Define a sequence $\{x_n\}$ as: $\left\{\begin{aligned}& x_1=3 \\ & x_n=\frac{n+2}{3n}(x_{n-1}+2)\ \ \text{for} \ n\geq 2.\end{aligned}\right.$ Prove that this sequence has a finite limit as $n\to+\infty.$ Also determine the limit.

For a positive integer $K$, define a sequence, $\{a_n\}$, as following: $a_1 = K$ and $a_{n+1} =a_n -1$ if $a_n$ is even $a_{n+1} =\frac{a_n - 1}{2}$ if $a_n$ is odd , for all $n \ge 1$. Find the smallest value of $K$, which makes $a_{2005}$ the first term equal to $0$.

For a finite non empty set of primes $P$, let $m(P)$ denote the largest possible number of consecutive positive integers, each of which is divisible by at least one member of $P$. (i) Show that $|P|\le m(P)$, with equality if and only if $\min(P)>|P|$. (ii) Show that $m(P)<(|P|+1)(2^{|P|}-1)$. (The number $|P|$ is the size of set $P$) [i]Dan Schwarz, Romania[/i]

Let $a_0,a_1,a_2,\ldots$ be a sequence of integers and $b_0,b_1,b_2,\ldots$ be a sequence of [i]positive[/i] integers such that $a_0=0,a_1=1$, and \[ a_{n+1} = \begin{cases} a_nb_n+a_{n-1} & \text{if $b_{n-1}=1$} \\ a_nb_n-a_{n-1} & \text{if $b_{n-1}>1$} \end{cases}\qquad\text{for }n=1,2,\ldots. \] for $n=1,2,\ldots.$ Prove that at least one of the two numbers $a_{2017}$ and $a_{2018}$ must be greater than or equal to $2017$.

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]

Each term of a sequence of natural numbers is obtained from the previous term by adding to it its largest digit. What is the maximal number of successive odd terms in such a sequence?

Let $ a, b \in \mathbb{N}$ with $ 1 \leq a \leq b,$ and $ M \equal{} \left[\frac {a \plus{} b}{2} \right].$ Define a function $ f: \mathbb{Z} \mapsto \mathbb{Z}$ by \[ f(n) \equal{} \begin{cases} n \plus{} a, & \text{if } n \leq M, \\ n \minus{} b, & \text{if } n >M. \end{cases} \] Let $ f^1(n) \equal{} f(n),$ $ f_{i \plus{} 1}(n) \equal{} f(f^i(n)),$ $ i \equal{} 1, 2, \ldots$ Find the smallest natural number $ k$ such that $ f^k(0) \equal{} 0.$

A sequence of integers $a_0, a_1 …$ is called [i]kawaii[/i] if $a_0 =0, a_1=1,$ and $$(a_{n+2}-3a_{n+1}+2a_n)(a_{n+2}-4a_{n+1}+3a_n)=0$$ for all integers $n \geq 0$. An integer is called [i]kawaii[/i] if it belongs to some kawaii sequence. Suppose that two consecutive integers $m$ and $m+1$ are both kawaii (not necessarily belonging to the same kawaii sequence). Prove that $m$ is divisible by $3,$ and that $m/3$ is also kawaii.

Define the function $f:(0,1)\to (0,1)$ by \[\displaystyle f(x) = \left\{ \begin{array}{lr} x+\frac 12 & \text{if}\ \ x < \frac 12\\ x^2 & \text{if}\ \ x \ge \frac 12 \end{array} \right.\] Let $a$ and $b$ be two real numbers such that $0 < a < b < 1$. We define the sequences $a_n$ and $b_n$ by $a_0 = a, b_0 = b$, and $a_n = f( a_{n -1})$, $b_n = f (b_{n -1} )$ for $n > 0$. Show that there exists a positive integer $n$ such that \[(a_n - a_{n-1})(b_n-b_{n-1})<0.\] [i]Proposed by Denmark[/i]

Find $ax^5 + by^5$ if the real numbers $a$, $b$, $x$, and $y$ satisfy the equations \begin{eqnarray*} ax + by &=& 3, \\ ax^2 + by^2 &=& 7, \\ ax^3 + by^3 &=& 16, \\ ax^4 + by^4 &=& 42. \end{eqnarray*}

Suppose that $n$ is a natural number. we call the sequence $(x_1,y_1,z_1,t_1),(x_2,y_2,z_2,t_2),.....,(x_s,y_s,z_s,t_s)$ of $\mathbb Z^4$ [b]good[/b] if it satisfies these three conditions: [b]i)[/b] $x_1=y_1=z_1=t_1=0$. [b]ii)[/b] the sequences $x_i,y_i,z_i,t_i$ be strictly increasing. [b]iii)[/b] $x_s+y_s+z_s+t_s=n$. (note that $s$ may vary). Find the number of good sequences. [i]proposed by Mohammad Ghiasi[/i]

Let $x_0, a, b$ be reals given such that $b > 0$ and $x_0 \ne 0$. For every nonnegative integer $n$ a real value $x_{n+1}$ is chosen that satisfies $$x^2_{n+1}= ax_nx_{n+1} + bx^2_n .$$ a) Find how many different values $x_n$ can take. b) Find the sum of all possible values of $x_n$ with repetitions as a function of $n, x_0, a, b$.

[b]p1.[/b] What is $\sqrt[2015]{2^01^5}$? [b]p2.[/b] What is the ratio of the area of square $ABCD$ to the area of square $ACEF$? [b]p3.[/b] $2015$ in binary is $11111011111$, which is a palindrome. What is the last year which also had this property? [b]p4.[/b] What is the next number in the following geometric series: $1020100$, $10303010$, $104060401$? [b]p5.[/b] A circle has radius $A$ and area $r$. If $A = r^2\pi$, then what is the diameter, $C$, of the circle? [b]p6.[/b] If $$O + N + E = 1$$ $$T + H + R + E + E = 3$$ $$N + I + N + E = 9$$ $$T + E + N = 10$$ $$T + H + I + R + T + E + E + N = 13$$ Then what is the value of $O$? [b]p7.[/b] By shifting the initial digit, which is $6$, of the positive integer $N$ to the end (for example, $65$ becomes $56$), we obtain a number equal to $\frac{N}{4}$ . What is the smallest such $N$? [b]p8.[/b] What is $\sqrt[3]{\frac{2015!(2013!)+2014!(2012!)}{2013!(2012!)}}$ ? [b]p9.[/b] How many permutations of the digits of $1234$ are divisible by $11$? [b]p10.[/b] If you choose $4$ cards from a normal $52$ card deck (with replacement), what is the probability that you will get exactly one of each suit (there are $4$ suits)? [b]p11.[/b] If $LMT$ is an equilateral triangle, and $MATH$ is a square, such that point $A$ is in the triangle, then what is $HL/AL$? [b]p12.[/b] If $$\begin{tabular}{cccccccc} & & & & & L & H & S\\ + & & & & H & I & G & H \\ + & & S & C & H & O & O & L \\ \hline = & & S & O & C & O & O & L \\ \end{tabular}$$ and $\{M, A, T,H, S, L,O, G, I,C\} = \{0, 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9\} $, then what is the ordered pair $(M + A +T + H, [T + e + A +M])$ where $e$ is $2.718...$and $[n]$ is the greatest integer less than or equal to $n$ ? [b]p13.[/b] There are $5$ marbles in a bag. One is red, one is blue, one is green, one is yellow, and the last is white. There are $4$ people who take turns reaching into the bag and drawing out a marble without replacement. If the marble they draw out is green, they get to draw another marble out of the bag. What is the probability that the $3$rd person to draw a marble gets the white marble? [b]p14.[/b] Let a "palindromic product" be a product of numbers which is written the same when written back to front, including the multiplication signs. For example, $234 * 545 * 432$, $2 * 2 *2 *2$, and $14 * 41$ are palindromic products whereas $2 *14 * 4 * 12$, $567 * 567$, and $2* 2 * 3* 3 *2$ are not. 2015 can be written as a "palindromic product" in two ways, namely $13 * 5 * 31$ and $31 * 5 * 13$. How many ways can you write $2016$ as a palindromic product without using 1 as a factor? [b]p15.[/b] Let a sequence be defined as $S_n = S_{n-1} + 2S_{n-2}$, and $S_1 = 3$ and $S_2 = 4$. What is $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{S_n}{3^n}$ ? [b]p16.[/b] Put the numbers $0-9$ in some order so that every $2$-digit substring creates a number which is either a multiple of $7$, or a power of $2$. [b]p17.[/b] Evaluate $\dfrac{8+ \dfrac{8+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}{3+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}}{3+\dfrac{8+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}{ 3+ \dfrac{8+...}{3+...}}}$, assuming that it is a positive real number. [b]p18.[/b] $4$ non-overlapping triangles, each of area $A$, are placed in a unit circle. What is the maximum value of $A$? [b]p19.[/b] What is the sum of the reciprocals of all the (positive integer) factors of $120$ (including $1$ and $120$ itself). [b]p20.[/b] How many ways can you choose $3$ distinct elements of $\{1, 2, 3,...,4000\}$ to make an increasing arithmetic series? PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Define the function $f:(0,1)\to (0,1)$ by \[\displaystyle f(x) = \left\{ \begin{array}{lr} x+\frac 12 & \text{if}\ \ x < \frac 12\\ x^2 & \text{if}\ \ x \ge \frac 12 \end{array} \right.\] Let $a$ and $b$ be two real numbers such that $0 < a < b < 1$. We define the sequences $a_n$ and $b_n$ by $a_0 = a, b_0 = b$, and $a_n = f( a_{n -1})$, $b_n = f (b_{n -1} )$ for $n > 0$. Show that there exists a positive integer $n$ such that \[(a_n - a_{n-1})(b_n-b_{n-1})<0.\] [i]Proposed by Denmark[/i]