Let $\alpha(n)$ be the number of digits equal to one in the dyadic representation of a positive integer $n$. Prove that [list=a] [*] the inequality $\alpha(n^2 ) \le \frac{1}{2} \alpha(n) (1+\alpha(n))$ holds, [*] equality is attained for infinitely $n\in\mathbb{N}$, [*] there exists a sequence $\{n_i\}$ such that $\lim_{i \to \infty} \frac{ \alpha({n_{i}}^2 )}{ \alpha(n_{i}) } = 0$.[/list]

Let $k \in \mathbb{Z}^+$ and set $n=2^k+1.$ Prove that $n$ is a prime number if and only if the following holds: there is a permutation $a_{1},\ldots,a_{n-1}$ of the numbers $1,2, \ldots, n-1$ and a sequence of integers $g_{1},\ldots,g_{n-1},$ such that $n$ divides $g^{a_i}_i - a_{i+1}$ for every $i \in \{1,2,\ldots,n-1\},$ where we set $a_n = a_1.$ [i]Proposed by Vasily Astakhov, Russia[/i]

An $ (n, k) \minus{}$ tournament is a contest with $ n$ players held in $ k$ rounds such that: $ (i)$ Each player plays in each round, and every two players meet at most once. $ (ii)$ If player $ A$ meets player $ B$ in round $ i$, player $ C$ meets player $ D$ in round $ i$, and player $ A$ meets player $ C$ in round $ j$, then player $ B$ meets player $ D$ in round $ j$. Determine all pairs $ (n, k)$ for which there exists an $ (n, k) \minus{}$ tournament. [i]Proposed by Carlos di Fiore, Argentina[/i]

Consider a function $f$ on nonnegative integers such that $f(0)=1, f(1)=0$ and $f(n)+f(n-1)=nf(n-1)+(n-1)f(n-2)$ for $n \ge 2$. Show that \[\frac{f(n)}{n!}=\sum_{k=0}^n \frac{(-1)^k}{k!}\]

Let $(G,\cdot)$ be a finite group with the identity element, $e$. The smallest positive integer $n$ with the property that $x^{n}= e$, for all $x \in G$, is called the [i]exponent[/i] of $G$. (a) For all primes $p \geq 3$, prove that the multiplicative group $\mathcal G_{p}$ of the matrices of the form $\begin{pmatrix}\hat 1 & \hat a & \hat b \\ \hat 0 & \hat 1 & \hat c \\ \hat 0 & \hat 0 & \hat 1 \end{pmatrix}$, with $\hat a, \hat b, \hat c \in \mathbb Z \slash p \mathbb Z$, is not commutative and has [i]exponent[/i] $p$. (b) Prove that if $\left( G, \circ \right)$ and $\left( H, \bullet \right)$ are finite groups of [i]exponents[/i] $m$ and $n$, respectively, then the group $\left( G \times H, \odot \right)$ with the operation given by $(g,h) \odot \left( g^\prime, h^\prime \right) = \left( g \circ g^\prime, h \bullet h^\prime \right)$, for all $\left( g,h \right), \, \left( g^\prime, h^\prime \right) \in G \times H$, has the [i]exponent[/i] equal to $\textrm{lcm}(m,n)$. (c) Prove that any $n \geq 3$ is the [i]exponent[/i] of a finite, non-commutative group. [i]Ion Savu[/i]

Let $A$ be a $n\times n$ complex matrix whose eigenvalues have absolute value at most $1$. Prove that $$ \|A^n\|\le \dfrac{n}{\ln 2} \|A\|^{n-1}. $$ (Here $\|B\|=\sup\limits_{\|x\|\leq 1} \|Bx\|$ for every $n\times n$ matrix $B$ and $\|x\|=\sqrt{\sum\limits_{i=1}^n |x_i|^2}$ for every complex vector $x\in\mathbb{C}^n$.) (Proposed by Ian Morris and Fedor Petrov, St. Petersburg State University)

Let $t$ and $n$ be fixed integers each at least $2$. Find the largest positive integer $m$ for which there exists a polynomial $P$, of degree $n$ and with rational coefficients, such that the following property holds: exactly one of \[ \frac{P(k)}{t^k} \text{ and } \frac{P(k)}{t^{k+1}} \] is an integer for each $k = 0,1, ..., m$. [i]Proposed by Michael Kural[/i]

Given are two sets of positive numbers with the same sum. The first set has $m$ numbers and the second $n$. Prove that you can find a set of less than $m+n$ positive numbers which can be arranged to part fill an $m \times n$ array, so that the row and column sums are the two given sets.

Prove that \[\frac{1995}{2}-\frac{1994}{3}+\frac{1993}{4}-\ldots -\frac{2}{1995}+\frac{1}{1996}=\frac{1}{999}+\frac{3}{1000}+\ldots +\frac{1995}{1996}\]

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{N} \mapsto \mathbb{N}$ so that for any positive integer $n$ and finite sequence of positive integers $a_0, \dots, a_n$, whenever the polynomial $a_0+a_1x+\dots+a_nx^n$ has at least one integer root, so does \[f(a_0)+f(a_1)x+\dots+f(a_n)x^n.\] [i]Proposed by Sutanay Bhattacharya[/i]

We define a [i]chessboard polygon[/i] to be a polygon whose sides are situated along lines of the form $ x \equal{} a$ or $ y \equal{} b$, where $ a$ and $ b$ are integers. These lines divide the interior into unit squares, which are shaded alternately grey and white so that adjacent squares have different colors. To tile a chessboard polygon by dominoes is to exactly cover the polygon by non-overlapping $ 1 \times 2$ rectangles. Finally, a [i]tasteful tiling[/i] is one which avoids the two configurations of dominoes shown on the left below. Two tilings of a $ 3 \times 4$ rectangle are shown; the first one is tasteful, while the second is not, due to the vertical dominoes in the upper right corner. [asy]size(300); pathpen = linewidth(2.5); void chessboard(int a, int b, pair P){ for(int i = 0; i < a; ++i) for(int j = 0; j < b; ++j) if((i+j) % 2 == 1) fill(shift(P.x+i,P.y+j)*unitsquare,rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6)); D(P--P+(a,0)--P+(a,b)--P+(0,b)--cycle); } chessboard(2,2,(2.5,0));fill(unitsquare,rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6));fill(shift(1,1)*unitsquare,rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6)); chessboard(4,3,(6,0)); chessboard(4,3,(11,0)); MP("\mathrm{Distasteful\ tilings}",(2.25,3),fontsize(12)); /* draw lines */ D((0,0)--(2,0)--(2,2)--(0,2)--cycle); D((1,0)--(1,2)); D((2.5,1)--(4.5,1)); D((7,0)--(7,2)--(6,2)--(10,2)--(9,2)--(9,0)--(9,1)--(7,1)); D((8,2)--(8,3)); D((12,0)--(12,2)--(11,2)--(13,2)); D((13,1)--(15,1)--(14,1)--(14,3)); D((13,0)--(13,3));[/asy] a) Prove that if a chessboard polygon can be tiled by dominoes, then it can be done so tastefully. b) Prove that such a tasteful tiling is unique.

2008 white stones and 1 black stone are in a row. An 'action' means the following: select one black stone and change the color of neighboring stone(s). Find all possible initial position of the black stone, to make all stones black by finite actions.

Consider a $100 \times 100$ table, and identify the cell in row $a$ and column $b$, $1 \leq a, b \leq 100$, with the ordered pair $(a, b)$. Let $k$ be an integer such that $51 \leq k \leq 99$. A $k$-knight is a piece that moves one cell vertically or horizontally and $k$ cells to the other direction; that is, it moves from $(a, b)$ to $(c, d)$ such that $(|a-c|, |b - d|)$ is either $(1, k)$ or $(k, 1)$. The $k$-knight starts at cell $(1, 1)$, and performs several moves. A sequence of moves is a sequence of cells $(x_0, y_0)= (1, 1)$, $(x_1, y_1), (x_2, y_2)$, $\ldots, (x_n, y_n)$ such that, for all $i = 1, 2, \ldots, n$, $1 \leq x_i , y_i \leq 100$ and the $k$-knight can move from $(x_{i-1}, y_{i-1})$ to $(x_i, y_i)$. In this case, each cell $(x_i, y_i)$ is said to be reachable. For each $k$, find $L(k)$, the number of reachable cells.

Let $n, b$ and $c$ be positive integers. A group of $n$ pirates wants to fairly split their treasure. The treasure consists of $c \cdot n$ identical coins distributed over $b \cdot n$ bags, of which at least $n-1$ bags are initially empty. Captain Jack inspects the contents of each bag and then performs a sequence of moves. In one move, he can take any number of coins from a single bag and put them into one empty bag. Prove that no matter how the coins are initially distributed, Jack can perform at most $n-1$ moves and then split the bags among the pirates such that each pirate gets $b$ bags and $c$ coins.