A sequence of positive real numbers $a_1, a_2, a_3, ... $ satisfies $a_n = a_{n-1} + a_{n-2}$ for all $n \ge 3$. A sequence $b_1, b_2, b_3, ...$ is defined by equations $b_1 = a_1$ , $b_n = a_n + (b_1 + b_3 + ...+ b_{n-1})$ for even $n > 1$ , $b_n = a_n + (b_2 + b_4 + ... +b_{n-1})$ for odd $n > 1$. Prove that if $n\ge 3$, then $\frac13 < \frac{b_n}{n \cdot a_n} < 1$

A sequence of real numbers $u_1, u_2, u_3, \dots$ is determined by $u_1$ and the following recurrence relation for $n \geq 1$: \[4u_{n+1} = \sqrt[3]{ 64u_n + 15.}\] Describe, with proof, the behavior of $u_n$ as $n \to \infty.$

Let $a_0 = 1998$ and $a_{n+1} =\frac{a_n^2}{a_n +1}$ for each nonnegative integer $n$. Prove that $[a_n] = 1994- n$ for $0 \le n \le 1000$

Let $a_1,a_2,\dots$ be a sequence of positive numbers satisfying, for any positive integers $k,l,m,n$ such that $k+n=m+l$, $$\frac{a_k+a_n}{1+a_ka_n}=\frac{a_m+a_l}{1+a_ma_l}.$$Show that there exist positive numbers $b,c$ so that $b\le a_n\le c$ for any positive integer $n$.

A sequence $a_1, a_2, \ldots $ consisting of $1$'s and $0$'s satisfies for all $k>2016$ that \[ a_k=0 \quad \Longleftrightarrow \quad a_{k-1}+a_{k-2}+\cdots+a_{k-2016}>23. \] Prove that there exist positive integers $N$ and $T$ such that $a_k=a_{k+T}$ for all $k>N$.

Find all polynomial with real coefficients such that: P(x^2+1)=P(x)^2+1

We define the following sequences: • Sequence $A$ has $a_n = n$. • Sequence $B$ has $b_n = a_n$ when $a_n \not\equiv 0$ (mod 3) and $b_n = 0$ otherwise. • Sequence $C$ has $c_n =\sum_{i=1}^{n} b_i$ .• Sequence $D$ has $d_n = c_n$ when $c_n \not\equiv 0$ (mod 3) and $d_n = 0$ otherwise. • Sequence $E$ has $e_n =\sum_{i=1}^{n}d_i$ Prove that the terms of sequence E are exactly the perfect cubes.

For any odd prime $p$ and any integer $n,$ let $d_p (n) \in \{ 0,1, \dots, p-1 \}$ denote the remainder when $n$ is divided by $p.$ We say that $(a_0, a_1, a_2, \dots)$ is a [i]p-sequence[/i], if $a_0$ is a positive integer coprime to $p,$ and $a_{n+1} =a_n + d_p (a_n)$ for $n \geqslant 0.$ (a) Do there exist infinitely many primes $p$ for which there exist $p$-sequences $(a_0, a_1, a_2, \dots)$ and $(b_0, b_1, b_2, \dots)$ such that $a_n >b_n$ for infinitely many $n,$ and $b_n > a_n$ for infinitely many $n?$ (b) Do there exist infinitely many primes $p$ for which there exist $p$-sequences $(a_0, a_1, a_2, \dots)$ and $(b_0, b_1, b_2, \dots)$ such that $a_0 <b_0,$ but $a_n >b_n$ for all $n \geqslant 1?$ [I]United Kingdom[/i]

A sequence $(u_{n})$ is defined by \[ u_{0}=2 \quad u_{1}=\frac{5}{2}, u_{n+1}=u_{n}(u_{n-1}^{2}-2)-u_{1} \quad \textnormal{for } n=1,\ldots \] Prove that for any positive integer $n$ we have \[ [u_{n}]=2^{\frac{(2^{n}-(-1)^{n})}{3}} \](where $[x]$ denotes the smallest integer $\leq x)$

Let $ \left( c_n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ be a sequence of real numbers. Prove that the sequences $ \left( c_n\sin n \right)_{n\ge 1} ,\left( c_n\cos n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ are both convergent if and only if $ \left( c_n \right)_{n\ge 1} $ converges to $ 0. $ [i]Mihai Piticari[/i] and [i]Vladimir Cerbu[/i]

The integers $1, 2, 3, \ldots, 2016$ are written on a board. You can choose any two numbers on the board and replace them with their average. For example, you can replace $1$ and $2$ with $1.5$, or you can replace $1$ and $3$ with a second copy of $2$. After $2015$ replacements of this kind, the board will have only one number left on it. (a) Prove that there is a sequence of replacements that will make the final number equal to $2$. (b) Prove that there is a sequence of replacements that will make the final number equal to $1000$.

A sequence $x_1, x_2, \ldots$ is defined by $x_1 = 1$ and $x_{2k}=-x_k, x_{2k-1} = (-1)^{k+1}x_k$ for all $k \geq 1.$ Prove that $\forall n \geq 1$ $x_1 + x_2 + \ldots + x_n \geq 0.$ [i]Proposed by Gerhard Wöginger, Austria[/i]

Suppose $a_1 =\frac16$ and $a_n = a_{n-1} - \frac{1}{n}+ \frac{2}{n + 1} - \frac{1}{n + 2}$ for $n > 1$. Find $a_{100}$.

A sequence $(x_n)$ satisfies $x_{n+1}=\frac{x_n^2+a}{x_{n-1}}$ for all $n\in\mathbb N$. Prove that if $x_0,x_1$, and $\frac{x_0^2+x_1^2+a}{x_0x_1}$ are integers, then all the terms of sequence $(x_n)$ are integers.

Is there an infinite sequence of positive integers $\{a_n\}_{n = 1}^{\infty}$ which contains each positive integer exactly once and is such that the number $a_n + a_{n + 1} $ is a perfect square for each $n$?

For all $n>1$ let $f(n)$ be the sum of the smallest factor of $n$ that is not 1 and $n$ . The computer prints $f(2),f(3),f(4),...$ with order:$4,6,6,...$ ( Because $f(2)=2+2=4,f(3)=3+3=6,f(4)=4+2=6$ etc.). In this infinite sequence, how many times will be $ 2015$ and $ 2016$ written? (Explain your answer)

Let $a, b$, and $c$ be positive integers such that $gcd(a, b) = 1$. Sequence $\{u_k\}$, is given such that $u_0 = 0$, $u_1 = 1$, and u$_{k+2} = au_{k+1} + bu_k$ for all $k \ge 0$. Let $m$ be the least positive integer such that $c | u_m$ and $n$ be an arbitrary positive integer such that $c | u_n$. Show that $m | n$. [hide=PS.] There was a typo in the last line, as it didn't define what n does. Wording comes from [b]tst-2011-1.pdf[/b] from [url=https://sites.google.com/site/imoidn/idntst/2011tst]here[/url]. Correction was made according to #2[/hide]

Define sequence $\{a_n\}$: $a_1$ is any positive integer, and for any positive integer $n\ge 1$, $a_{n+1}$ is the smallest positive integer coprime to $\sum_{i=1}^{n} a_i$ and not equal to $a_1,\ldots, a_n$. Prove that every positive integer appears in the sequence $\{a_n\}$.

Let $a_1, a_2, ..., a_n, a_{n+1}$ be a finite sequence of real numbers satisfying $a_0 = a_{n+1} = 0$ and $|a_{k-1} - 2a_{k} + a_{k+1}| \leq 1$ for $k = 1, 2, ..., n$ Prove that for $k=0, 1, ..., n+1,$ $|a_k| \leq \frac{k(n+1-k)}{2}$

Let $B$ be a set of $k$ sequences each having $n$ terms equal to $1$ or $-1$. The product of two such sequences $(a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n)$ and $(b_1, b_2, \ldots , b_n)$ is defined as $(a_1b_1, a_2b_2, \ldots , a_nb_n)$. Prove that there exists a sequence $(c_1, c_2, \ldots , c_n)$ such that the intersection of $B$ and the set containing all sequences from $B$ multiplied by $(c_1, c_2, \ldots , c_n)$ contains at most $\frac{k^2}{2^n}$ sequences.

A sequence of integers is constructed as follows: $a_1$ is an arbitrary three-digit number, $a_2$ is the sum of squares of the digits of $a_1, a_3$ is the sum of squares of the digits of $a_2$, etc. Prove that either $1$ or $4$ must occur in the sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3, ....$

The number $x$ from $[0,1]$ is written as an infinite decimal fraction. Having rearranged its first five digits after the point we can obtain another fraction that corresponds to the number $x_1$. Having rearranged five digits of $x_k$ from $(k+1)$-th till $(k+5)$-th after the point we obtain the number $x_{k+1}$. a) Prove that the sequence $x_i$ has limit. b) Can this limit be irrational if we have started with the rational number? c) Invent such a number, that always produces irrational numbers, no matter what digits were transposed.

Given three infinite arithmetic progressions of natural numbers such that each of the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 belongs to at least one of them, prove that the number 1980 also belongs to at least one of them.

We are given the sequence $a_1,a_2,a_3,\ldots$, for which: $$a_n=\frac{a^2_{n-1}+c}{a_{n-2}}\enspace\text{for all }n>2.$$ Prove that the numbers $a_1$, $a_2$ and $\frac{a_1^2+a_2^2+c}{a_1a_2}$ are whole numbers.

Define sequence $a_{0}, a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{2018}, a_{2019}$ as below: $ a_{0}=1 $ $a_{n+1}=a_{n}-\frac{a_{n}^{2}}{2019}$, $n=0,1,2, \ldots, 2018$ Prove $a_{2019} < \frac{1}{2} < a_{2018}$