Found problems: 307
1992 IMO Shortlist, 14
For any positive integer $ x$ define $ g(x)$ as greatest odd divisor of $ x,$ and
\[ f(x) \equal{} \begin{cases} \frac {x}{2} \plus{} \frac {x}{g(x)} & \text{if \ \(x\) is even}, \\
2^{\frac {x \plus{} 1}{2}} & \text{if \ \(x\) is odd}. \end{cases}
\]
Construct the sequence $ x_1 \equal{} 1, x_{n \plus{} 1} \equal{} f(x_n).$ Show that the number 1992 appears in this sequence, determine the least $ n$ such that $ x_n \equal{} 1992,$ and determine whether $ n$ is unique.
2016 India IMO Training Camp, 1
Let $n$ be a natural number. We define sequences $\langle a_i\rangle$ and $\langle b_i\rangle$ of integers as follows. We let $a_0=1$ and $b_0=n$. For $i>0$, we let $$\left( a_i,b_i\right)=\begin{cases} \left(2a_{i-1}+1,b_{i-1}-a_{i-1}-1\right) & \text{if } a_{i-1}<b_{i-1},\\
\left( a_{i-1}-b_{i-1}-1,2b_{i-1}+1\right) & \text{if } a_{i-1}>b_{i-1},\\
\left(a_{i-1},b_{i-1}\right) & \text{if } a_{i-1}=b_{i-1}.\end{cases}$$
Given that $a_k=b_k$ for some natural number $k$, prove that $n+3$ is a power of two.
1993 Austrian-Polish Competition, 7
The sequence $(a_n)$ is defined by $a_0 = 0$ and $a_{n+1} = [\sqrt[3]{a_n +n}]^3$ for $n \ge 0$.
(a) Find $a_n$ in terms of $n$.
(b) Find all $n$ for which $a_n = n$.
1998 Belarusian National Olympiad, 5
Is there an infinite sequence of positive real numbers $x_1,x_2,...,x_n$ satisfying for all $n\ge 1$ the relation $x_{n+2}= \sqrt{x_{n+1}}-\sqrt{x_n}$?
1976 IMO, 2
Let $P_{1}(x)=x^{2}-2$ and $P_{j}(x)=P_{1}(P_{j-1}(x))$ for j$=2,\ldots$ Prove that for any positive integer n the roots of the equation $P_{n}(x)=x$ are all real and distinct.
2016 India IMO Training Camp, 1
Let $n$ be a natural number. We define sequences $\langle a_i\rangle$ and $\langle b_i\rangle$ of integers as follows. We let $a_0=1$ and $b_0=n$. For $i>0$, we let $$\left( a_i,b_i\right)=\begin{cases} \left(2a_{i-1}+1,b_{i-1}-a_{i-1}-1\right) & \text{if } a_{i-1}<b_{i-1},\\
\left( a_{i-1}-b_{i-1}-1,2b_{i-1}+1\right) & \text{if } a_{i-1}>b_{i-1},\\
\left(a_{i-1},b_{i-1}\right) & \text{if } a_{i-1}=b_{i-1}.\end{cases}$$
Given that $a_k=b_k$ for some natural number $k$, prove that $n+3$ is a power of two.
2001 IMO Shortlist, 3
Let $ a_1 \equal{} 11^{11}, \, a_2 \equal{} 12^{12}, \, a_3 \equal{} 13^{13}$, and $ a_n \equal{} |a_{n \minus{} 1} \minus{} a_{n \minus{} 2}| \plus{} |a_{n \minus{} 2} \minus{} a_{n \minus{} 3}|, n \geq 4.$ Determine $ a_{14^{14}}$.
1973 Dutch Mathematical Olympiad, 5
An infinite sequence of integers $a_1,a_2,a_3, ...$ is given with $a_1 = 0$ and further holds for every natural number $n$ that $a_{n+1} = a_n - n$ if $a_n \ge n$ and $a_{n+1} = a_n + n$ if $a_n < n$ .
(a) Prove that there are infinitely many numbers in the sequence equal to $0$.
(b) Express in terms of $k$ the ordinal number of the $k^e$ number from the sequence, which is equal to $0$.
2015 Peru MO (ONEM), 4
Let $b$ be an odd positive integer. The sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3, a_4$, is definedin the next way: $a_1$ and $a_2$ are positive integers and for all $k \ge 2$,
$$a_{k+1}= \begin{cases} \frac{a_k + a_{k-1}}{2} \,\,\, if \,\,\, a_k + a_{k-1} \,\,\, is \,\,\, even \\ \frac{a_k + a_{k-1+b}}{2}\,\,\, if \,\,\, a_k + a_{k-1}\,\,\, is \,\,\,odd\end{cases}$$
a) Prove that if $b = 1$, then after a certain term, the sequence will become constant.
b) For each $b \ge 3$ (odd), prove that there exist values of $a_1$ and $a_2$ for which the sequence will become constant after a certain term.
1978 Polish MO Finals, 5
For a given real number $a$, define the sequence $(a_n)$ by $a_1 = a$ and
$$a_{n+1} =\begin{cases}
\dfrac12 \left(a_n -\dfrac{1}{a_n}\right) \,\,\, if \,\,\, a_n \ne 0, \\
0 \,\,\, if \,\,\, a_n = 0 \end{cases}$$
Prove that the sequence $(a_n)$ contains infinitely many nonpositive terms.
1985 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 414
Solve the equation ("$2$" encounters $1985$ times):
$$\dfrac{x}{2+ \dfrac{x}{2+\dfrac{x}{2+... \dfrac{x}{2+\sqrt {1+x}}}}}=1$$
1967 IMO Shortlist, 1
In a sports meeting a total of $m$ medals were awarded over $n$ days. On the first day one medal and $\frac{1}{7}$ of the remaining medals were awarded. On the second day two medals and $\frac{1}{7}$ of the remaining medals were awarded, and so on. On the last day, the remaining $n$ medals were awarded. How many medals did the meeting last, and what was the total number of medals ?
2020 Jozsef Wildt International Math Competition, W53
Define the sequence $(w_n)_{n\ge0}$ by the recurrence relation
$$w_{n+2}=2w_{n+1}+3w_n,\enspace\enspace w_0=1,w_1=i,\enspace n=0,1,\ldots$$
(1) Find the general formula for $w_n$ and compute the first $9$ terms.
(2) Show that $|\Re w_n-\Im w_n|=1$ for all $n\ge1$.
[i]Proposed by Ovidiu Bagdasar[/i]
1994 Austrian-Polish Competition, 2
The sequences $(a_n)$ and (c_n) are given by $a_0 =\frac12$, $c_0=4$ , and for $n \ge 0$ , $a_{n+1}=\frac{2a_n}{1+a_n^2}$, $c_{n+1}=c_n^2-2c_n+2$
Prove that for all $n\ge 1$, $a_n=\frac{2c_0c_1...c_{n-1}}{c_n}$
2019 IMC, 4
Let $(n+3)a_{n+2}=(6n+9)a_{n+1}-na_n$ and $a_0=1$ and $a_1=2$ prove that all the terms of the sequence are integers
1982 Austrian-Polish Competition, 4
Let $P(x)$ denote the product of all (decimal) digits of a natural number $x$. For any positive integer $x_1$, define the sequence $(x_n)$ recursively by $x_{n+1} = x_n + P(x_n)$. Prove or disprove that the sequence $(x_n)$ is necessarily bounded.
2024 Brazil Cono Sur TST, 4
An infinite sequence of positive real numbers $x_0,x_1,x_2,...$ is called $vasco$ if it satisfies the following properties:
(a) $x_0=1,x_1=3$; and
(b) $x_0+x_1+...+x_{n-1}\ge3x_{n}-x_{n+1}$, for every $n\ge1$.
Find the greatest real number $M$ such that, for every $vasco$ sequence, the inequality $\frac{x_{n+1}}{x_{n}}>M$ is true for every $n\ge0$.
1986 ITAMO, 2
Determine the general term of the sequence ($a_n$) given by $a_0 =\alpha > 0$ and $a_{n+1} =\frac{a_n}{1+a_n}$
.
1985 Tournament Of Towns, (102) 6
The numerical sequence $x_1 , x_2 ,.. $ satisfies $x_1 = \frac12$ and $x_{k+1} =x^2_k+x_k$ for all natural integers $k$ . Find the integer part of the sum $\frac{1}{x_1+1}+\frac{1}{x_2+1}+...+\frac{1}{x_{100}+1}$
{A. Andjans, Riga)
2010 Morocco TST, 1
In a sports meeting a total of $m$ medals were awarded over $n$ days. On the first day one medal and $\frac{1}{7}$ of the remaining medals were awarded. On the second day two medals and $\frac{1}{7}$ of the remaining medals were awarded, and so on. On the last day, the remaining $n$ medals were awarded. How many medals did the meeting last, and what was the total number of medals ?
2015 Bulgaria National Olympiad, 3
The sequence $a_1, a_2,...$ is de fined by the equalities $a_1 = 2, a_2 = 12$ and $a_{n+1} = 6a_n-a_{n-1}$ for every positive integer $n \ge 2$. Prove that no member of this sequence is equal to a perfect power (greater than one) of a positive integer.
1980 IMO Longlists, 2
Define the numbers $a_0, a_1, \ldots, a_n$ in the following way:
\[ a_0 = \frac{1}{2}, \quad a_{k+1} = a_k + \frac{a^2_k}{n} \quad (n > 1, k = 0,1, \ldots, n-1). \]
Prove that \[ 1 - \frac{1}{n} < a_n < 1.\]
1984 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 389
Given a sequence $\{x_n\}$, $$x_1 = x_2 = 1, x_{n+2} = x^2_{n+1} - \frac{x_n}{2}$$ Prove that the sequence has limit and find it.
1995 North Macedonia National Olympiad, 1
Let $ a_0 $ be a real number. The sequence $ \{a_n \} $ is given by $ a_ {n + 1} = 3 ^ n-5a_n $, $ n = 0,1,2, \ldots $.
a) Express the general member $ a_n $ through $ a_0 $ and $ n. $
b) Find such $ a_0, $ that $ a_ {n + 1}> a_n, $ for every $ n. $
1986 Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik, 4
The sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3,...$ is defined by $$a_1 = 1\,\,\,, \,\,\,a_{n+1} =\frac{1}{16}(1 + 4a_n +\sqrt{1 + 24a_n}) \,\,\,(n \in N^* ).$$ Determine and prove a formula with which for every natural number $n$ the term $a_n$ can be computed directly without having to determine preceding terms of the sequence.