Olympiad problems

2010 Pan African, 1

Seven distinct points are marked on a circle of circumference $c$. Three of the points form an equilateral triangle and the other four form a square. Prove that at least one of the seven arcs into which the seven points divide the circle has length less than or equal $\frac{c}{24}$.

1998 Romania Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: rectangle , geometry , pigeonhole principle

All the vertices of a convex pentagon are on lattice points. Prove that the area of the pentagon is at least $\frac{5}{2}$. [i]Bogdan Enescu[/i]

2005 South East Mathematical Olympiad, 3

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , induction

Let $n$ be positive integer, set $M = \{ 1, 2, \ldots, 2n \}$. Find the minimum positive integer $k$ such that for any subset $A$ (with $k$ elements) of set $M$, there exist four pairwise distinct elements in $A$ whose sum is $4n + 1$.

2010 Romanian Master of Mathematics, 6

Tags: polynomial , algebra , number theory , pigeonhole principle , relatively prime , induction

Given a polynomial $f(x)$ with rational coefficients, of degree $d \ge 2$, we define the sequence of sets $f^0(\mathbb{Q}), f^1(\mathbb{Q}), \ldots$ as $f^0(\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}$, $f^{n+1}(\mathbb{Q})=f(f^{n}(\mathbb{Q}))$ for $n\ge 0$. (Given a set $S$, we write $f(S)$ for the set $\{f(x)\mid x\in S\})$. Let $f^{\omega}(\mathbb{Q})=\bigcap_{n=0}^{\infty} f^n(\mathbb{Q})$ be the set of numbers that are in all of the sets $f^n(\mathbb{Q})$, $n\geq 0$. Prove that $f^{\omega}(\mathbb{Q})$ is a finite set. [i]Dan Schwarz, Romania[/i]

2002 Korea - Final Round, 3

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , ceiling function

The following facts are known in a mathematical contest: [list] (a) The number of problems tested was $n\ge 4$ (b) Each problem was solved by exactly four contestants. (c) For each pair of problems, there is exactly one contestant who solved both problems [/list] Assuming the number of contestants is greater than or equal to $4n$, find the minimum value of $n$ for which there always exists a contestant who solved all the problems.

2012 Turkey Junior National Olympiad, 4

Tags: geometry , inequalities , induction , combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , geometric transformation

We want to place $2012$ pockets, including variously colored balls, into $k$ boxes such that [b]i)[/b] For any box, all pockets in this box must include a ball with the same color or [b]ii)[/b] For any box, all pockets in this box must include a ball having a color which is not included in any other pocket in this box Find the smallest value of $k$ for which we can always do this placement whatever the number of balls in the pockets and whatever the colors of balls.

2018 Slovenia Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: combinatorics , algorithm , induction , pigeonhole principle

Let $n$ be a positive integer. On the table, we have $n^2$ ornaments in $n$ different colours, not necessarily $n$ of each colour. Prove that we can hang the ornaments on $n$ Christmas trees in such a way that there are exactly $n$ ornaments on each tree and the ornaments on every tree are of at most $2$ different colours.

1996 Romania Team Selection Test, 16

Tags: function , pigeonhole principle , algebra

Let $ n\geq 3 $ be an integer and let $ \mathcal{S} \subset \{1,2,\ldots, n^3\} $ be a set with $ 3n^2 $ elements. Prove that there exist nine distinct numbers $ a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_9 \in \mathcal{S} $ such that the following system has a solution in nonzero integers: \begin{eqnarray*} a_1x + a_2y +a_3 z &=& 0 \\ a_4x + a_5 y + a_6 z &=& 0 \\ a_7x + a_8y + a_9z &=& 0. \end{eqnarray*} [i]Marius Cavachi[/i]

2012 Morocco TST, 2

Tags: induction , pigeonhole principle , algebra

Let $\left ( a_{n} \right )_{n \geq 1}$ be an increasing sequence of positive integers such that $a_1=1$, and for all positive integers $n$, $a_{n+1}\leq 2n$. Prove that for every positive $n$; there exists positive integers $p$ and $q$ such that $n=a_{p}-a_{q}$.

2012 China Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle

Let $a_1<a_2$ be two given integers. For any integer $n\ge 3$, let $a_n$ be the smallest integer which is larger than $a_{n-1}$ and can be uniquely represented as $a_i+a_j$, where $1\le i<j\le n-1$. Given that there are only a finite number of even numbers in $\{a_n\}$, prove that the sequence $\{a_{n+1}-a_{n}\}$ is eventually periodic, i.e. that there exist positive integers $T,N$ such that for all integers $n>N$, we have \[a_{T+n+1}-a_{T+n}=a_{n+1}-a_{n}.\]

2011 China Western Mathematical Olympiad, 2

Tags: pigeonhole principle , induction , combinatorics

Let $M$ be a subset of $\{1,2,3... 2011\}$ satisfying the following condition: For any three elements in $M$, there exist two of them $a$ and $b$ such that $a|b$ or $b|a$. Determine the maximum value of $|M|$ where $|M|$ denotes the number of elements in $M$

2020 Cono Sur Olympiad, 2

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , number theory

Given $2021$ distinct positive integers non divisible by $2^{1010}$, show that it's always possible to choose $3$ of them $a$, $b$ and $c$, such that $|b^2-4ac|$ is not a perfect square.

2011 Mongolia Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , inequalities

Let $G$ be a graph, not containing $K_4$ as a subgraph and $|V(G)|=3k$ (I interpret this to be the number of vertices is divisible by 3). What is the maximum number of triangles in $G$?

2014 India IMO Training Camp, 1

Tags: algebra , binomial theorem , pigeonhole principle

Prove that in any set of $2000$ distinct real numbers there exist two pairs $a>b$ and $c>d$ with $a \neq c$ or $b \neq d $, such that \[ \left| \frac{a-b}{c-d} - 1 \right|< \frac{1}{100000}. \]

2001 Romania Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , prime number , algebra , function , number theory

a) Let $f,g:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ be one to one maps. Show that the function $h:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ defined by $h(x)=f(x)g(x)$, for all $x\in\mathbb{Z}$, cannot be a surjective function. b) Let $f:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ be a surjective function. Show that there exist surjective functions $g,h:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ such that $f(x)=g(x)h(x)$, for all $x\in\mathbb{Z}$.

2002 All-Russian Olympiad, 1

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , geometric transformation , rotation , geometry

There are eight rooks on a chessboard, no two attacking each other. Prove that some two of the pairwise distances between the rooks are equal. (The distance between two rooks is the distance between the centers of their cell.)

1977 IMO Longlists, 11

Tags: number theory , modular arithmetic , pigeonhole principle

Let $n$ and $z$ be integers greater than $1$ and $(n,z)=1$. Prove: (a) At least one of the numbers $z_i=1+z+z^2+\cdots +z^i,\ i=0,1,\ldots ,n-1,$ is divisible by $n$. (b) If $(z-1,n)=1$, then at least one of the numbers $z_i$ is divisible by $n$.

2018 AMC 12/AHSME, 12

Tags: pigeonhole principle

Let $S$ be a set of 6 integers taken from $\{1,2,\dots,12\}$ with the property that if $a$ and $b$ are elements of $S$ with $a<b$, then $b$ is not a multiple of $a$. What is the least possible value of an element in $S$? $\textbf{(A)}\ 2\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 3\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 4\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 5\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 7$

2010 USAJMO, 2

Tags: pigeonhole principle , arithmetic sequence , induction

Let $n > 1$ be an integer. Find, with proof, all sequences $x_1 , x_2 , \ldots , x_{n-1}$ of positive integers with the following three properties: (a). $x_1 < x_2 < \cdots < x_{n-1}$ ; (b). $x_i + x_{n-i} = 2n$ for all $i = 1, 2, \ldots , n - 1$; (c). given any two indices $i$ and $j$ (not necessarily distinct) for which $x_i + x_j < 2n$, there is an index $k$ such that $x_i + x_j = x_k$.

2006 Greece Junior Math Olympiad, 3

Tags: pigeonhole principle , relatively prime , number theory

Prove that between every $27$ different positive integers , less than $100$, there exist some two which are[color=red] NOT [/color]relative prime. [u]babis[/u]

2011 Puerto Rico Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: number theory , pigeonhole principle

Given 11 natural numbers under 21, show that you can choose two such that one divides the other.

2009 Philippine MO, 3

Tags: pigeonhole principle , combinatorics

Each point of a circle is colored either red or blue. [b](a)[/b] Prove that there always exists an isosceles triangle inscribed in this circle such that all its vertices are colored the same. [b](b)[/b] Does there always exist an equilateral triangle inscribed in this circle such that all its vertices are colored the same?

2004 France Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: analytic geometry , pigeonhole principle , complex number , triangle inequality , inequalities , geometry

Each point of the plane with two integer coordinates is the center of a disk with radius $ \frac {1} {1000}$. Prove that there exists an equilateral triangle whose vertices belong to distinct disks. Prove that such a triangle has side-length greater than 96.

2002 Tuymaada Olympiad, 4

Tags: pigeonhole principle , integration , calculus , floor function , number theory

A real number $a$ is given. The sequence $n_{1}< n_{2}< n_{3}< ...$ consists of all the positive integral $n$ such that $\{na\}< \frac{1}{10}$. Prove that there are at most three different numbers among the numbers $n_{2}-n_{1}$, $n_{3}-n_{2}$, $n_{4}-n_{3}$, $\ldots$. [i]A corollary of a theorem from ergodic theory[/i]

2012 Argentina Cono Sur TST, 1

Tags: geometry , rectangle , pigeonhole principle , ceiling function

Sofía colours $46$ cells of a $9 \times 9$ board red. If Pedro can find a $2 \times 2$ square from the board that has $3$ or more red cells, he wins; otherwise, Sofía wins. Determine the player with the winning strategy.