Olympiad problems

1987 Brazil National Olympiad, 3

Two players play alternately. The first player is given a pair of positive integers $(x_1, y_1)$. Each player must replace the pair $(x_n, y_n)$ that he is given by a pair of non-negative integers $(x_{n+1}, y_{n+1})$ such that $x_{n+1} = min(x_n, y_n)$ and $y_{n+1} = max(x_n, y_n)- k\cdot x_{n+1}$ for some positive integer $k$. The first player to pass on a pair with $y_{n+1} = 0$ wins. Find for which values of $x_1/y_1$ the first player has a winning strategy.

2010 Sharygin Geometry Olympiad, 8

Tags: geometry , combinatorics , polygon , regular polygon , perimeter , minimum , point

Given is a regular polygon. Volodya wants to mark $k$ points on its perimeter so that any another regular polygon (maybe having a different number of sides) doesn’t contain all marked points on its perimeter. Find the minimal $k$ sufficient for any given polygon.

2019 SAFEST Olympiad, 4

Tags: minimum , sum , algebra , inequalities

Let $a_1, a_2, . . . , a_{2019}$ be any positive real numbers such that $\frac{1}{a_1 + 2019}+\frac{1}{a_2 + 2019}+ ... +\frac{1}{a_{2019} + 2019}=\frac{1}{2019}$. Find the minimum value of $a_1a_2... a_{2019}$ and determine for which values of $a_1, a_2, . . . , a_{2019}$ this minimum occurs

1982 Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik, 3

Tags: algebra , inequalities , minimum

Given that $a_1, a_2, . . . , a_n$ are nonnegative real numbers with $a_1 + \cdots + a_n = 1$, prove that the expression $$ \frac{a_1}{1+a_2 +a_3 +\cdots +a_n }\; +\; \frac{a_2}{1+a_1 +a_3 +\cdots +a_n }\; +\; \cdots \; +\, \frac{a_n }{1+a_1 +a_2+\cdots +a_{n-1} }$$ attains its minimum, and determine this minimum.

2023 China Northern MO, 4

Tags: algebra , minimum , inequalities

Given the sequence $(a_n) $ satisfies $1=a_1< a_2 < a_3< \cdots<a_n $ and there exist real number $m$ such that $$\displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^{n-1} \sqrt[3]{\frac{a_{i+1}-a_i}{(2+a_i)^4}}\leq m $$ for any positive integer $ n $ not less than 2 . Find the minimum of $m.$

2009 Tournament Of Towns, 3

Tags: minimum , digit , number theory , combinatorics

Alex is going to make a set of cubical blocks of the same size and to write a digit on each of their faces so that it would be possible to form every $30$-digit integer with these blocks. What is the minimal number of blocks in a set with this property? (The digits $6$ and $9$ do not turn one into another.)

2002 Regional Competition For Advanced Students, 1

Tags: simplify , simplification , number theory , minimum

Find the smallest natural number $x> 0$ so that all following fractions are simplified $\frac{3x+9}{8},\frac{3x+10}{9},\frac{3x+11}{10},...,\frac{3x+49}{48}$ , i.e. numerators and denominators are relatively prime.

2018 Hanoi Open Mathematics Competitions, 1

Tags: algebra , minimum

If $x$ and $y$ are positive real numbers such that $(x + \sqrt{x^2 + 1})(y +\sqrt{y^2 + 1}) = 2018$: The minimum possible value of $x + y$ is A. $\frac{2017}{\sqrt{2018}}$ B. $\frac{2018}{\sqrt{2019}}$ C. $\frac{2017}{2\sqrt{2018}}$ D. $\frac{2019}{\sqrt{2018}}$ E. $\sqrt{3}$

1991 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 556

Tags: combinatorics , minimum , subset

$X$ is a set with $100$ members. What is the smallest number of subsets of $X$ such that every pair of elements belongs to at least one subset and no subset has more than $50$ members? What is the smallest number if we also require that the union of any two subsets has at most $80$ members?

2017 Balkan MO Shortlist, C4

Tags: combinatorics , minimum , radius , combinatorial geometry , circles

For any set of points $A_1, A_2,...,A_n$ on the plane, one defines $r( A_1, A_2,...,A_n)$ as the radius of the smallest circle that contains all of these points. Prove that if $n \ge 3$, there are indices $i,j,k$ such that $r( A_1, A_2,...,A_n)=r( A_i, A_j,A_k)$

2018 Balkan MO Shortlist, G3

Tags: geometry , geometric inequality , inequalities , semiperimeter , maximum value , minimum

Let $P$ be an interior point of triangle $ABC$. Let $a,b,c$ be the sidelengths of triangle $ABC$ and let $p$ be it's semiperimeter. Find the maximum possible value of $$ \min\left(\frac{PA}{p-a},\frac{PB}{p-b},\frac{PC}{p-c}\right)$$ taking into consideration all possible choices of triangle $ABC$ and of point $P$. by Elton Bojaxhiu, Albania

2005 Korea Junior Math Olympiad, 3

Tags: algebra , sequence , recurrence relation , minimum

For a positive integer $K$, define a sequence, $\{a_n\}$, as following: $a_1 = K$ and $a_{n+1} =a_n -1$ if $a_n$ is even $a_{n+1} =\frac{a_n - 1}{2}$ if $a_n$ is odd , for all $n \ge 1$. Find the smallest value of $K$, which makes $a_{2005}$ the first term equal to $0$.

2014 India PRMO, 6

Tags: trinomial , integer , root , minimum

What is the smallest possible natural number $n$ for which the equation $x^2 -nx + 2014 = 0$ has integer roots?

2019 BAMO, A

Tags: algebra , inequalities , minimum

Let $a$ and $b$ be positive whole numbers such that $\frac{4.5}{11}<\frac{a}{b}<\frac{5}{11}$. Find the fraction $\frac{a}{b}$ for which the sum $a+b$ is as small as possible. Justify your answer

1988 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 481

Tags: geometry , cube , 3d geometry , broken line , minimum

A polygonal line connects two opposite vertices of a cube with side $2$. Each segment of the line has length $3$ and each vertex lies on the faces (or edges) of the cube. What is the smallest number of segments the line can have?

2018 Yasinsky Geometry Olympiad, 4

Tags: circumcircle , circumradius , minimum , geometry

Let $ABC$ be an acute triangle. A line, parallel to $BC$, intersects sides $AB$ and $AC$ at points $M$ and $P$, respectively. At which placement of points $M$ and $P$, is the radius of the circumcircle of the triangle $BMP$ is the smallest?

2013 Hanoi Open Mathematics Competitions, 11

Tags: algebra , polynomial , minimum

The positive numbers $a, b, c,d,e$ are such that the following identity hold for all real number $x$: $(x + a)(x + b)(x + c) = x^3 + 3dx^2 + 3x + e^3$. Find the smallest value of $d$.

2004 BAMO, 3

Tags: minimum , combinatorics

NASA has proposed populating Mars with $2,004$ settlements. The only way to get from one settlement to another will be by a connecting tunnel. A bored bureaucrat draws on a map of Mars, randomly placing $N$ tunnels connecting the settlements in such a way that no two settlements have more than one tunnel connecting them. What is the smallest value of $N$ that guarantees that, no matter how the tunnels are drawn, it will be possible to travel between any two settlements?

2002 Cono Sur Olympiad, 3

Tags: combinatorics , board , game , minimum

Arnaldo and Bernardo play a Super Naval Battle. Each has a board $n \times n$. Arnaldo puts boats on his board (at least one but not known how many). Each boat occupies the $n$ houses of a line or a column and the boats they can not overlap or have a common side. Bernardo marks $m$ houses (representing shots) on your board. After Bernardo marked the houses, Arnaldo says which of them correspond to positions occupied by ships. Bernardo wins, and then discovers the positions of all Arnaldo's boats. Determine the lowest value of $m$ for which Bernardo can guarantee his victory.

1990 Spain Mathematical Olympiad, 5

Tags: ratio , geometry , area of a triangle , minimum

On the sides $BC,CA$ and $AB$ of a triangle $ABC$ of area $S$ are taken points $A' ,B' ,C'$ respectively such that $AC' /AB = BA' /BC = CB' /CA = p$, where $0 < p < 1$ is variable. (a) Find the area of triangle $A' B' C'$ in terms of $ p$. (b) Find the value of $p$ which minimizes this area. (c) Find the locus of the intersection point $P$ of the lines through $A' $ and $C'$ parallel to $AB$ and $AC$ respectively.

2021 Regional Olympiad of Mexico Southeast, 3

Tags: minimum , maximum , inequalities

Let $a, b, c$ positive reals such that $a+b+c=1$. Prove that $$\min\{a(1-b),b(1-c),c(1-a)\}\leq \frac{1}{4}$$ $$\max\{a(1-b),b(1-c),c(1-a)\}\geq \frac{2}{9}$$

1967 IMO Longlists, 49

Tags: trigonometry , inequality , trigonometric inequality , minimum

Let $n$ and $k$ be positive integers such that $1 \leq n \leq N+1$, $1 \leq k \leq N+1$. Show that: \[ \min_{n \neq k} |\sin n - \sin k| < \frac{2}{N}. \]

2009 Bosnia And Herzegovina - Regional Olympiad, 2

Tags: system , algebra , minimum , inequalities

Find minimal value of $a \in \mathbb{R}$ such that system $$\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{y-1}+\sqrt{z-1}=a-1$$ $$\sqrt{x+1}+\sqrt{y+1}+\sqrt{z+1}=a+1$$ has solution in set of real numbers

2017 Thailand Mathematical Olympiad, 8

Tags: sides of a triangle , minimum , right triangle , inequalities , algebra

Let $a, b, c$ be side lengths of a right triangle. Determine the minimum possible value of $\frac{a^3 + b^3 + c^3}{abc}$.

1972 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 172

Tags: minimum , maximum , algebra , inequalities

Let the sum of positive numbers $x_1, x_2, ... , x_n$ be $1$. Let $s$ be the greatest of the numbers $$\left\{\frac{x_1}{1+x_1}, \frac{x_2}{1+x_1+x_2}, ..., \frac{x_n}{1+x_1+...+x_n}\right\}$$ What is the minimal possible $s$? What $x_i $correspond it?