Let $x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n$ be real numbers satisfying $x_1^2+x_2^2+\ldots+x_n^2=1$. Prove that for every integer $k\ge2$ there are integers $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n$, not all zero, such that $|a_i|\le k-1$ for all $i$, and $|a_1x_1+a_2x_2+\ldots+a_nx_n|\le{(k-1)\sqrt n\over k^n-1}$. [i](IMO Problem 3)[/i] [i]Proposed by Germany, FR[/i]

Let $A$ and $B$ be real $n\times n $ matrices. Assume there exist $n+1$ different real numbers $t_{1},t_{2},\dots,t_{n+1}$ such that the matrices $$C_{i}=A+t_{i}B, \,\, i=1,2,\dots,n+1$$ are nilpotent. Show that both $A$ and $B$ are nilpotent.

Let $n,k$ be positive integers such that $n\ge k$. $n$ lamps are placed on a circle, which are all off. In any step we can change the state of $k$ consecutive lamps. In the following three cases, how many states of lamps are there in all $2^n$ possible states that can be obtained from the initial state by a certain series of operations? i)$k$ is a prime number greater than $2$; ii) $k$ is odd; iii) $k$ is even.

In each cell of a matrix $ n\times n$ a number from a set $ \{1,2,\ldots,n^2\}$ is written --- in the first row numbers $ 1,2,\ldots,n$, in the second $ n\plus{}1,n\plus{}2,\ldots,2n$ and so on. Exactly $ n$ of them have been chosen, no two from the same row or the same column. Let us denote by $ a_i$ a number chosen from row number $ i$. Show that: \[ \frac{1^2}{a_1}\plus{}\frac{2^2}{a_2}\plus{}\ldots \plus{}\frac{n^2}{a_n}\geq \frac{n\plus{}2}{2}\minus{}\frac{1}{n^2\plus{}1}\]

a) Let $A$ be a $n\times n$, $n\geq 2$, symmetric, invertible matrix with real positive elements. Show that $z_n\leq n^2-2n$, where $z_n$ is the number of zero elements in $A^{-1}$. b) How many zero elements are there in the inverse of the $n\times n$ matrix $$A=\begin{pmatrix} 1&1&1&1&\ldots&1\\ 1&2&2&2&\ldots&2\\ 1&2&1&1&\ldots&1\\ 1&2&1&2&\ldots&2\\ \vdots&\vdots&\vdots&\vdots&\ddots&\vdots\\ 1&2&1&2&\ldots&\ddots \end{pmatrix}$$

Let $G= \{ A \in \mathcal M_2 \left( \mathbb C \right) \mid |\det A| = 1 \}$ and $H =\{A \in \mathcal M_2 \left( \mathbb C \right) \mid \det A = 1 \}$. Prove that $G$ and $H$ together with the operation of matrix multiplication are two non-isomorphical groups.

There are $ 16$ pupils in a class. Every month, the teacher divides the pupils into two groups. Find the smallest number of months after which it will be possible that every two pupils were in two different groups during at least one month.

Let $A\in \mathcal{M}_2(\mathbb{R})$ such that $\det(A)=d\neq 0$ and $\det(A+dA^*)=0$. Prove that $\det(A-dA^*)=4$. [i]Daniel Jinga[/i]

Let $A,B \in \mathbb{R}^{n\times n}$ such that $AB+B+A=0$. Prove that $AB=BA$.

A $3$ by $3$ determinant has three entries equal to $2$, three entries equal to $5$, and three entries equal to $8$. Find the maximum possible value of the determinant.

Let $ABCD$ be a convex quadrilateral such that \[\begin{array}{rl} E,F \in [AB],& AE = EF = FB \\ G,H \in [BC],& BG = GH = HC \\ K,L \in [CD],& CK = KL = LD \\ M,N \in [DA],& DM = MN = NA \end{array}\] Let \[[NG] \cap [LE] = \{P\}, [NG]\cap [KF] = \{Q\},\] \[{[}MH] \cap [KF] = \{R\}, [MH]\cap [LE]=\{S\}\] Prove that [list=a][*]$Area(ABCD) = 9 \cdot Area(PQRS)$ [*] $NP=PQ=QG$ [/list]

In a school there are $n$ classes and $n$ students. The students are enrolled in classes, such that no two of them have exactly the same classes. Prove that we can close a class in a such way that there still are no two of them which have exactly the same classes.

Put $ M\equal{}\begin{pmatrix}p&q&r\\ r&p&q\\q&r&p\end{pmatrix}$ where $ p,q,r>0$ and $ p\plus{}q\plus{}r\equal{}1$. Prove that $ \lim_{n\rightarrow \infty}M^n\equal{}\begin{bmatrix}\frac13&\frac13&\frac13\\ \frac13&\frac13&\frac13\\\frac13&\frac13&\frac13\end{bmatrix}$

We will designate by $Z_{(5)}$ a certain subset of the set $Q$ of the rational numbers . A rational belongs to $Z_{(5)}$ if and only if there exist equal fraction to this rational such that $5$ is not a divisor of its denominator. (For example, the rational number $13/10$ does not belong to $Z_{(5)}$ , since the denominator of all fractions equal to $13/10$ is a multiple of $5$. On the other hand, the rational $75/10$ belongs to $Z_{(5)}$ since that $75/10 = 15/12$). Reasonably answer the following questions: a) What algebraic structure (semigroup, group, etc.) does $Z_{(5)}$ have with respect to the sum? b) And regarding the product? c) Is $Z_{(5)}$ a subring of $Q$? d) Is $Z_{(5)}$ a vector space?

$p=3k+1$ is a prime number. For each $m \in \mathbb Z_p$, define function $L$ as follow: $L(m) = \sum_{x \in \mathbb{Z}_p}^{ } \left ( \frac{x(x^3 + m)}{p} \right )$ [i]a)[/i] For every $m \in \mathbb Z_p$ and $t \in {\mathbb Z_p}^{*}$ prove that $L(m) = L(mt^3)$. (5 points) [i]b)[/i] Prove that there is a partition of ${\mathbb Z_p}^{*} = A \cup B \cup C$ such that $|A| = |B| = |C| = \frac{p-1}{3}$ and $L$ on each set is constant. Equivalently there are $a,b,c$ for which $L(x) = \left\{\begin{matrix} a & & &x \in A \\ b& & &x \in B \\ c& & & x \in C \end{matrix}\right.$ . (7 points) [i]c)[/i] Prove that $a+b+c = -3$. (4 points) [i]d)[/i] Prove that $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = 6p+3$. (12 points) [i]e)[/i] Let $X= \frac{2a+b+3}{3},Y= \frac{b-a}{3}$, show that $X,Y \in \mathbb Z$ and also show that :$p= X^2 + XY +Y^2$. (2 points) (${\mathbb Z_p}^{*} = \mathbb Z_p \setminus \{0\}$)

[b]a)[/b] Determine the center of the ring of square matrices of a certain dimensions with elements in a given field, and prove that it is isomorphic with the given field. [b]b)[/b] Prove that $$ \left(\mathcal{M}_n\left( \mathbb{R} \right) ,+, \cdot\right)\not\cong \left(\mathcal{M}_n\left( \mathbb{C} \right) ,+,\cdot\right) , $$ for any natural number $ n\ge 2. $ [i]Marian Andronache, Ion Sava[/i]

Prove that the determinant of the matrix $$\begin{pmatrix} a_{1}^{2}+k & a_1 a_2 & a_1 a_3 &\ldots & a_1 a_n\\ a_2 a_1 & a_{2}^{2}+k & a_2 a_3 &\ldots & a_2 a_n\\ \ldots & \ldots & \ldots & \ldots & \ldots \\ a_n a_1& a_n a_2 & a_n a_3 & \ldots & a_{n}^{2}+k \end{pmatrix}$$ is divisible by $k^{n-1}$ and find its other factor.

Cards numbered from 1 to $2^n$ are distributed among $k$ children, $1\leq k\leq 2^n$, so that each child gets at least one card. Prove that the number of ways to do that is divisible by $2^{k-1}$ but not by $2^k$. [i] M. Ivanov [/i]

Let $S = \{1, \dots, n\}$. Given a bijection $f : S \to S$ an [i]orbit[/i] of $f$ is a set of the form $\{x, f(x), f(f(x)), \dots \}$ for some $x \in S$. We denote by $c(f)$ the number of distinct orbits of $f$. For example, if $n=3$ and $f(1)=2$, $f(2)=1$, $f(3)=3$, the two orbits are $\{1,2\}$ and $\{3\}$, hence $c(f)=2$. Given $k$ bijections $f_1$, $\ldots$, $f_k$ from $S$ to itself, prove that \[ c(f_1) + \dots + c(f_k) \le n(k-1) + c(f) \] where $f : S \to S$ is the composed function $f_1 \circ \dots \circ f_k$. [i]Proposed by Maria Monks Gillespie[/i]

Consider a matrix whose entries are integers. Adding a same integer to all entries on a same row, or on a same column, is called an operation. It is given that, for infinitely many positive integers $n$, one can obtain, through a finite number of operations, a matrix having all entries divisible by $n$. Prove that, through a finite number of operations, one can obtain the null matrix.

Given a matrix $\{a_{ij}\}_{i,j=0}^{9}$, $a_{ij}=10i+j+1$. Andrei is going to cover its entries by $50$ rectangles $1\times 2$ (each such rectangle contains two adjacent entries) so that the sum of $50$ products in these rectangles is minimal possible. Help him. [i]A. Badzyan[/i]

For $n\ge 1$ let $d_n$ be the $\gcd$ of the entries of $A^n-\mathcal{I}_2$ where \[ A=\begin{pmatrix} 3&2\\ 4&3\end{pmatrix}\quad \text{ and }\quad \mathcal{I}_2=\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\ 0&1\\\end{pmatrix}\] Show that $\lim_{n\to \infty}d_n=\infty$.

Show that if $n\ge 2$ is an integer, then there exist invertible matrices $A_1, A_2, \ldots, A_n \in \mathcal{M}_2(\mathbb{R})$ with non-zero entries such that: \[A_1^{-1} + A_2^{-1} + \ldots + A_n^{-1} = (A_1 + A_2 + \ldots + A_n)^{-1}.\] [hide=Edit.] The $77777^{\text{th}}$ topic in College Math :coolspeak: [/hide]

Let $S_n$ denote the set of all permutations of the numbers $1,2,\dots,n.$ For $\pi\in S_n,$ let $\sigma(\pi)=1$ if $\pi$ is an even permutation and $\sigma(\pi)=-1$ if $\pi$ is an odd permutation. Also, let $v(\pi)$ denote the number of fixed points of $\pi.$ Show that \[ \sum_{\pi\in S_n}\frac{\sigma(\pi)}{v(\pi)+1}=(-1)^{n+1}\frac{n}{n+1}. \]

We call a matrix $\textsl{binary matrix}$ if all its entries equal to $0$ or $1$. A binary matrix is $\textsl{Good}$ if it simultaneously satisfies the following two conditions: (1) All the entries above the main diagonal (from left to right), not including the main diagonal, are equal. (2) All the entries below the main diagonal (from left to right), not including the main diagonal, are equal. Given positive integer $m$, prove that there exists a positive integer $M$, such that for any positive integer $n>M$ and a given $n \times n$ binary matrix $A_n$, we can select integers $1 \leq i_1 <i_2< \cdots < i_{n-m} \leq n$ and delete the $i_i$-th, $i_2$-th,$\cdots$, $i_{n-m}$-th rows and $i_i$-th, $i_2$-th,$\cdots$, $i_{n-m}$-th columns of $A_n$, then the resulting binary matrix $B_m$ is $\textsl{Good}$.