Let \(a\), \(b\), and \(n\) be positive integers. A lemonade stand owns \(n\) cups, all of which are initially empty. The lemonade stand has a [i]filling machine[/i] and an [i]emptying machine[/i], which operate according to the following rules: [list] [*]If at any moment, \(a\) completely empty cups are available, the filling machine spends the next \(a\) minutes filling those \(a\) cups simultaneously and doing nothing else. [*]If at any moment, \(b\) completely full cups are available, the emptying machine spends the next \(b\) minutes emptying those \(b\) cups simultaneously and doing nothing else. [/list] Suppose that after a sufficiently long time has passed, both the filling machine and emptying machine work without pausing. Find, in terms of \(a\) and \(b\), the least possible value of \(n\). [i]Proposed by Raymond Feng[/i]

Given two positive integers $n$ and $m$ and a function $f : \mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z} \to \left\{0,1\right\}$ with the property that \begin{align*} f\left(i, j\right) = f\left(i+n, j\right) = f\left(i, j+m\right) \qquad \text{for all } \left(i, j\right) \in \mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z} . \end{align*} Let $\left[k\right] = \left\{1,2,\ldots,k\right\}$ for each positive integer $k$. Let $a$ be the number of all $\left(i, j\right) \in \left[n\right] \times \left[m\right]$ satisfying \begin{align*} f\left(i, j\right) = f\left(i+1, j\right) = f\left(i, j+1\right) . \end{align*} Let $b$ be the number of all $\left(i, j\right) \in \left[n\right] \times \left[m\right]$ satisfying \begin{align*} f\left(i, j\right) = f\left(i-1, j\right) = f\left(i, j-1\right) . \end{align*} Prove that $a = b$.

Find all positive integers $n$ for which all positive divisors of $n$ can be put into the cells of a rectangular table under the following constraints: [list] [*]each cell contains a distinct divisor; [*]the sums of all rows are equal; and [*]the sums of all columns are equal. [/list]

Find, with proof, the number of positive integers whose base-$n$ representation consists of distinct digits with the property that, except for the leftmost digit, every digit differs by $\pm 1$ from some digit further to the left. (Your answer should be an explicit function of $n$ in simplest form.)

Let $ a$, $ b$, $ c$ be three integers. Prove that there exist six integers $ x$, $ y$, $ z$, $ x^{\prime}$, $ y^{\prime}$, $ z^{\prime}$ such that $ a\equal{}yz^{\prime}\minus{}zy^{\prime};\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ b\equal{}zx^{\prime}\minus{}xz^{\prime};\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ c\equal{}xy^{\prime}\minus{}yx^{\prime}$.

We say that a set $S$ of integers is [i]rootiful[/i] if, for any positive integer $n$ and any $a_0, a_1, \cdots, a_n \in S$, all integer roots of the polynomial $a_0+a_1x+\cdots+a_nx^n$ are also in $S$. Find all rootiful sets of integers that contain all numbers of the form $2^a - 2^b$ for positive integers $a$ and $b$.

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.

The sequence $ (a_n)_{n\ge 1}$ is defined by $ a_1 \equal{} 3$, $ a_2 \equal{} 11$ and $ a_n \equal{} 4a_{n\minus{}1}\minus{}a_{n\minus{}2}$, for $ n \ge 3$. Prove that each term of this sequence is of the form $ a^2 \plus{} 2b^2$ for some natural numbers $ a$ and $ b$.

A function $ f$ defined on the positive integers (and taking positive integers values) is given by: $ \begin{matrix} f(1) \equal{} 1, f(3) \equal{} 3 \\ f(2 \cdot n) \equal{} f(n) \\ f(4 \cdot n \plus{} 1) \equal{} 2 \cdot f(2 \cdot n \plus{} 1) \minus{} f(n) \\ f(4 \cdot n \plus{} 3) \equal{} 3 \cdot f(2 \cdot n \plus{} 1) \minus{} 2 \cdot f(n), \end{matrix}$ for all positive integers $ n.$ Determine with proof the number of positive integers $ \leq 1988$ for which $ f(n) \equal{} n.$

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Find the number of odd coefficients of the polynomial $(x^2-x+1)^n$.

In the decimal expression of a $ 2009$-digit natural number there are only the digits $ 5$ and $ 8$. Prove that we can get a $ 2008$-digit number divisible by $ 11$ if we remove just one digit from the number.

Let $n\ge 2$ be an integer. Solve in reals: \[|a_1-a_2|=2|a_2-a_3|=3|a_3-a_4|=\cdots=n|a_n-a_1|.\]

In each cell of an \(n \times n\) grid, one of the numbers \(0\), \(1,\) or \(2\) must be written. Determine all positive integers \(n\) for which there exists a way to fill the \(n \times n\) grid such that, when calculating the sum of the numbers in each row and each column, the numbers \(1, 2, \ldots, 2n\) are obtained in some order.

There are$n$ balls numbered $1,2,\cdots,n$, respectively. They are painted with $4$ colours, red, yellow, blue, and green, according to the following rules: First, randomly line them on a circle. Then let any three clockwise consecutive balls numbered $i, j, k$, in order. 1) If $i>j>k$, then the ball $j$ is painted in red; 2) If $i<j<k$, then the ball $j$ is painted in yellow; 3) If $i<j, k<j$, then the ball $j$ is painted in blue; 4) If $i>j, k>j$, then the ball $j$ is painted in green. And now each permutation of the balls determine a painting method. We call two painting methods distinct, if there exists a ball, which is painted with two different colours in that two methods. Find out the number of all distinct painting methods.