Found problems: 3597
1990 IMO Longlists, 22
Let $ f(0) \equal{} f(1) \equal{} 0$ and
\[ f(n\plus{}2) \equal{} 4^{n\plus{}2} \cdot f(n\plus{}1) \minus{} 16^{n\plus{}1} \cdot f(n) \plus{} n \cdot 2^{n^2}, \quad n \equal{} 0, 1, 2, \ldots\]
Show that the numbers $ f(1989), f(1990), f(1991)$ are divisible by $ 13.$
2010 Iran Team Selection Test, 3
Find all two-variable polynomials $p(x,y)$ such that for each $a,b,c\in\mathbb R$:
\[p(ab,c^2+1)+p(bc,a^2+1)+p(ca,b^2+1)=0\]
2016 Brazil National Olympiad, 5
Consider the second-degree polynomial \(P(x) = 4x^2+12x-3015\). Define the sequence of polynomials
\(P_1(x)=\frac{P(x)}{2016}\) and \(P_{n+1}(x)=\frac{P(P_n(x))}{2016}\) for every integer \(n \geq 1\).
[list='a']
[*]Show that exists a real number \(r\) such that \(P_n(r) < 0\) for every positive integer \(n\).
[*]Find how many integers \(m\) are such that \(P_n(m)<0\) for infinite positive integers \(n\).
[/list]
2018 Serbia National Math Olympiad, 4
Prove that there exists a uniqe $P(x)$ polynomial with real coefficients such that\\
$xy-x-y|(x+y)^{1000}-P(x)-P(y)$ for all real $x,y$.
2013 IFYM, Sozopol, 2
Do there exist natural numbers $a, b$ and $c$ such that $a^2+b^2+c^2$ is divisible by $2013(ab+bc+ca)$?
[i]Proposed by Mahan Malihi[/i]
2025 India STEMS Category C, 1
Let $\mathcal{P}$ be the set of all polynomials with coefficients in $\{0, 1\}$. Suppose $a, b$ are non-zero integers such that for every $f \in \mathcal{P}$ with $f(a)\neq 0$, we have $f(a) \mid f(b)$. Prove that $a=b$.
[i]Proposed by Shashank Ingalagavi and Krutarth Shah[/i]
2010 Iran MO (3rd Round), 1
[b]two variable ploynomial[/b]
$P(x,y)$ is a two variable polynomial with real coefficients. degree of a monomial means sum of the powers of $x$ and $y$ in it. we denote by $Q(x,y)$ sum of monomials with the most degree in $P(x,y)$.
(for example if $P(x,y)=3x^4y-2x^2y^3+5xy^2+x-5$ then $Q(x,y)=3x^4y-2x^2y^3$.)
suppose that there are real numbers $x_1$,$y_1$,$x_2$ and $y_2$ such that
$Q(x_1,y_1)>0$ , $Q(x_2,y_2)<0$
prove that the set $\{(x,y)|P(x,y)=0\}$ is not bounded.
(we call a set $S$ of plane bounded if there exist positive number $M$ such that the distance of elements of $S$ from the origin is less than $M$.)
time allowed for this question was 1 hour.
2015 Baltic Way, 16
Denote by $P(n)$ the greatest prime divisor of $n$. Find all integers $n\geq 2$ for which \[P(n)+\lfloor\sqrt{n}\rfloor=P(n+1)+\lfloor\sqrt{n+1}\rfloor\]
2016 Federal Competition For Advanced Students, P2, 4
Let $a,b,c\ge-1$ be real numbers with $a^3+b^3+c^3=1$.
Prove that $a+b+c+a^2+b^2+c^2\le4$, and determine the cases of equality.
(Proposed by Karl Czakler)
1963 IMO Shortlist, 5
Prove that $\cos{\frac{\pi}{7}}-\cos{\frac{2\pi}{7}}+\cos{\frac{3\pi}{7}}=\frac{1}{2}$
1989 IMO Longlists, 69
Let $ k$ and $ s$ be positive integers. For sets of real numbers $ \{\alpha_1, \alpha_2, \ldots , \alpha_s\}$ and $ \{\beta_1, \beta_2, \ldots, \beta_s\}$ that satisfy
\[ \sum^s_{i\equal{}1} \alpha^j_i \equal{} \sum^s_{i\equal{}1} \beta^j_i \quad \forall j \equal{} \{1,2 \ldots, k\}\]
we write \[ \{\alpha_1, \alpha_2, \ldots , \alpha_s\} \overset{k}{\equal{}} \{\beta_1, \beta_2, \ldots , \beta_s\}.\]
Prove that if \[ \{\alpha_1, \alpha_2, \ldots , \alpha_s\} \overset{k}{\equal{}} \{\beta_1, \beta_2, \ldots , \beta_s\}\] and $ s \leq k,$ then there exists a permutation $ \pi$ of $ \{1, 2, \ldots , s\}$ such that
\[ \beta_i \equal{} \alpha_{\pi(i)} \quad \forall i \equal{} 1,2, \ldots, s.\]
2017 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 2
Does there exist a two-variable polynomial $P(x, y)$ with real number coefficients such that $P(x, y)$ is positive exactly when $x$ and $y$ are both positive?
2021 Purple Comet Problems, 18
The side lengths of a scalene triangle are roots of the polynomial $$x^3-20x^2+131x-281.3.$$ Find the square of the area of the triangle.
2009 Math Prize For Girls Problems, 7
Compute the value of the expression
\[ 2009^4 \minus{} 4 \times 2007^4 \plus{} 6 \times 2005^4 \minus{} 4 \times 2003^4 \plus{} 2001^4 \, .\]
1967 Miklós Schweitzer, 1
Let \[ f(x)\equal{}a_0\plus{}a_1x\plus{}a_2x^2\plus{}a_{10}x^{10}\plus{}a_{11}x^{11}\plus{}a_{12}x^{12}\plus{}a_{13}x^{13} \; (a_{13} \not\equal{}0) \] and \[ g(x)\equal{}b_0\plus{}b_1x\plus{}b_2x^2\plus{}b_{3}x^{3}\plus{}b_{11}x^{11}\plus{}b_{12}x^{12}\plus{}b_{13}x^{13} \; (b_{3} \not\equal{}0) \]
be polynomials over the same field. Prove that the degree of their greatest common divisor is at least $ 6$.
[i]L. Redei[/i]
2019 Peru Cono Sur TST, P6
Two polynomials of the same degree $A(x)=a_nx^n+ \cdots + a_1x+a_0$ and $B(x)=b_nx^n+\cdots+b_1x+b_0$ are called [i]friends[/i] is the coefficients $b_0,b_1, \ldots, b_n$ are a permutation of the coefficients $a_0,a_1, \ldots, a_n$.
$P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ be two friendly polynomials with integer coefficients. If $P(16)=3^{2020}$, the smallest possible value of $|Q(3^{2020})|$.
1991 French Mathematical Olympiad, Problem 5
(a) For given complex numbers $a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4$, we define a function $P:\mathbb C\to\mathbb C$ by $P(z)=z^5+a_4z^4+a_3z^3+a_2z^2+a_1z$. Let $w_k=e^{2ki\pi/5}$, where $k=0,\ldots,4$. Prove that
$$P(w_0)+P(w_1)+P(w_2)+P(w_3)+P(w_4)=5.$$(b) Let $A_1,A_2,A_3,A_4,A_5$ be five points in the plane. A pentagon is inscribed in the circle with center $A_1$ and radius $R$. Prove that there is a vertex $S$ of the pentagon for which
$$SA_1\cdot SA_2\cdot SA_3\cdot SA_4\cdot SA_5\ge R^5.$$
2023 Princeton University Math Competition, A1 / B3
Let p>3 be a prime and k>0 an integer. Find the multiplicity of X-1 in the factorization of
$ f(X)= X^{p^k-1}+X^{p^k-2}+\cdots+X+1$
modulo p;
in other words, find the unique non-negative integer r such that $ (X - 1)^r $ divides f(X)
\modulo p, but$ (X - 1)^{r+1} $does not divide f(X) \modulo p.
2020 DMO Stage 1, 2.
[b]Q.[/b] Find all polynomials $P: \mathbb{R \times R}\to\mathbb{R\times R}$ with real coefficients, such that $$P(x,y) = P(x+y,x-y), \ \forall\ x,y \in \mathbb{R}.$$
[i]Proposed by TuZo[/i]
1988 China Team Selection Test, 4
There is a broken computer such that only three primitive data $c$, $1$ and $-1$ are reserved. Only allowed operation may take $u$ and $v$ and output $u \cdot v + v.$ At the beginning, $u,v \in \{c, 1, -1\}.$ After then, it can also take the value of the previous step (only one step back) besides $\{c, 1, -1\}$. Prove that for any polynomial $P_{n}(x) = a_0 \cdot x^n + a_1 \cdot x^{n-1} + \ldots + a_n$ with integer coefficients, the value of $P_n(c)$ can be computed using this computer after only finite operation.
PEN A Problems, 3
Let $a$ and $b$ be positive integers such that $ab+1$ divides $a^{2}+b^{2}$. Show that \[\frac{a^{2}+b^{2}}{ab+1}\] is the square of an integer.
2005 USA Team Selection Test, 4
Consider the polynomials \[f(x) =\sum_{k=1}^{n}a_{k}x^{k}\quad\text{and}\quad g(x) =\sum_{k=1}^{n}\frac{a_{k}}{2^{k}-1}x^{k},\] where $a_{1},a_{2},\ldots,a_{n}$ are real numbers and $n$ is a positive integer. Show that if 1 and $2^{n+1}$ are zeros of $g$ then $f$ has a positive zero less than $2^{n}$.
1998 National Olympiad First Round, 34
Let $ a,b,c,d$ be rational numbers with $ a>0$. If for every integer $ n\ge 0$, the number $ an^{3} \plus{}bn^{2} \plus{}cn\plus{}d$ is also integer, then the minimal value of $ a$ will be
$\textbf{(A)}\ 1 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \frac{1}{2} \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \frac{1}{6} \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \text{Cannot be found} \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{None}$
1994 China Team Selection Test, 2
Given distinct prime numbers $p$ and $q$ and a natural number $n \geq 3$, find all $a \in \mathbb{Z}$ such that the polynomial $f(x) = x^n + ax^{n-1} + pq$ can be factored into 2 integral polynomials of degree at least 1.
2017 Baltic Way, 4
A linear form in $k$ variables is an expression of the form $P(x_1,...,x_k)=a_1x_1+...+a_kx_k$ with real constants $a_1,...,a_k$. Prove that there exist a positive integer $n$ and linear forms $P_1,...,P_n$ in $2017$ variables such that the equation $$x_1\cdot x_2\cdot ... \cdot x_{2017}=P_1(x_1,...,x_{2017})^{2017}+...+P_n(x_1,...,x_{2017})^{2017}$$ holds for all real numbers $x_1,...,x_{2017}$.