Olympiad problems

1987 IMO, 3

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 $|a_1x_1+a_2x_2+\ldots+a_nx_n|\le{(k-1)\sqrt n\over k^n-1}$.

1999 Kazakhstan National Olympiad, 8

Tags: max , algebra , inequalities , n-variable inequality , permutation

Let $ {{a} _ {1}}, {{a} _ {2}}, \ldots, {{a} _ {n}} $ be permutation of numbers $ 1,2, \ldots, n $, where $ n \geq 2 $. Find the maximum value of the sum $$ S (n) = | {{a} _ {1}} - {{a} _ {2}} | + | {{a} _ {2}} - {{a} _ {3}} | + \cdots + | {{a} _ {n-1}} - {{a} _ {n}} |. $$

2016 Taiwan TST Round 1, 2

Tags: inequalities , algebra , multivariate polynomial , maximization , n-variable inequality

Let $n$ be a fixed positive integer. Find the maximum possible value of \[ \sum_{1 \le r < s \le 2n} (s-r-n)x_rx_s, \] where $-1 \le x_i \le 1$ for all $i = 1, \cdots , 2n$.

2006 Lithuania Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n$ be positive real numbers, whose sum is $1$. Prove that \[ \frac{a_1^2}{a_1+a_2}+\frac{a_2^2}{a_2+a_3}+\dots+\frac{a_{n-1}^2}{a_{n-1}+a_n}+\frac{a_n^2}{a_n+a_1}\ge \frac{1}{2} \]

1997 Estonia Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality

Prove that for all positive real numbers $a_1,a_2,\cdots a_n$ \[\frac{1}{\frac{1}{1+a_1}+\frac{1}{1+a_2}+\cdots +\frac{1}{1+a_n}}-\frac{1}{\frac{1}{a_1}+\frac{1}{a_2}+\cdots +\frac{1}{a_n}}\geq \frac{1}{n}\] When does the inequality hold?

1966 IMO Shortlist, 13

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_n$ be positive real numbers. Prove the inequality \[\binom n2 \sum_{i<j} \frac{1}{a_ia_j} \geq 4 \left( \sum_{i<j} \frac{1}{a_i+a_j} \right)^2\]

2016 Germany Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: inequalities , integer , n-variable inequality , number theory

The positive integers $a_1,a_2, \dots, a_n$ are aligned clockwise in a circular line with $n \geq 5$. Let $a_0=a_n$ and $a_{n+1}=a_1$. For each $i \in \{1,2,\dots,n \}$ the quotient \[ q_i=\frac{a_{i-1}+a_{i+1}}{a_i} \] is an integer. Prove \[ 2n \leq q_1+q_2+\dots+q_n < 3n. \]

1967 IMO Shortlist, 6

Tags: inequality , polynomial , algebra , n-variable inequality

Prove the following inequality: \[\prod^k_{i=1} x_i \cdot \sum^k_{i=1} x^{n-1}_i \leq \sum^k_{i=1} x^{n+k-1}_i,\] where $x_i > 0,$ $k \in \mathbb{N}, n \in \mathbb{N}.$

2014 Contests, 1

Tags: induction , inequalities , triangle inequality , algebra , n-variable inequality

Let $a_1,\ldots,a_n$ and $b_1\ldots,b_n$ be $2n$ real numbers. Prove that there exists an integer $k$ with $1\le k\le n$ such that $ \sum_{i=1}^n|a_i-a_k| ~~\le~~ \sum_{i=1}^n|b_i-a_k|.$ (Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Austria)

2016 Iran Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: inequalities , algebra , multivariate polynomial , maximization , n-variable inequality

Let $n$ be a fixed positive integer. Find the maximum possible value of \[ \sum_{1 \le r < s \le 2n} (s-r-n)x_rx_s, \] where $-1 \le x_i \le 1$ for all $i = 1, \cdots , 2n$.

2012 Indonesia MO, 2

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality , ineqstd

Let $n\ge 3$ be an integer, and let $a_2,a_3,\ldots ,a_n$ be positive real numbers such that $a_{2}a_{3}\cdots a_{n}=1$. Prove that \[(1 + a_2)^2 (1 + a_3)^3 \dotsm (1 + a_n)^n > n^n.\] [i]Proposed by Angelo Di Pasquale, Australia[/i]

1971 IMO, 1

Tags: algebra , inequality , n-variable inequality

Let \[ E_n=(a_1-a_2)(a_1-a_3)\ldots(a_1-a_n)+(a_2-a_1)(a_2-a_3)\ldots(a_2-a_n)+\ldots+(a_n-a_1)(a_n-a_2)\ldots(a_n-a_{n-1}). \] Let $S_n$ be the proposition that $E_n\ge0$ for all real $a_i$. Prove that $S_n$ is true for $n=3$ and $5$, but for no other $n>2$.

2004 Romania Team Selection Test, 12

Tags: inequalities , induction , n-variable inequality

Let $n\geq 2$ be an integer and let $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n$ be real numbers. Prove that for any non-empty subset $S\subset \{1,2,3,\ldots, n\}$ we have \[ \left( \sum_{i \in S} a_i \right)^2 \leq \sum_{1\leq i \leq j \leq n } (a_i + \cdots + a_j ) ^2 . \] [i]Gabriel Dospinescu[/i]

1988 China National Olympiad, 4

Tags: area of a triangle , heron's formula , n-variable inequality , inequalities , geometry

(1) Let $a,b,c$ be positive real numbers satisfying $(a^2+b^2+c^2)^2>2(a^4+b^4+c^4)$. Prove that $a,b,c$ can be the lengths of three sides of a triangle respectively. (2) Let $a_1,a_2,\dots ,a_n$ be $n$ ($n>3$) positive real numbers satisfying $(a_1^2+a_2^2+\dots +a_n^2)^2>(n-1)(a_1^4+ a_2^4+\dots +a_n^4)$. Prove that any three of $a_1,a_2,\dots ,a_n$ can be the lengths of three sides of a triangle respectively.

2010 Mediterranean Mathematics Olympiad, 2

Tags: n-variable inequality , inequalities

Given the positive real numbers $a_{1},a_{2},\dots,a_{n},$ such that $n>2$ and $a_{1}+a_{2}+\dots+a_{n}=1,$ prove that the inequality \[ \frac{a_{2}\cdot a_{3}\cdot\dots\cdot a_{n}}{a_{1}+n-2}+\frac{a_{1}\cdot a_{3}\cdot\dots\cdot a_{n}}{a_{2}+n-2}+\dots+\frac{a_{1}\cdot a_{2}\cdot\dots\cdot a_{n-1}}{a_{n}+n-2}\leq\frac{1}{\left(n-1\right)^{2}}\] does holds.

Russian TST 2017, P3

Tags: n-variable inequality , inequalities

Find the largest real constant $a$ such that for all $n \geq 1$ and for all real numbers $x_0, x_1, ... , x_n$ satisfying $0 = x_0 < x_1 < x_2 < \cdots < x_n$ we have \[\frac{1}{x_1-x_0} + \frac{1}{x_2-x_1} + \dots + \frac{1}{x_n-x_{n-1}} \geq a \left( \frac{2}{x_1} + \frac{3}{x_2} + \dots + \frac{n+1}{x_n} \right)\]

2012 IMO, 2

Tags: n-variable inequality , ineqstd , inequalities

Let $n\ge 3$ be an integer, and let $a_2,a_3,\ldots ,a_n$ be positive real numbers such that $a_{2}a_{3}\cdots a_{n}=1$. Prove that \[(1 + a_2)^2 (1 + a_3)^3 \dotsm (1 + a_n)^n > n^n.\] [i]Proposed by Angelo Di Pasquale, Australia[/i]

1989 APMO, 1

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $x_1$, $x_2$, $\cdots$, $x_n$ be positive real numbers, and let \[ S = x_1 + x_2 + \cdots + x_n. \] Prove that \[ (1 + x_1)(1 + x_2) \cdots (1 + x_n) \leq 1 + S + \frac{S^2}{2!} + \frac{S^3}{3!} + \cdots + \frac{S^n}{n!} \]

2021 Canada National Olympiad, 2

Tags: algebra , inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $n\geq 2$ be some fixed positive integer and suppose that $a_1, a_2,\dots,a_n$ are positive real numbers satisfying $a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_n=2^n-1$. Find the minimum possible value of $$\frac{a_1}{1}+\frac{a_2}{1+a_1}+\frac{a_3}{1+a_1+a_2}+\cdots+\frac{a_n}{1+a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{n-1}}$$

2018 China Western Mathematical Olympiad, 2

Tags: algebra , inequalities , fractional part , n-variable inequality

Let $n \geq 2$ be an integer. Positive reals $x_1, x_2, \cdots, x_n$ satisfy $x_1x_2 \cdots x_n = 1$. Show: $$\{x_1\} + \{x_2\} + \cdots + \{x_n\} < \frac{2n-1}{2}$$ Where $\{x\}$ denotes the fractional part of $x$.

2010 IMO Shortlist, 3

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $x_1, \ldots , x_{100}$ be nonnegative real numbers such that $x_i + x_{i+1} + x_{i+2} \leq 1$ for all $i = 1, \ldots , 100$ (we put $x_{101 } = x_1, x_{102} = x_2).$ Find the maximal possible value of the sum $S = \sum^{100}_{i=1} x_i x_{i+2}.$ [i]Proposed by Sergei Berlov, Ilya Bogdanov, Russia[/i]

2017 Taiwan TST Round 3, 5

Tags: inequalities , n-variable inequality

Find the largest real constant $a$ such that for all $n \geq 1$ and for all real numbers $x_0, x_1, ... , x_n$ satisfying $0 = x_0 < x_1 < x_2 < \cdots < x_n$ we have \[\frac{1}{x_1-x_0} + \frac{1}{x_2-x_1} + \dots + \frac{1}{x_n-x_{n-1}} \geq a \left( \frac{2}{x_1} + \frac{3}{x_2} + \dots + \frac{n+1}{x_n} \right)\]

2020 India National Olympiad, 4

Tags: inequality , inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $n \geqslant 2$ be an integer and let $1<a_1 \le a_2 \le \dots \le a_n$ be $n$ real numbers such that $a_1+a_2+\dots+a_n=2n$. Prove that$$a_1a_2\dots a_{n-1}+a_1a_2\dots a_{n-2}+\dots+a_1a_2+a_1+2 \leqslant a_1a_2\dots a_n.$$ [i]Proposed by Kapil Pause[/i]

1998 Singapore Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: inequalities , algebra , n-variable inequality

Let $ a_1\geq \cdots \geq a_n \geq a_{n \plus{} 1} \equal{} 0$ be real numbers. Show that \[ \sqrt {\sum_{k \equal{} 1}^n a_k} \leq \sum_{k \equal{} 1}^n \sqrt k (\sqrt {a_k} \minus{} \sqrt {a_{k \plus{} 1}}). \] [i]Proposed by Romania[/i]

2016 Ukraine Team Selection Test, 6

Tags: inequalities , algebra , multivariate polynomial , maximization , n-variable inequality

Let $n$ be a fixed positive integer. Find the maximum possible value of \[ \sum_{1 \le r < s \le 2n} (s-r-n)x_rx_s, \] where $-1 \le x_i \le 1$ for all $i = 1, \cdots , 2n$.