Fix an odd integer $n > 1$. For a permutation $p$ of the set $\{1,2,...,n\}$, let S be the number of pairs of indices $(i, j)$, $1 \le i \le j \le n$, for which $p_i +p_{i+1} +...+p_j$ is divisible by $n$. Determine the maximum possible value of $S$. Croatia

Several dwarves were lined up in a row, and then they lined up in a row in a different order. Is it possible that exactly one third of the dwarves have two new neighbours and exactly one third of the dwarves have only one new neighbour, if the number of the dwarves is a) 9; b) 12?

For every positive integer $n$, denote by $D_n$ the number of permutations $(x_1, \dots, x_n)$ of $(1,2,\dots, n)$ such that $x_j\neq j$ for every $1\le j\le n$. For $1\le k\le \frac{n}{2}$, denote by $\Delta (n,k)$ the number of permutations $(x_1,\dots, x_n)$ of $(1,2,\dots, n)$ such that $x_i=k+i$ for every $1\le i\le k$ and $x_j\neq j$ for every $1\le j\le n$. Prove that $$\Delta (n,k)=\sum_{i=0}^{k=1} \binom{k-1}{i} \frac{D_{(n+1)-(k+i)}}{n-(k+i)}$$ (Proposed by Combinatorics; Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran; Mirzavaziri)

Let $P(x)$ be a non-constant polynomial with integer coefficients. Prove that there is no function $T$ from the set of integers into the set of integers such that the number of integers $x$ with $T^n(x)=x$ is equal to $P(n)$ for every $n\geq 1$, where $T^n$ denotes the $n$-fold application of $T$. [i]Proposed by Jozsef Pelikan, Hungary[/i]

$a_1, a_2,...,a_{2006}$ is a permutation of $1,2,...,2006$. Prove that $\prod_{i = 1}^{2006} (a_{i}^2-i) $ is a multiple of $3$. ($0$ is counted as a multiple of $3$)

For any permutation $p$ of set $\{1, 2, \ldots, n\}$, define $d(p) = |p(1) - 1| + |p(2) - 2| + \ldots + |p(n) - n|$. Denoted by $i(p)$ the number of integer pairs $(i, j)$ in permutation $p$ such that $1 \leqq < j \leq n$ and $p(i) > p(j)$. Find all the real numbers $c$, such that the inequality $i(p) \leq c \cdot d(p)$ holds for any positive integer $n$ and any permutation $p.$

For any finite sequence $(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$, denote by $N(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$ the number of ordered index pairs $(i,j)$ for which $1 \le i<j\le n$ and $x_i=x_j$. Let $p$ be an odd prime, $1 \le n<p$, and let $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n$ and $b_1,b_2,\ldots,b_n$ be arbitrary residue classes modulo $p$. Prove that there exists a permutation $\pi$ of the indices $1,2,\ldots,n$ for which \[N(a_1+b_{\pi(1)},a_2+b_{\pi(2)},\ldots,a_n+b_{\pi(n)})\le \min(N(a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n),N(b_1,b_2,\ldots,b_n)).\]

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.

Let $M_n$ be the set of permutations $\sigma\in S_n$ for which there exists $\tau\in S_n$ such that the numbers \[\sigma (1)+\tau(1),\, \sigma(2)+\tau(2),\ldots,\sigma(n)+\tau(n),\] are consecutive. Show that \((M_n\neq \emptyset\Leftrightarrow n\text{ is odd})\) and in this case for each $\sigma_1,\sigma_2\in M_n$ the following equality holds: \[\sum_{k=1}^n k\sigma_1(k)=\sum_{k=1}^n k\sigma_2(k).\] [i]Dan Schwarz[/i]

Show that there exist (at least) a rearrangement $a_0, a_1, a_2,..., a_{63}$ of the numbers $0,1, 2,..., 63$, such that $a_i - a_j \ne a_j - a_k$, for any $i < j < k \in \{0,1, 2,..., 63\}$.

For positive integers $k$ and $n$, express the number of permutation $P=x_1x_2...x_{2n}$ consisting of $A$ and $B$ that satisfies all three of the following conditions, using $k$ and $n$. $ $ $ $ $(i)$ $A, B$ appear exactly $n$ times respectively in $P$. $ $ $ $ $(ii)$ For each $1\le i\le n$, if we denote the number of $A$ in $x_1,x_2,...,x_i$ as $a_i$ $,$ then $\mid 2a_i -i\mid \le 1$. $ $ $ $ $(iii)$ $AB$ appears exactly $k$ times in $P$. (For example, $AB$ appears 3 times in $ABBABAAB$)

For any non-negative integer $n$, we say that a permutation $(a_0,a_1,...,a_n)$ of $\{0,1,..., n\} $ is quadratic if $k + a_k$ is a square for $k = 0, 1,...,n$. Show that for any non-negative integer $n$, there exists a quadratic permutation of $\{0,1,..., n\}$.

Let $n$ be an odd integer greater than $1.$ Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ symmetric matrix such that each row and column consists of some permutation of the integers $1,2, \ldots, n.$ Show that each of the integers $1,2, \ldots, n$ must appear in the main diagonal of $A$.

A permutation of a set is a bijection from the set to itself. For example, if $\sigma$ is the permutation $1 7\mapsto 3$, $2 \mapsto 1$, and $3 \mapsto 2$, and we apply it to the ordered triplet $(1, 2, 3)$, we get the reordered triplet $(3, 1, 2)$. Let $\sigma$ be a permutation of the set $\{1, ... , n\}$. Let $$\theta_k(m) = \begin{cases} m + 1 & \text{for} \,\, m < k\\ 1 & \text{for} \,\, m = k\\ m & \text{for} \,\, m > k\end{cases}$$ Call a finite sequence $\{a_i\}^{j}_{i=1}$ a disentanglement of $\sigma$ if $\theta_{a_j} \circ ...\circ \theta_{a_j} \circ \sigma$ is the identity permutation. For example, when $\sigma = (3, 2, 1)$, then $\{2, 3\}$ is a disentaglement of $\sigma$. Let $f(\sigma)$ denote the minimum number $k$ such that there is a disentanglement of $\sigma$ of length $k$. Let $g(n)$ be the expected value for $f(\sigma)$ if $\sigma$ is a random permutation of $\{1, ... , n\}$. What is $g(6)$?

Let $P$ be a non-zero polynomial with non-negative real coefficients, let $N$ be a positive integer, and let $\sigma$ be a permutation of the set $\{1,2,...,n\}$. Determine the least value the sum \[\sum_{i=1}^{n}\frac{P(x_i^2)}{P(x_ix_{\sigma(i)})}\] may achieve, as $x_1,x_2,...,x_n$ run through the set of positive real numbers. [i]Fedor Petrov[/i]