle lies along a grid line, and the vertices of the triangles lie at the corners of the squares. Show that the number of triangles must be a multiple of $4$.

Let $ A \equal{} (a_{ij})$, where $ i,j \equal{} 1,2,\ldots,n$, be a square matrix with all $ a_{ij}$ non-negative integers. For each $ i,j$ such that $ a_{ij} \equal{} 0$, the sum of the elements in the $ i$th row and the $ j$th column is at least $ n$. Prove that the sum of all the elements in the matrix is at least $ \frac {n^2}{2}$.

Given $ a_0 \equal{} 1$, $ a_1 \equal{} 3$, and the general relation $ a_n^2 \minus{} a_{n \minus{} 1}a_{n \plus{} 1} \equal{} (\minus{}1)^n$ for $ n \ge 1$. Then $ a_3$ equals: $ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac{13}{27}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 33\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 21\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 10\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \minus{}17$

Let $\mathbb Z$ be the set of integers. We consider functions $f :\mathbb Z\to\mathbb Z$ satisfying \[f\left(f(x+y)+y\right)=f\left(f(x)+y\right)\] for all integers $x$ and $y$. For such a function, we say that an integer $v$ is [i]f-rare[/i] if the set \[X_v=\{x\in\mathbb Z:f(x)=v\}\] is finite and nonempty. (a) Prove that there exists such a function $f$ for which there is an $f$-rare integer. (b) Prove that no such function $f$ can have more than one $f$-rare integer. [i]Netherlands[/i]

Prove that each finite set of integers can be arranged without intersection.

You have some cyan, magenta, and yellow beads on a non-reorientable circle, and you can perform only the following operations: 1. Move a cyan bead right (clockwise) past a yellow bead, and turn the yellow bead magenta. 2. Move a magenta bead left of a cyan bead, and insert a yellow bead left of where the magenta bead ends up. 3. Do either of the above, switching the roles of the words ``magenta'' and ``left'' with those of ``yellow'' and ``right'', respectively. 4. Pick any two disjoint consecutive pairs of beads, each either yellow-magenta or magenta-yellow, appearing somewhere in the circle, and swap the orders of each pair. 5. Remove four consecutive beads of one color. Starting with the circle: ``yellow, yellow, magenta, magenta, cyan, cyan, cyan'', determine whether or not you can reach a) ``yellow, magenta, yellow, magenta, cyan, cyan, cyan'', b) ``cyan, yellow, cyan, magenta, cyan'', c) ``magenta, magenta, cyan, cyan, cyan'', d) ``yellow, cyan, cyan, cyan''. [i]Proposed by Sammy Luo[/i]

Let $n \geq 3$ be a fixed integer. The number $1$ is written $n$ times on a blackboard. Below the blackboard, there are two buckets that are initially empty. A move consists of erasing two of the numbers $a$ and $b$, replacing them with the numbers $1$ and $a+b$, then adding one stone to the first bucket and $\gcd(a, b)$ stones to the second bucket. After some finite number of moves, there are $s$ stones in the first bucket and $t$ stones in the second bucket, where $s$ and $t$ are positive integers. Find all possible values of the ratio $\frac{t}{s}$.

Esteban the alchemist have $8088$ copper pieces, $6066$ bronze pieces, $4044$ silver pieces and $2022$ gold pieces. He can take two pieces of different metals and use a magic hammer to turn them into two pieces of different metals that he take and different each other. Find the largest number of gold pieces that Esteban can obtain after using the magic hammer a finite number of times. $\textbf{Note:}$ [i]If Esteban takes a copper and bronze pieces, then he turn them into a silver and a gold pieces.[/i]

A single player game has the following rules: initially, there are $10$ piles of stones with $1,2,...,10$ stones, respectively. A movement consists on making one of the following operations: i) to choose $2$ piles, both of them with at least $2$ stones, combine them and then add $2$ stones to the new pile; ii) to choose a pile with at least $4$ stones, remove $2$ stones from it, and then split it into two piles with amount of piles to be chosen by the player. The game continues until is not possible to make an operation. a) Give an example of a sequence of moves leading to the end of the game. b) Make a table with the total number of stones and the number of piles before and after the first 5 operations in your example above. c) Show that the number of piles with one stone in the end of the game is always the same, no matter how the movements are made.