This website contains problems from math contests. Problems and corresponding tags were obtained from the Art of Problem Solving website.

Tags were heavily modified to better represent problems.

AND
OR
NO

Found problems: 5802

Let $G$ be a directed graph with infinitely many vertices. It is known that for each vertex the outdegree is greater than the indegree. Let $O$ be a fixed vertex of $G$. For an arbitrary positive number $n$, let $V_{n}$ be the number of vertices which can be reached from $O$ passing through at most $n$ edges ( $O$ counts). Find the smallest possible value of $V_{n}$.
At the entrance to a cave is a rotating round table. On top of the table are $n$ identical barrels, evenly spaced along its circumference. Inside each barrel is a herring either with its head up or its head down. In a move, Ali Baba chooses from $1$ to $n$ of the barrels and turns them upside down. Then the table spins around. When it stops, it is impossible to tell which barrels have been turned over. The cave will open if the heads of the herrings in all $n$ barrels are up or are all down. Determine all values of $n$ for which Ali Baba can open the cave in a fi nite number of moves. [i](11 points)[/i]
Let $f(x)=\sum_{i=0}^{n}a_ix^i$ and $g(x)=\sum_{i=0}^{n}b_ix^i$, where $a_n$,$b_n$ can be zero. Called $f(x)\ge g(x)$ if exist $r$ such that $\forall i>r,a_i=b_i,a_r>b_r$ or $f(x)=g(x)$. Prove that: if the leading coefficients of $f$ and $g$ are positive, then $f(f(x))+g(g(x))\ge f(g(x))+g(f(x))$
Prove that for $ |x| < 1 $, $ |z| > 1 $, \[ 1 + \displaystyle\sum_{j=1}^{\infty} \left( 1 + x^j \right) P_j = 0, \]where $P_j$ is \[ \dfrac {(1-z)(1-zx)(1-zx^2) \cdots (1-zx^{j-1})}{(z-x)(z-x^2)(z-x^3)\cdots(z-x^j)}. \]
Prove that there exist monic polynomial $f(x) $ with degree of 6 and having integer coefficients such that (1) For all integer $m$, $f(m) \ne 0$. (2) For all positive odd integer $n$, there exist positive integer $k$ such that $f(k)$ is divided by $n$.
Define the sequence $a_0,a_1,a_2,\hdots$ by $a_n=2^n+2^{\lfloor n/2\rfloor}$. Prove that there are infinitely many terms of the sequence which can be expressed as a sum of (two or more) distinct terms of the sequence, as well as infinitely many of those which cannot be expressed in such a way.
Suppose that $f : \mathbb{N} \rightarrow \mathbb{N}$ is a function for which the expression $af(a)+bf(b)+2ab$ for all $a,b \in \mathbb{N}$ is always a perfect square. Prove that $f(a)=a$ for all $a \in \mathbb{N}$.
If A,B are invertible and the set {A<sup>k</sup> - B<sup>k</sup> | k is a natural number} is finite , then there exists a natural number m such that A<sup>m</sup> = B<sup>m</sup>.
Let $ S\subseteq\mathbb{R}$ be a set of real numbers. We say that a pair $ (f, g)$ of functions from $ S$ into $ S$ is a [i]Spanish Couple[/i] on $ S$, if they satisfy the following conditions: (i) Both functions are strictly increasing, i.e. $ f(x) < f(y)$ and $ g(x) < g(y)$ for all $ x$, $ y\in S$ with $ x < y$; (ii) The inequality $ f\left(g\left(g\left(x\right)\right)\right) < g\left(f\left(x\right)\right)$ holds for all $ x\in S$. Decide whether there exists a Spanish Couple [list][*] on the set $ S \equal{} \mathbb{N}$ of positive integers; [*] on the set $ S \equal{} \{a \minus{} \frac {1}{b}: a, b\in\mathbb{N}\}$[/list] [i]Proposed by Hans Zantema, Netherlands[/i]
In a group of 12 persons, among any 9 there are 5 which know each other. Prove that there are 6 persons in this group which know each other
Let $ S$ be a finite set of points in the plane such that no three of them are on a line. For each convex polygon $ P$ whose vertices are in $ S$, let $ a(P)$ be the number of vertices of $ P$, and let $ b(P)$ be the number of points of $ S$ which are outside $ P$. A line segment, a point, and the empty set are considered as convex polygons of $ 2$, $ 1$, and $ 0$ vertices respectively. Prove that for every real number $ x$ \[\sum_{P}{x^{a(P)}(1 \minus{} x)^{b(P)}} \equal{} 1,\] where the sum is taken over all convex polygons with vertices in $ S$. [i]Alternative formulation[/i]: Let $ M$ be a finite point set in the plane and no three points are collinear. A subset $ A$ of $ M$ will be called round if its elements is the set of vertices of a convex $ A \minus{}$gon $ V(A).$ For each round subset let $ r(A)$ be the number of points from $ M$ which are exterior from the convex $ A \minus{}$gon $ V(A).$ Subsets with $ 0,1$ and 2 elements are always round, its corresponding polygons are the empty set, a point or a segment, respectively (for which all other points that are not vertices of the polygon are exterior). For each round subset $ A$ of $ M$ construct the polynomial \[ P_A(x) \equal{} x^{|A|}(1 \minus{} x)^{r(A)}. \] Show that the sum of polynomials for all round subsets is exactly the polynomial $ P(x) \equal{} 1.$ [i]Proposed by Federico Ardila, Colombia[/i]
In this infinite tree, degree of each vertex is equal to 3. A real number $ \lambda$ is given. We want to assign a real number to each node in such a way that for each node sum of numbers assigned to its neighbors is equal to $ \lambda$ times of the number assigned to this node. Find all $ \lambda$ for which this is possible.
$n \geq 4$ players participated in a tennis tournament. Any two players have played exactly one game, and there was no tie game. We call a company of four players $bad$ if one player was defeated by the other three players, and each of these three players won a game and lost another game among themselves. Suppose that there is no bad company in this tournament. Let $w_i$ and $l_i$ be respectively the number of wins and losses of the $i$-th player. Prove that \[\sum^n_{i=1} \left(w_i - l_i\right)^3 \geq 0.\] [i]Proposed by Sung Yun Kim, South Korea[/i]
Find all functions $f: (0,\infty)\rightarrow(0,\infty)$ with the following properties: $f(x+1)=f(x)+1$ and $f\left(\frac{1}{f(x)}\right)=\frac{1}{x}$. [i]Proposed by P. Volkmann[/i]
Michael is at the centre of a circle of radius $100$ metres. Each minute, he will announce the direction in which he will be moving. Catherine can leave it as is, or change it to the opposite direction. Then Michael moves exactly $1$ metre in the direction determined by Catherine. Does Michael have a strategy which guarantees that he can get out of the circle, even though Catherine will try to stop him?
We define a sequence $ \left(a_{1},a_{2},a_{3},\ldots \right)$ by \[ a_{n} \equal{} \frac {1}{n}\left(\left\lfloor\frac {n}{1}\right\rfloor \plus{} \left\lfloor\frac {n}{2}\right\rfloor \plus{} \cdots \plus{} \left\lfloor\frac {n}{n}\right\rfloor\right), \] where $\lfloor x\rfloor$ denotes the integer part of $x$. [b]a)[/b] Prove that $a_{n+1}>a_n$ infinitely often. [b]b)[/b] Prove that $a_{n+1}<a_n$ infinitely often. [i]Proposed by Johan Meyer, South Africa[/i]
Let $m$ be a positive integers. A square room with corners at $(0,0), (2m,0), (0,2m),$ $(2m,2m)$ has mirrors as walls. At each integer lattice point $(i,j)$ with $0 < i, j < 2m$ a single small double sided mirror is oriented parallel to either the $x$ or $y$ axis. A beam of light is shone from a corner making a $45^\circ$ angle with each of the walls. Prove that the opposite corner is not lit.
$n\ge 2$ positive integers are written on the blackboard. A move consists of three steps: 1) choose an arbitrary number $a$ on the blackboard, 2) calculate the least common multiple $N$ of all numbers written on the blackboard, and 3) replace $a$ by $N/a$. Prove that using such moves it is always possible to make all the numbers on the blackboard equal to $1$. [i](A. Naradzetski)[/i]
Let $ n\ge 3$ be a natural number. A set of real numbers $ \{x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n\}$ is called [i]summable[/i] if $ \sum_{i\equal{}1}^n \frac{1}{x_i}\equal{}1$. Prove that for every $ n\ge 3$ there always exists a [i]summable[/i] set which consists of $ n$ elements such that the biggest element is: a) bigger than $ 2^{2n\minus{}2}$ b) smaller than $ n^2$
Let $n$ be a positive integer. Find, with proof, the least positive integer $d_{n}$ which cannot be expressed in the form \[\sum_{i=1}^{n}(-1)^{a_{i}}2^{b_{i}},\] where $a_{i}$ and $b_{i}$ are nonnegative integers for each $i.$
Let $ S$ be a set of rational numbers such that (a) $ 0\in S;$ (b) If $ x\in S$ then $ x\plus{}1\in S$ and $ x\minus{}1\in S;$ and (c) If $ x\in S$ and $ x\notin\{0,1\},$ then $ \frac{1}{x(x\minus{}1)}\in S.$ Must $ S$ contain all rational numbers?
Grid the plane forming an infinite board. In each cell of this board, there is a lamp, initially turned off. A permitted operation consists of selecting a square of \(3\times 3\), \(4\times 4\), or \(5\times 5\) cells and changing the state of all lamps in that square (those that are off become on, and those that are on become off). (a) Prove that for any finite set of lamps, it is possible to achieve, through a finite sequence of permitted operations, that those are the only lamps turned on on the board. (b) Prove that if in a sequence of permitted operations only two out of the three square sizes are used, then it is impossible to achieve that at the end the only lamps turned on on the board are those in a \(2\times 2\) square.
Find all function $f:\mathbb{N}\rightarrow\mathbb{N}$ such that for all $a,b\in\mathbb{N}$ , $(f(a)+b) f(a+f(b))=(a+f(b))^2$