Found problems: 175
2014 IFYM, Sozopol, 4
Let $A$ be the set of permutations $a=(a_1,a_2,…,a_n)$ of $M=\{1,2,…n\}$ with the following property: There doesn’t exist a subset $S$ of $M$ such that $a(S)=S$. For $\forall$ such permutation $a$ let $d(a)=\sum_{k=1}^n (a_k-k)^2$ . Determine the smallest value of $d(a)$.
1978 Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik, 4
A prime number has the property that however its decimal digits are permuted, the obtained number is also prime. Prove that this number has at most three different digits. Also prove a stronger statement.
2018 Romania Team Selection Tests, 3
For every integer $n \ge 2$ let $B_n$ denote the set of all binary $n$-nuples of zeroes and ones, and split $B_n$ into equivalence classes by letting two $n$-nuples be equivalent if one is obtained from the another by a cyclic permutation.(for example 110, 011 and 101 are equivalent). Determine the integers $n \ge 2$ for which $B_n$ splits into an odd number of equivalence classes.
2012 Dutch IMO TST, 4
Let $n$ be a positive integer divisible by $4$. We consider the permutations $(a_1, a_2,...,a_n)$ of $(1,2,..., n)$ having the following property: for each j we have $a_i + j = n + 1$ where $i = a_j$ . Prove that there are exactly $\frac{ (\frac12 n)!}{(\frac14 n)!}$ such permutations.
2020 OMMock - Mexico National Olympiad Mock Exam, 2
We say that a permutation $(a_1, \dots, a_n)$ of $(1, 2, \dots, n)$ is good if the sums $a_1 + a_2 + \dots + a_i$ are all distinct modulo $n$. Prove that there exists a positive integer $n$ such that there are at least $2020$ good permutations of $(1, 2, \dots, n)$.
[i]Proposed by Ariel García[/i]
2009 Serbia Team Selection Test, 1
Let $n \in \mathbb N$ and $A_n$ set of all permutations $(a_1, \ldots, a_n)$ of the set $\{1, 2, \ldots , n\}$ for which
\[k|2(a_1 + \cdots+ a_k), \text{ for all } 1 \leq k \leq n.\]
Find the number of elements of the set $A_n$.
[i]Proposed by Vidan Govedarica, Serbia[/i]
2007 Nicolae Păun, 3
In the following exercise, $ C_G (e) $ denotes the centralizer of the element $ e $ in the group $ G. $
[b]a)[/b] Prove that $ \max_{\sigma\in S_n\setminus\{1\}} \left| C_{S_n} (\sigma ) \right| <\frac{n!}{2} , $ for any natural number $ n\ge 4. $
[b]b)[/b] Show that $ \lim_{n\to\infty} \left(\frac{1}{n!}\cdot\max_{\sigma\in S_n\setminus\{1\}} \left| C_{S_n} (\sigma ) \right|\right) =0. $
[i]Alexandru Cioba[/i]
2016 AIME Problems, 8
For a permutation $p = (a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_9)$ of the digits $1,2,\ldots,9$, let $s(p)$ denote the sum of the three $3$-digit numbers $a_1a_2a_3$, $a_4a_5a_6$, and $a_7a_8a_9$. Let $m$ be the minimum value of $s(p)$ subject to the condition that the units digit of $s(p)$ is $0$. Let $n$ denote the number of permutations $p$ with $s(p) = m$. Find $|m - n|$.
1958 November Putnam, B7
Let $a_1 ,a_2 ,\ldots, a_n$ be a permutation of the integers $1,2,\ldots, n.$ Call $a_i$ a [i]big[/i] integer if $a_i >a_j$ for all $i<j.$ Find the mean number of big integers over all permutations on the first $n$ postive integers.
1997 IMO, 3
Let $ x_1$, $ x_2$, $ \ldots$, $ x_n$ be real numbers satisfying the conditions:
\[ \left\{\begin{array}{cccc} |x_1 \plus{} x_2 \plus{} \cdots \plus{} x_n | & \equal{} & 1 & \ \\
|x_i| & \leq & \displaystyle \frac {n \plus{} 1}{2} & \ \textrm{ for }i \equal{} 1, 2, \ldots , n. \end{array} \right.
\]
Show that there exists a permutation $ y_1$, $ y_2$, $ \ldots$, $ y_n$ of $ x_1$, $ x_2$, $ \ldots$, $ x_n$ such that
\[ | y_1 \plus{} 2 y_2 \plus{} \cdots \plus{} n y_n | \leq \frac {n \plus{} 1}{2}.
\]
2021 Kyiv City MO Round 1, 8.3
The $1 \times 1$ cells located around the perimeter of a $3 \times 3$ square are filled with the numbers $1,
2, \ldots, 8$ so that the sums along each of the four sides are equal. In the upper left corner cell is the number $8$, and in the upper left is the number $6$ (see the figure below).
[img]https://i.ibb.co/bRmd12j/Kyiv-MO-2021-Round-1-8-2.png[/img]
How many different ways to fill the remaining cells are there under these conditions?
[i]Proposed by Mariia Rozhkova[/i]
2012 IFYM, Sozopol, 1
Let $n\in \mathbb{N}$ be a number multiple of 4. We take all permutations $(a_1,a_2...a_n)$ of the numbers $(1,2...n)$, for which $\forall j$, $a_i+j=n+1$ where $i=a_j$. Prove that there exist $\frac{(\frac{1}{2}n)!}{(\frac{1}{4}n)!}$ such permutations.
2016 IMC, 5
Let $S_n$ denote the set of permutations of the sequence $(1,2,\dots, n)$. For every permutation $\pi=(\pi_1, \dots, \pi_n)\in S_n$, let $\mathrm{inv}(\pi)$ be the number of pairs $1\le i < j \le n$ with $\pi_i>\pi_j$; i. e. the number of inversions in $\pi$. Denote by $f(n)$ the number of permutations $\pi\in S_n$ for which $\mathrm{inv}(\pi)$ is divisible by $n+1$.
Prove that there exist infinitely many primes $p$ such that $f(p-1)>\frac{(p-1)!}{p}$, and infinitely many primes $p$ such that $f(p-1)<\frac{(p-1)!}{p}$.
(Proposed by Fedor Petrov, St. Petersburg State University)
1977 Germany Team Selection Test, 1
We consider two sequences of real numbers $x_{1} \geq x_{2} \geq \ldots \geq x_{n}$ and $\ y_{1} \geq y_{2} \geq \ldots \geq y_{n}.$ Let $z_{1}, z_{2}, .\ldots, z_{n}$ be a permutation of the numbers $y_{1}, y_{2}, \ldots, y_{n}.$ Prove that $\sum \limits_{i=1}^{n} ( x_{i} -\ y_{i} )^{2} \leq \sum \limits_{i=1}^{n}$ $( x_{i} - z_{i})^{2}.$
2024 Belarus Team Selection Test, 1.4
Two permutations of $1,\ldots, n$ are written on the board:
$a_1,\ldots,a_n$
$b_1,\ldots,b_n$
A move consists of one of the following two operations:
1) Change the first row to $b_{a_1},\ldots,b_{a_n}$
2) Change the second row to $a_{b_1},\ldots,a_{b_n}$
The starting position is:
$2134\ldots n$
$234\ldots n1$
Is it possible by finitely many moves to get:
$2314\ldots n$
$234 \ldots n1$?
[i]D. Zmiaikou[/i]
1966 IMO Longlists, 51
Consider $n$ students with numbers $1, 2, \ldots, n$ standing in the order $1, 2, \ldots, n.$ Upon a command, any of the students either remains on his place or switches his place with another student. (Actually, if student $A$ switches his place with student $B,$ then $B$ cannot switch his place with any other student $C$ any more until the next command comes.)
Is it possible to arrange the students in the order $n,1, 2, \ldots, n-1$ after two commands ?
2006 Germany Team Selection Test, 3
Suppose that $ a_1$, $ a_2$, $ \ldots$, $ a_n$ are integers such that $ n\mid a_1 \plus{} a_2 \plus{} \ldots \plus{} a_n$.
Prove that there exist two permutations $ \left(b_1,b_2,\ldots,b_n\right)$ and $ \left(c_1,c_2,\ldots,c_n\right)$ of $ \left(1,2,\ldots,n\right)$ such that for each integer $ i$ with $ 1\leq i\leq n$, we have
\[ n\mid a_i \minus{} b_i \minus{} c_i
\]
[i]Proposed by Ricky Liu & Zuming Feng, USA[/i]
1984 IMO Longlists, 22
In a permutation $(x_1, x_2, \dots , x_n)$ of the set $1, 2, \dots , n$ we call a pair $(x_i, x_j )$ discordant if $i < j$ and $x_i > x_j$. Let $d(n, k)$ be the number of such permutations with exactly $k$ discordant pairs. Find $d(n, 2)$ and $d(n, 3).$
2009 Serbia National Math Olympiad, 4
Let $n \in \mathbb N$ and $A_n$ set of all permutations $(a_1, \ldots, a_n)$ of the set $\{1, 2, \ldots , n\}$ for which
\[k|2(a_1 + \cdots+ a_k), \text{ for all } 1 \leq k \leq n.\]
Find the number of elements of the set $A_n$.
[i]Proposed by Vidan Govedarica, Serbia[/i]
2015 Canadian Mathematical Olympiad Qualification, 3
Let $N$ be a 3-digit number with three distinct non-zero digits. We say that $N$ is [i]mediocre[/i] if it has the property that when all six 3-digit permutations of $N$ are written down, the average is $N$. For example, $N = 481$ is mediocre, since it is the average of $\{418, 481, 148, 184, 814, 841\}$.
Determine the largest mediocre number.
2020 EGMO, 4
A permutation of the integers $1, 2, \ldots, m$ is called [i]fresh[/i] if there exists no positive integer $k < m$ such that the first $k$ numbers in the permutation are $1, 2, \ldots, k$ in some order. Let $f_m$ be the number of fresh permutations of the integers $1, 2, \ldots, m$.
Prove that $f_n \ge n \cdot f_{n - 1}$ for all $n \ge 3$.
[i]For example, if $m = 4$, then the permutation $(3, 1, 4, 2)$ is fresh, whereas the permutation $(2, 3, 1, 4)$ is not.[/i]
2010 Postal Coaching, 1
Let $n \in \mathbb N$ and $A_n$ set of all permutations $(a_1, \ldots, a_n)$ of the set $\{1, 2, \ldots , n\}$ for which
\[k|2(a_1 + \cdots+ a_k), \text{ for all } 1 \leq k \leq n.\]
Find the number of elements of the set $A_n$.
[i]Proposed by Vidan Govedarica, Serbia[/i]
1980 Tournament Of Towns, (003) 3
If permutations of the numbers $2, 3,4,..., 102$ are denoted by $a_i,a_2, a_3,...,a_{101}$, find all such permutations in which $a_k$ is divisible by $k$ for all $k$.
2017 China National Olympiad, 4
Let $n \geq 2$ be a natural number. For any two permutations of $(1,2,\cdots,n)$, say $\alpha = (a_1,a_2,\cdots,a_n)$ and $\beta = (b_1,b_2,\cdots,b_n),$ if there exists a natural number $k \leq n$ such that
$$b_i = \begin{cases} a_{k+1-i}, & \text{ }1 \leq i \leq k; \\ a_i, & \text{} k < i \leq n, \end{cases}$$
we call $\alpha$ a friendly permutation of $\beta$.
Prove that it is possible to enumerate all possible permutations of $(1,2,\cdots,n)$ as $P_1,P_2,\cdots,P_m$ such that for all $i = 1,2,\cdots,m$, $P_{i+1}$ is a friendly permutation of $P_i$ where $m = n!$ and $P_{m+1} = P_1$.
1987 IMO Longlists, 21
Let $p_n(k)$ be the number of permutations of the set $\{1,2,3,\ldots,n\}$ which have exactly $k$ fixed points. Prove that $\sum_{k=0}^nk p_n(k)=n!$.[i](IMO Problem 1)[/i]
[b][i]Original formulation [/i][/b]
Let $S$ be a set of $n$ elements. We denote the number of all permutations of $S$ that have exactly $k$ fixed points by $p_n(k).$ Prove:
(a) $\sum_{k=0}^{n} kp_n(k)=n! \ ;$
(b) $\sum_{k=0}^{n} (k-1)^2 p_n(k) =n! $
[i]Proposed by Germany, FR[/i]