Found problems: 1239
1984 Putnam, B1
Let $n$ be a positive integer, and define $f(n)=1!+2!+\ldots+n!$. Find polynomials $P$ and $Q$ such that
$$f(n+2)=P(n)f(n+1)+Q(n)f(n)$$for all $n\ge1$.
2022 Olimphíada, 2
We say that a real $a\geq-1$ is philosophical if there exists a sequence $\epsilon_1,\epsilon_2,\dots$, with $\epsilon_i \in\{-1,1\}$ for all $i\geq1$, such that the sequence $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$, with $a_1=a$, satisfies
$$a_{n+1}=\epsilon_{n}\sqrt{a_{n}+1},\forall n\geq1$$
and is periodic. Find all philosophical numbers.
2016 Rioplatense Mathematical Olympiad, Level 3, 6
When the natural numbers are written one after another in an increasing way, you get an infinite succession of digits $123456789101112 ....$ Denote $A_k$ the number formed by the first $k$ digits of this sequence . Prove that for all positive integer $n$ there is a positive integer $m$ which simultaneously verifies the following three conditions:
(i) $n$ divides $A_m$,
(ii) $n$ divides $m$,
(iii) $n$ divides the sum of the digits of $A_m$.
2021 Science ON grade IX, 1
Consider the sequence $(a_n)_{n\ge 1}$ such that $a_1=1$ and $a_{n+1}=\sqrt{a_n+n^2}$, $\forall n\ge 1$.
$\textbf{(a)}$ Prove that there is exactly one rational number among the numbers $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$.
$\textbf{(b)}$ Consider the sequence $(S_n)_{n\ge 1}$ such that
$$S_n=\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{4}{\left (\left \lfloor a_{i+1}^2\right \rfloor-\left \lfloor a_i^2\right \rfloor\right)\left(\left \lfloor a_{i+2}^2\right \rfloor-\left \lfloor a_{i+1}^2\right \rfloor\right)}.$$
Prove that there exists an integer $N$ such that $S_n>0.9$, $\forall n>N$.
[i] (Stefan Obadă)[/i]
2020 Thailand TSTST, 2
For any positive integer $m \geq 2$, let $p(m)$ be the smallest prime dividing $m$ and $P(m)$ be the largest prime dividing $m$. Let $C$ be a positive integer. Define sequences $\{a_n\}$ and $\{b_n\}$ by $a_0 = b_0 = C$ and, for each positive integer $k$ such that $a_{k-1}\geq 2$,
$$a_k=a_{k-1}-\frac{a_{k-1}}{p(a_{k-1})};$$
and, for each positive integer $k$ such that $b_{k-1}\geq 2$,
$$b_k=b_{k-1}-\frac{b_{k-1}}{P(b_{k-1})}$$
It is easy to see that both $\{a_n\}$ and $\{b_n\}$ are finite sequences which terminate when they reach the number $1$.
Prove that the numbers of terms in the two sequences are always equal.
1999 Brazil Team Selection Test, Problem 3
A sequence $a_n$ is defined by
$$a_0=0,\qquad a_1=3;$$$$a_n=8a_{n-1}+9a_{n-2}+16\text{ for }n\ge2.$$Find the least positive integer $h$ such that $a_{n+h}-a_n$ is divisible by $1999$ for all $n\ge0$.
2016 Latvia Baltic Way TST, 6
Given a natural number $n$, for which we can find a prime number less than $\sqrt{n}$ that is not a divisor of $n$. The sequence $a_1, a_2,... ,a_n$ is the numbers $1, 2,... ,n$ arranged in some order. For this sequence, we will find the longest ascending subsequense $a_{i_1} < a_{i_2} < ... < a_{i_k}$, ($i_1 <...< i_k$) and the longest decreasing substring $a_{j_1} > ... > a_{j_l}$, ($j_1 < ... < j_l$) . Prove that at least one of these two subsequnsces $a_{i_1} , . . . , a_{i_k}$ and $a_{j_1} > ... > a_{j_l}$ contains a number that is not a divisor of $n$.
2022 USA TSTST, 9
Let $k>1$ be a fixed positive integer. Prove that if $n$ is a sufficiently large positive integer, there exists a sequence of integers with the following properties:
[list=disc]
[*]Each element of the sequence is between $1$ and $n$, inclusive.
[*]For any two different contiguous subsequence of the sequence with length between $2$ and $k$ inclusive, the multisets of values in those two subsequences is not the same.
[*]The sequence has length at least $0.499n^2$
[/list]
2014 Contests, 1
Let $a_0 < a_1 < a_2 < \dots$ be an infinite sequence of positive integers. Prove that there exists a unique integer $n\geq 1$ such that
\[a_n < \frac{a_0+a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_n}{n} \leq a_{n+1}.\]
[i]Proposed by Gerhard Wöginger, Austria.[/i]
2019 ISI Entrance Examination, 6
For all natural numbers $n$, let $$A_n=\sqrt{2-\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2+\cdots+\sqrt{2}}}}\quad\text{(n many radicals)}$$ [b](a)[/b] Show that for $n\geqslant 2$, $$A_n=2\sin\frac{\pi}{2^{n+1}}$$ [b](b)[/b] Hence or otherwise, evaluate the limit $$\lim_{n\to\infty} 2^nA_n$$
1985 Bulgaria National Olympiad, Problem 6
Let $\alpha_a$ denote the greatest odd divisor of a natural number $a$, and let $S_b=\sum_{a=1}^b\frac{\alpha_a}a$ Prove that the sequence $S_b/b$ has a finite limit when $b\to\infty$, and find this limit.
2014 Belarus Team Selection Test, 2
Find all sequences $(a_n)$ of positive integers satisfying the equality $a_n=a_{a_{n-1}}+a_{a_{n+1}}$
a) for all $n\ge 2$
b) for all $n \ge 3$
(I. Gorodnin)
1999 Kazakhstan National Olympiad, 6
In a sequence of natural numbers $ a_1 $, $ a_2 $, $ \dots $, $ a_ {1999} $, $ a_n-a_ {n-1} -a_ {n-2} $ is divisible by $ 100 (3 \leq n \leq 1999) $. It is known that $ a_1 = 19$ and $ a_2 = 99$. Find the remainder of $ a_1 ^ 2 + a_2 ^ 2 + \dots + a_ {1999} ^ 2 $ by $8$.
2021 Kyiv City MO Round 1, 10.5
The sequence $(a_n)$ is such that $a_{n+1} = (a_n)^n + n + 1$ for all positive integers $n$, where
$a_1$ is some positive integer. Let $k$ be the greatest power of $3$ by which $a_{101}$ is divisible. Find all possible values of $k$.
[i]Proposed by Kyrylo Holodnov[/i]
2024 Bulgarian Autumn Math Competition, 12.1
Let $a_0,a_1,a_2 \dots a_n, \dots$ be an infinite sequence of real numbers, defined by $$a_0 = c$$ $$a_{n+1} = {a_n}^2+\frac{a_n}{2}+c$$ for some real $c > 0$. Find all values of $c$ for which the sequence converges and the limit for those values.
1988 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 485
The sequence of integers an is given by $a_0 = 0, a_n = p(a_n-1)$, where $p(x)$ is a polynomial whose coefficients are all positive integers. Show that for any two positive integers $m, k$ with greatest common divisor $d$, the greatest common divisor of $a_m$ and $a_k$ is $a_d$.
2016 Saudi Arabia Pre-TST, 2.1
Given three numbers $x, y, z$, and set $x_1 = |x - y|, y_1 = | y -z|, z_1 = |z- x|$.
From $x_1, y_1, z_1$, form in the same fashion the numbers $x_2, y_2, z_2$, and so on.
It is known that $x_n = x, y_n = y, z_n = z$ for some $n$. Find all possible values of $(x, y, z)$.
2013 BMT Spring, 5
Suppose that $c_n=(-1)^n(n+1)$. While the sum $\sum_{n=0}^\infty c_n$ is divergent, we can still attempt to assign a value to the sum using other methods. The Abel Summation of a sequence, $a_n$, is $\operatorname{Abel}(a_n)=\lim_{x\to1^-}\sum_{n=0}^\infty a_nx^n$. Find $\operatorname{Abel}(c_n)$.
2004 VJIMC, Problem 3
Denote by $B(c,r)$ the open disk of center $c$ and radius $r$ in the plane. Decide whether there exists a sequence $\{z_n\}^\infty_{n=1}$ of points in $\mathbb R^2$ such that the open disks $B(z_n,1/n)$ are pairwise disjoint and the sequence $\{z_n\}^\infty_{n=1}$ is convergent.
2018 Turkey MO (2nd Round), 3
A sequence $a_1,a_2,\dots$ satisfy
$$
\sum_{i =1}^n a_{\lfloor \frac{n}{i}\rfloor }=n^{10},
$$
for every $n\in\mathbb{N}$.
Let $c$ be a positive integer. Prove that, for every positive integer $n$,
$$
\frac{c^{a_n}-c^{a_{n-1}}}{n}
$$
is an integer.
2023 Olimphíada, 1
The Fibonacci sequence is defined by $F_1 = F_2 = 1$ and $F_{n+2} = F_{n+1}+F_n$ for every integer $n$. Let $k$ be a fixed integer. A sequence $(a_n)$ of integers is said to be $\textit{phirme}$ if $a_n + a_{n+1} = F_{n+k}$ for all $n \geq 1$. Find all $\textit{phirme}$ sequences in terms of $n$ and $k$.
OIFMAT III 2013, 10
Prove that the sequence defined by:
$$ y_ {n + 1} = \frac {1} {2} (3y_ {n} + \sqrt {5y_ {n} ^ {2} -4}) , \,\, \forall n \ge 0$$ with $ y_ {0} = 1$ consists only of integers.
1989 IMO, 5
Prove that for each positive integer $ n$ there exist $ n$ consecutive positive integers none of which is an integral power of a prime number.
1998 Abels Math Contest (Norwegian MO), 1
Let $a_0,a_1,a_2,...$ be an infinite sequence of positive integers such that $a_0 = 1$ and $a_i^2 > a_{i-1}a_{i+1}$ for all $i > 0$.
(a) Prove that $a_i < a_1^i$ for all $i > 1$.
(b) Prove that $a_i > i$ for all $i$.
2012 Estonia Team Selection Test, 2
For a given positive integer $n$ one has to choose positive integers $a_0, a_1,...$ so that the following conditions hold:
(1) $a_i = a_{i+n}$ for any $i$,
(2) $a_i$ is not divisible by $n$ for any $i$,
(3) $a_{i+a_i}$ is divisible by $a_i$ for any $i$.
For which positive integers $n > 1$ is this possible only if the numbers $a_0, a_1, ...$ are all equal?