Let $n \in \mathbb N$, $n \geq 2$. (a) Give an example of two matrices $A,B \in \mathcal M_n \left( \mathbb C \right)$ such that \[ \textrm{rank} \left( AB \right) - \textrm{rank} \left( BA \right) = \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor . \] (b) Prove that for all matrices $X,Y \in \mathcal M_n \left( \mathbb C \right)$ we have \[ \textrm{rank} \left( XY \right) - \textrm{rank} \left( YX \right) \leq \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor . \] [i]Ion Savu[/i]

Let be a field $ \mathbb{F} $ and two nonzero nilpotent matrices $ M,N\in\mathcal{M}_2\left( \mathbb{F} \right) $ that commute. Show that: [b]a)[/b] $ MN=0 $ [b]b)[/b] there exists a nonzero element $ f\in\mathbb{F} $ such that $ M=fN $ [i]Dorel Miheț[/i]

Let be a natural number $ n, $ a complex number $ a, $ and two matrices $ \left( a_{pq}\right)_{1\le q\le n}^{1\le p\le n} ,\left( b_{pq}\right)_{1\le q\le n}^{1\le p\le n}\in\mathcal{M}_n(\mathbb{C} ) $ such that $$ b_{pq} =a^{p-q}\cdot a_{pq},\quad\forall p,q\in\{ 1,2,\ldots ,n\} . $$ Calculate the determinant of $ B $ (in function of $ a $ and the determinant of $ A $ ).

If $A$ is the $3\times 3$ square matrix $\begin{bmatrix} 5 & 3 & 8\\ 2 & 2 & 5\\ 3 & 5 & 1 \end{bmatrix}$ and $B$ is the $4\times 4$ square matrix $\begin{bmatrix} 32 & 2 & 4 & 3 \\ 3 & 4 & 8 & 3 \\ 11 & 3 & 6 & 1 \\ 5 & 5 & 10 & 1 \end{bmatrix} $ find the sum of the determinants of $A$ and $B$.

Let $\alpha\in\mathbb R\backslash \{ 0 \}$ and suppose that $F$ and $G$ are linear maps (operators) from $\mathbb R^n$ into $\mathbb R^n$ satisfying $F\circ G - G\circ F=\alpha F$. a) Show that for all $k\in\mathbb N$ one has $F^k\circ G-G\circ F^k=\alpha kF^k$. b) Show that there exists $k\geq 1$ such that $F^k=0$.

Solve the system of equations: $ \begin{matrix} x^2 + x - 1 = y \\ y^2 + y - 1 = z \\ z^2 + z - 1 = x. \end{matrix} $

A four-digit number $YEAR$ is called [i]very good[/i] if the system \begin{align*} Yx+Ey+Az+Rw& =Y\\ Rx+Yy+Ez+Aw & = E\\\ Ax+Ry+Yz+Ew & = A\\ Ex+Ay+Rz+Yw &= R \end{align*} of linear equations in the variables $x,y,z$ and $w$ has at least two solutions. Find all very good $YEAR$s in the 21st century. (The $21$st century starts in $2001$ and ends in $2100$.) [i]Proposed by Tomáš Bárta, Charles University, Prague[/i]

The cells of a $(n^2-n+1)\times(n^2-n+1)$ matrix are coloured using $n$ colours. A colour is called [i]dominant[/i] on a row (or a column) if there are at least $n$ cells of this colour on that row (or column). A cell is called [i]extremal[/i] if its colour is [i]dominant [/i] both on its row, and its column. Find all $n \ge 2$ for which there is a colouring with no [i]extremal [/i] cells. Iurie Boreico (Moldova)

Let $$A=\left( \begin{array}{cc} 4 & -\sqrt{5} \\ 2\sqrt{5} & -3 \end{array} \right) $$ Find all pairs of integers \(m,n\) with \(n \geq 1\) and \(|m| \leq n\) such as all entries of \(A^n-(m+n^2)A\) are integer.

Let $A,B\in M_n(C)$ be two square matrices satisfying $A^2+B^2 = 2AB$. 1.Prove that $\det(AB-BA)=0$. 2.If $rank(A-B)=1$, then prove that $AB=BA$.

Let $ A_1,A_2,\dots,A_n$ be idempotent matrices with real entries. Prove that: \[ \mbox{N}(A_1)\plus{}\mbox{N}(A_2)\plus{}\dots\plus{}\mbox{N}(A_n)\geq \mbox{rank}(I\minus{}A_1A_2\dots A_n)\] $ \mbox{N}(A)$ is $ \mbox{dim}(\mbox{ker(A)})$

Let $A,B,C,D \in \mathcal{M}_n(\mathbb{C}),$ $A$ and $C$ invertible. Prove that if $A^k B = C^k D$ for any positive integer $k,$ then $B=D.$

Let $ f_1,f_2,\dots,f_n$ be regular functions on a domain of the complex plane, linearly independent over the complex field. Prove that the functions $ f_i\overline{f}_k, \;1 \leq i,k \leq n$, are also linearly independent. [i]L. Lempert[/i]

In a small pond there are eleven lily pads in a row labeled $0$ through $10$. A frog is sitting on pad $1$. When the frog is on pad $N$, $0<N<10$, it will jump to pad $N-1$ with probability $\frac{N}{10}$ and to pad $N+1$ with probability $1-\frac{N}{10}$. Each jump is independent of the previous jumps. If the frog reaches pad $0$ it will be eaten by a patiently waiting snake. If the frog reaches pad $10$ it will exit the pond, never to return. What is the probability that the frog will escape being eaten by the snake? $ \textbf {(A) } \frac{32}{79} \qquad \textbf {(B) } \frac{161}{384} \qquad \textbf {(C) } \frac{63}{146} \qquad \textbf {(D) } \frac{7}{16} \qquad \textbf {(E) } \frac{1}{2} $

Mientka Publishing Company prices its bestseller [i]Where's Walter?[/i] as follows: \[C(n) \equal{} \begin{cases} 12n, &\text{if } 1 \le n \le 24\\ 11n, &\text{if } 25 \le n \le 48\\ 10n, &\text{if } 49 \le n \end{cases}\] where $ n$ is the number of books ordered, and $ C(n)$ is the cost in dollars of $ n$ books. Notice that $ 25$ books cost less than $ 24$ books. For how many values of $ n$ is it cheaper to buy more than $ n$ books than to buy exactly $ n$ books? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 3\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 4\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 5\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 6\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 8$

In a three-dimensional Euclidean space, by $\overrightarrow{u_1}$ , $\overrightarrow{u_2}$ , $\overrightarrow{u_3}$ are denoted the three orthogonal unit vectors on the $x, y$, and $z$ axes, respectively. a) Prove that the point $P(t) = (1-t)\overrightarrow{u_1} +(2-3t)\overrightarrow{u_2} +(2t-1)\overrightarrow{u_3}$ , where $t$ takes all real values, describes a straight line (which we will denote by $L$). b) What describes the point $Q(t) = (1-t^2)\overrightarrow{u_1} +(2-3t^2)\overrightarrow{u_2} +(2t^2 -1)\overrightarrow{u_3}$ if $t$ takes all the real values? c) Find a vector parallel to $L$. d) For what values of $t$ is the point $P(t)$ on the plane $2x+ 3y + 2z +1 = 0$? e) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane parallel to the previous one and containing the point $Q(3)$. f) Find the Cartesian equation of the plane perpendicular to $L$ that contains the point $Q(2)$.

Consider a matrix of size $n\times n$ whose entries are real numbers of absolute value not exceeding $1$. The sum of all entries of the matrix is $0$. Let $n$ be an even positive integer. Determine the least number $C$ such that every such matrix necessarily has a row or a column with the sum of its entries not exceeding $C$ in absolute value. [i]Proposed by Marcin Kuczma, Poland[/i]

Decide whether the integers $1,2,\ldots,100$ can be arranged in the cells $C(i, j)$ of a $10\times10$ matrix (where $1\le i,j\le 10$), such that the following conditions are fullfiled: i) In every row, the entries add up to the same sum $S$. ii) In every column, the entries also add up to this sum $S$. iii) For every $k = 1, 2, \ldots, 10$ the ten entries $C(i, j)$ with $i-j\equiv k\bmod{10}$ add up to $S$. [i](Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Austria)[/i]

We select $16$ cells on an $8\times 8$ chessboard. What is the minimal number of pairs of selected cells in the same row or column?

$n(\geq 2)$ is a given integer and $T$ is set of all $n\times n$ matrices whose entries are elements of the set $S=\{1,\cdots,2017\}$. Evaluate the following value. \[\sum_{A\in T} \text{det}(A)\]

Let $Q$ be an $n$-by-$n$ real orthogonal matrix, and let $u\in \mathbb{R}^n$ be a unit column vector (that is, $u^Tu=1$). Let $P=I-2uu^T$, where $I$ is the $n$-by-$n$ identity matrix. Show that if $1$ is not an eigenvalue of $Q$, then $1$ is an eigenvalue of $PQ$.

Prove that the transformation product of the symmetry of center $(0, 0)$ with the symmetry of the axis, with the line of equation $x = y + 1$, can be expressed as a product of an axis symmetry the line $e$ by a translation of vector $\overrightarrow{v}$, with $e$ parallel to $\overrightarrow{v}$, . Determine a line $e$ and a vector $\overrightarrow{v}$, that meet the indicated conditions. have to be unique $e$ and $\overrightarrow{v}$,?

Let $\times$ represent the cross product in $\mathbb{R}^3.$ For what positive integers $n$ does there exist a set $S \subset \mathbb{R}^3$ with exactly $n$ elements such that $$S=\{v \times w: v, w \in S\}?$$

Le be a real number $ |a|<1, $ a natural number $ n\ge 2, $ and a $ 2\times 2 $ real matrix $ A $ that verifies $$ \det \left( A^{2n} -aA^{2n-1} -aA+I \right)=0. $$ Show that $ \det A=1. $

Let $p$ be a prime. We arrange the numbers in ${\{1,2,\ldots ,p^2} \}$ as a $p \times p$ matrix $A = ( a_{ij} )$. Next we can select any row or column and add $1$ to every number in it, or subtract $1$ from every number in it. We call the arrangement [i]good[/i] if we can change every number of the matrix to $0$ in a finite number of such moves. How many good arrangements are there?