Let $(a_n)_{n\ge 1}$ be a sequence given by $a_1 = 45$ and $$a_n = a^2_{n-1} + 15a_{n-1}$$ for $n > 1$. Prove that the sequence contains no perfect squares.

The sale ad read: "Buy three tires at the regular price and get the fourth tire for $\$3$." Sam paid $\$240$ for a set of four tires at the sale. What was the regular price of one tire? $\text{(A)}\ 59.25\text{ dollars} \qquad \text{(B)}\ 60\text{ dollars} \qquad \text{(C)}\ 70\text{ dollars} \qquad \text{(D)}\ 79\text{ dollars} \qquad \text{(E)}\ 80\text{ dollars}$

Let $ ABC$ be a triangle, and $ H$ its orthocenter. Let $ P$ be a point on the circumcircle of triangle $ ABC$ (distinct from the vertices $ A$, $ B$, $ C$), and let $ E$ be the foot of the altitude of triangle $ ABC$ from the vertex $ B$. Let the parallel to the line $ BP$ through the point $ A$ meet the parallel to the line $ AP$ through the point $ B$ at a point $ Q$. Let the parallel to the line $ CP$ through the point $ A$ meet the parallel to the line $ AP$ through the point $ C$ at a point $ R$. The lines $ HR$ and $ AQ$ intersect at some point $ X$. Prove that the lines $ EX$ and $ AP$ are parallel.

There are three empty jugs on a table. Winnie the Pooh, Rabbit, and Piglet put walnuts in the jugs one by one. They play successively, with the initial determined by a draw. Thereby Winnie the Pooh plays either in the first or second jug, Rabbit in the second or third, and Piglet in the first or third. The player after whose move there are exactly 1999 walnuts loses the games. Show that Winnie the Pooh and Piglet can cooperate so as to make Rabbit lose.

On a social network, no user has more than ten friends ( the state "friendship" is symmetrical). The network is connected: if, upon learning interesting news a user starts sending it to its friends, and these friends to their own friends and so on, then at the end, all users hear about the news. Prove that the network administration can divide users into groups so that the following conditions are met: [list] [*] each user is in exactly one group [*] each group is connected in the above sense [*] one of the groups contains from $1$ to $100$ members and the remaining from $100$ to $900$. [/list]

Prove that the equation $$\sqrt{2-x^2}+\sqrt[3]{3-x^3}=0$$ has no real solutions.

Find all functions $f: (0, \infty) \to (0, \infty)$ such that \begin{align*} f(y(f(x))^3 + x) = x^3f(y) + f(x) \end{align*} for all $x, y>0$. [i]Proposed by Jason Prodromidis, Greece[/i]

Let $ABCD$ be a cyclic quadrilateral inscribed in circle $\omega$ whose diagonals meet at $F$. Lines $AB$ and $CD$ meet at $E$. Segment $EF$ intersects $\omega$ at $X$. Lines $BX$ and $CD$ meet at $M$, and lines $CX$ and $AB$ meet at $N$. Prove that $MN$ and $BC$ concur with the tangent to $\omega$ at $X$. [i]Proposed by Allen Liu[/i]

Given real numbers $a,b,c,d$ such that $\sin{a}+b >\sin{c}+d, a+\sin{b}>c+\sin{d}$, prove that $a+b>c+d$

Let be a function $ f:(0,\infty )\longrightarrow\mathbb{R} . $ [b]a)[/b] Show that if $ f $ is differentiable and $ \lim_{x\to \infty } xf'(x)=1, $ then $ \lim_{x\to\infty } f(x)=\infty .$ [b]b)[/b] Prove that if $ f $ is twice differentiable and $ f''+5f'+6f $ has limit at plus infinity, then: $$ \lim_{x\to\infty } f(x)=\frac{1}{6}\lim_{x\to\infty } \left( f''(x)+5f'(x)+6f(x)\right) $$ [i]Dorel Duca[/i] and [i]Dorian Popa[/i]

Find all pairs of positive integers $ x,y$ satisfying the equation \[ y^x \equal{} x^{50}\]

In the Cartesian plane is given a polygon $P$ whose vertices have integer coordinates and with sides parallel to the coordinate axes. Show that if the length of each edge of $P$ is an odd integer, then the surface of P cannot be partitioned into $2\times 1$ rectangles.

Determine all real polynomials $P$ of degree at most $22$ for which $$kP (k + 1) - (k + 1)P (k) = k^2 + k + 1$$ for all $k \in \{1, 2, 3, . . . , 21, 22\}$.

a) The incircle of a triangle $ABC$ touches $AC$ and $AB$ at points $B_0$ and $C_0$ respectively. The bisectors of angles $B$ and $C$ meet the perpendicular bisector to the bisector $AL$ in points $Q$ and $P$ respectively. Prove that the lines $PC_0, QB_0$ and $BC$ concur. b) Let $AL$ be the bisector of a triangle $ABC$. Points $O_1$ and $O_2$ are the circumcenters of triangles $ABL$ and $ACL$ respectively. Points $B_1$ and $C_1$ are the projections of $C$ and $B$ to the bisectors of angles $B$ and $C$ respectively. Prove that the lines $O_1C_1, O_2B_1,$ and $BC$ concur. c) Prove that the two points obtained in pp. a) and b) coincide.

We call the $main$ $divisors$ of a composite number $n$ the two largest of its natural divisors other than $n$. Composite numbers $a$ and $b$ are such that the main divisors of $a$ and $b$ coincide. Prove that $a=b$.

Let $a,b,c \in \mathbb {R}^{+}$ and $abc=1$ prove that: $\frac {a+b}{(a+b+1)^2}+\frac {b+c}{(b+c+1)^2}+\frac {c+a}{(c+a+1)^2} \geq \frac {2}{a+b+c}$

The bisectors of the angles $\sphericalangle CAB$ and $\sphericalangle BCA$ intersect the circumcircle of $ABC$ in $P$ and $Q$ respectively. These bisectors intersect each other in point $I$. Prove that $PQ \perp BI$.

Determine the number of real roots of the equation $$|x|+|x+1|+\cdots+|x+2018|=x^2+2018x-2019$$

Let $P$ be a polynomial with real coefficients. Prove that if for some integer $k$ $P(k)$ isn't integral, then there exist infinitely many integers $m$, for which $P(m)$ isn't integral.

In the triangle $ABC$, the medians from $B$ and $C$ are perpendicular. Show that $\cot B + \cot C \ge \frac23$.

Rothschild the benefactor has a certain number of coins. A man comes, and Rothschild wants to share his coins with him. If he has an even number of coins, he gives half of them to the man and goes away. If he has an odd number of coins, he donates one coin to charity so he can have an even number of coins, but meanwhile another man comes. So now he has to share his coins with two other people. If it is possible to do so evenly, he does so and goes away. Otherwise, he again donates a few coins to charity (no more than 3). Meanwhile, yet another man comes. This goes on until Rothschild is able to divide his coins evenly or until he runs out of money. Does there exist a natural number $N$ such that if Rothschild has at least $N$ coins in the beginning, he will end with at least one coin?

Let $a, b, c$ be positive reals such that $a+b+c=3$. Prove that \[18\sum_{\text{cyc}}\frac{1}{(3-c)(4-c)}+2(ab+bc+ca)\ge 15. \][i]Proposed by David Stoner[/i]

A pen costs $11$ € and a notebook costs $13$ €. Find the number of ways in which a person can spend exactly $1000$ € to buy pens and notebooks.

Show that for any integer $n \ge 2$ the sum of the fractions $\frac{1}{ab}$, where $a$ and $b$ are relatively prime positive integers such that $a < b \le n$ and $a+b > n$, equals $\frac{1}{2}$. (Integers $a$ and $b$ are called relatively prime if the greatest common divisor of $a$ and $b$ is $1$.)

A pyramid has square base and equal sides. It is cut into two parts by a plane parallel to the base. The lower part (which has square top and square base) is such that the circumcircle of the base is smaller than the circumcircles of the lateral faces. Show that the shortest path on the surface joining the two endpoints of a spatial diagonal lies entirely on the lateral faces. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/c/8/170bec826d5e40308cfd7360725d2aba250bf6.png[/img]