Olympiad problems

2010 China Northern MO, 1

It is known that the sequence $\{a_n\}$ satisfies $a_1=2$, $a_n=2^{2n}a_{n-1}+n\cdot 2^{n^2}$, $(n \ge 2)$, find the general term of $a_n$.

Let $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be an infinite sequence of real numbers satisfying the equation $a_n=\left|a_{n+1}-a_{n+2}\right|$ for all $n\geq 0$, where $a_0$ and $a_1$ are two different positive reals. Can this sequence $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$, ... be bounded? [i]Proposed by Mihai Bălună, Romania[/i]

2024 Mexican University Math Olympiad, 5

Tags: permutation , sequence , combinatorics

Consider two finite sequences of real numbers $ a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n $ and $ b_1, b_2, \dots, b_n $. Let $ \alpha(x) = \#\{i | a_i = x \} $ and $ \beta(x) = \#\{i | b_i = -x \} $. Prove that there exists a permutation $ \sigma \in S_n $ (the symmetric group of $ n $ elements) such that $ a_{\sigma(i)} + b_i \neq 0 $ for all $ i = 1, \dots, n $ if and only if $ \alpha(x) + \beta(x) \leq n $ for all $ x \in \mathbb{R} $.

2018 Greece National Olympiad, 1

Tags: sequence , perfect square

Let $(x_n), n\in\mathbb{N}$ be a sequence such that $x_{n+1}=3x_n^3+x_n, \forall n\in\mathbb{N}$ and $x_1=\frac{a}{b}$ where $a,b$ are positive integers such that $3\not|b$. If $x_m$ is a square of a rational number for some positive integer $m$, prove that $x_1$ is also a square of a rational number.

2018 Regional Olympiad of Mexico Northeast, 4

Tags: algebra , sequence

We have an infinite sequence of integers $\{x_n\}$, such that $x_1 = 1$, and, for all $n \ge 1$, it holds that $x_n < x_{n+1} \le 2n$. Prove that there are two terms of the sequence,$ x_r$ and $x_s$, such that $x_r - x_s = 2018$.

2000 German National Olympiad, 6

Tags: sequence , recurrence relation , algebra

A sequence ($a_n$) satisfies the following conditions: (i) For each $m \in N$ it holds that $a_{2^m} = 1/m$. (ii) For each natural $n \ge 2$ it holds that $a_{2n-1}a_{2n} = a_n$. (iii) For all integers $m,n$ with $2m > n \ge 1$ it holds that $a_{2n}a_{2n+1} = a_{2^m+n}$. Determine $a_{2000}$. You may assume that such a sequence exists.

2006 QEDMO 3rd, 10

Tags: sequence , number theory with sequences , recurrence , number theory

Define a sequence $\left( a_{n}\right) _{n\in\mathbb{N}}$ by $a_{1}=a_{2}=a_{3}=1$ and $a_{n+1}=\dfrac{a_{n}^{2}+a_{n-1}^{2}}{a_{n-2}}$ for every integer $n\geq3$. Show that all elements $a_{i}$ of this sequence are integers. (L. J. Mordell and apparently Dana Scott, see also http://oeis.org/A064098)

1984 Putnam, A6

Tags: number theory , sequence

Let $n$ be a positive integer, and let $f(n)$ denote the last nonzero digit in the decimal expansion of $n!$. $(\text a)$ Show that if $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_k$ are distinct nonnegative integers, then $f(5^{a_1}+5^{a_2}+\ldots+5^{a_k})$ depends only on the sum $a_1+a_2+\ldots+a_k$. $(\text b)$ Assuming part $(\text a)$, we can define $$g(s)=f(5^{a_1}+5^{a_2}+\ldots+5^{a_k}),$$where $s=a_1+a_2+\ldots+a_k$. Find the least positive integer $p$ for which $$g(s)=g(s+p),\enspace\text{for all }s\ge1,$$or show that no such $p$ exists.

1974 Swedish Mathematical Competition, 1

Tags: sequence , algebra , sum

Let $a_n = 2^{n-1}$ for $n > 0$. Let \[ b_n = \sum\limits_{r+s \leq n} a_ra_s \] Find $b_n-b_{n-1}$, $b_n-2b_{n-1}$ and $b_n$.

2007 Germany Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: floor function , algebra , sequence , recurrence relation , periodic sequence

A sequence of real numbers $ a_{0},\ a_{1},\ a_{2},\dots$ is defined by the formula \[ a_{i \plus{} 1} \equal{} \left\lfloor a_{i}\right\rfloor\cdot \left\langle a_{i}\right\rangle\qquad\text{for}\quad i\geq 0; \]here $a_0$ is an arbitrary real number, $\lfloor a_i\rfloor$ denotes the greatest integer not exceeding $a_i$, and $\left\langle a_i\right\rangle=a_i-\lfloor a_i\rfloor$. Prove that $a_i=a_{i+2}$ for $i$ sufficiently large. [i]Proposed by Harmel Nestra, Estionia[/i]

1992 IMO Shortlist, 18

Tags: floor function , algebra , sequence , fibonacci , fibonacci sequence , inequality

Let $ \lfloor x \rfloor$ denote the greatest integer less than or equal to $ x.$ Pick any $ x_1$ in $ [0, 1)$ and define the sequence $ x_1, x_2, x_3, \ldots$ by $ x_{n\plus{}1} \equal{} 0$ if $ x_n \equal{} 0$ and $ x_{n\plus{}1} \equal{} \frac{1}{x_n} \minus{} \left \lfloor \frac{1}{x_n} \right \rfloor$ otherwise. Prove that \[ x_1 \plus{} x_2 \plus{} \ldots \plus{} x_n < \frac{F_1}{F_2} \plus{} \frac{F_2}{F_3} \plus{} \ldots \plus{} \frac{F_n}{F_{n\plus{}1}},\] where $ F_1 \equal{} F_2 \equal{} 1$ and $ F_{n\plus{}2} \equal{} F_{n\plus{}1} \plus{} F_n$ for $ n \geq 1.$

1993 IMO Shortlist, 8

Tags: algebra , sequence , inequality

Let $c_1, \ldots, c_n \in \mathbb{R}$ with $n \geq 2$ such that \[ 0 \leq \sum^n_{i=1} c_i \leq n. \] Show that we can find integers $k_1, \ldots, k_n$ such that \[ \sum^n_{i=1} k_i = 0 \] and \[ 1-n \leq c_i + n \cdot k_i \leq n \] for every $i = 1, \ldots, n.$ [hide="Another formulation:"] Let $x_1, \ldots, x_n,$ with $n \geq 2$ be real numbers such that \[ |x_1 + \ldots + x_n| \leq n. \] Show that there exist integers $k_1, \ldots, k_n$ such that \[ |k_1 + \ldots + k_n| = 0. \] and \[ |x_i + 2 \cdot n \cdot k_i| \leq 2 \cdot n -1 \] for every $i = 1, \ldots, n.$ In order to prove this, denote $c_i = \frac{1+x_i}{2}$ for $i = 1, \ldots, n,$ etc. [/hide]

2012 Indonesia TST, 1

Tags: induction , algebra , binary representation , sequence , recurrence relation

The sequence $a_i$ is defined as $a_1 = 2, a_2 = 3$, and $a_{n+1} = 2a_{n-1}$ or $a_{n+1} = 3a_n - 2a_{n-1}$ for all integers $n \ge 2$. Prove that no term in $a_i$ is in the range $[1612, 2012]$.

2017 Brazil Undergrad MO, 2

Tags: number theory , prime number , sequence

Let $a$ and $b$ be fixed positive integers. Show that the set of primes that divide at least one of the terms of the sequence $a_n = a \cdot 2017^n + b \cdot 2016^n$ is infinite.

2019 Taiwan TST Round 1, 5

Tags: algebra , maximum value , sequence

Let $a_0,a_1,a_2,\dots $ be a sequence of real numbers such that $a_0=0, a_1=1,$ and for every $n\geq 2$ there exists $1 \leq k \leq n$ satisfying \[ a_n=\frac{a_{n-1}+\dots + a_{n-k}}{k}. \]Find the maximum possible value of $a_{2018}-a_{2017}$.

2023 Belarus Team Selection Test, 3.2

Tags: number theory , sequence

Let $a > 1$ be a positive integer and $d > 1$ be a positive integer coprime to $a$. Let $x_1=1$, and for $k\geq 1$, define $$x_{k+1} = \begin{cases} x_k + d &\text{if } a \text{ does not divide } x_k \\ x_k/a & \text{if } a \text{ divides } x_k \end{cases}$$ Find, in terms of $a$ and $d$, the greatest positive integer $n$ for which there exists an index $k$ such that $x_k$ is divisible by $a^n$.

1982 Putnam, B5

Tags: limit , function , real analysis , analysis , sequence

For each $x>e^e$ define a sequence $S_x=u_0,u_1,\ldots$ recursively as follows: $u_0=e$, and for $n\ge0$, $u_{n+1}=\log_{u_n}x$. Prove that $S_x$ converges to a number $g(x)$ and that the function $g$ defined in this way is continuous for $x>e^e$.

2024 Middle European Mathematical Olympiad, 1

Tags: algebra , inequalities , sequence

Consider two infinite sequences $a_0,a_1,a_2,\dots$ and $b_0,b_1,b_2,\dots$ of real numbers such that $a_0=0$, $b_0=0$ and \[a_{k+1}=b_k, \quad b_{k+1}=\frac{a_kb_k+a_k+1}{b_k+1}\] for each integer $k \ge 0$. Prove that $a_{2024}+b_{2024} \ge 88$.

2022 Belarusian National Olympiad, 11.1

Tags: sequence , number theory

A sequence of positive integer numbers $a_1,a_2,\ldots$ for $i \geq 3$ satisfies $$a_{i+1}=a_i+gcd(a_{i-1},a_{i-2})$$ Prove that there exist two positive integer numbers $N, M$, such that $a_{n+1}-a_n=M$ for all $n \geq N$

2022 South East Mathematical Olympiad, 1

Tags: algebra , sequence , induction

The positive sequence $\{a_n\}$ satisfies:$a_1=1+\sqrt 2$ and $(a_n-a_{n-1})(a_n+a_{n-1}-2\sqrt n)=2(n\geq 2).$ (1)Find the general formula of $\{a_n\}$; (2)Find the set of all the positive integers $n$ so that $\lfloor a_n\rfloor=2022$.

2017 Dutch IMO TST, 2