A [i]word[/i] is defined as any finite string of letters. A word is a [i]palindrome[/i] if it reads the same backwards and forwards. Let a sequence of words $W_0, W_1, W_2,...$ be defined as follows: $W_0 = a, W_1 = b$, and for $n \ge 2$, $W_n$ is the word formed by writing $W_{n-2}$ followed by $W_{n-1}$. Prove that for any $n \ge 1$, the word formed by writing $W_1, W_2, W_3,..., W_n$ in succession is a palindrome.

Given are positive integers $m, n$ and a sequence $a_1, a_2, \ldots, $ such that $a_i=a_{i-n}$ for all $i>n$. For all $1 \leq j \leq n$, let $l_j$ be the smallest positive integer such that $m \mid a_j+a_{j+1}+\ldots+a_{j+l_j-1}$. Prove that $l_1+l_2+\ldots+l_n \leq mn$.

Show that the sequence $ a_n \equal{} \frac {(n \plus{} 1)^nn^{2 \minus{} n}}{7n^2 \plus{} 1}$ is strictly monotonically increasing, where $ n \equal{} 0,1,2, \dots$.

Let $\{a_k\}^{2011}_{k=1}$ be the sequence of real numbers defined by $$a_1=0.201, \quad a_2=(0.2011)^{a_1},\quad a_3=(0.20101)^{a_2},\quad a_4=(0.201011)^{a_3},$$ and more generally \[ a_k = \begin{cases}(0.\underbrace{20101\cdots0101}_{k+2 \ \text{digits}})^{a_{k-1}}, &\text {if } k \text { is odd,} \\ (0.\underbrace{20101\cdots01011}_{k+2 \ \text{digits}})^{a_{k-1}}, &\text {if } k \text { is even.}\end{cases} \] Rearranging the numbers in the sequence $\{a_k\}^{2011}_{k=1}$ in decreasing order produces a new sequence $\{b_k\}^{2011}_{k=1}$. What is the sum of all the integers $k$, $1\le k \le 2011$, such that $a_k = b_k$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 671\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 1006\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 1341\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 2011\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 2012 $

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Find the number of permutations $a_1$, $a_2$, $\dots a_n$ of the sequence $1$, $2$, $\dots$ , $n$ satisfying $$a_1 \le 2a_2\le 3a_3 \le \dots \le na_n$$. Proposed by United Kingdom

A circle $K_1$ of radius $r_1 = 1\slash 2$ is inscribed in a semi-circle $H$ with diameter $AB$ and radius $1.$ A sequence of different circles $K_2, K_3, \ldots$ with radii $r_2, r_3, \ldots$ respectively are drawn so that for each $n\geq 1$, the circle $K_{n+1}$ is tangent to $H$, $K_n$ and $AB.$ Prove that $a_n = 1\slash r_n$ is an integer for each $n$, and that it is a perfect square for $n$ even and twice a perfect square for $n$ odd.

Consider a circle $O_1$ with radius $R$ and a point $A$ outside the circle. It is known that $\angle BAC=60^\circ$, where $AB$ and $AC$ are tangent to $O_1$. We construct infinitely many circles $O_i$ $(i=1,2,\dots\>)$ such that for $i>1$, $O_i$ is tangent to $O_{i-1}$ and $O_{i+1}$, that they share the same tangent lines $AB$ and $AC$ with respect to $A$, and that none of the $O_i$ are larger than $O_1$. Find the total area of these circles. I know this problem was easy, but it still appeared in the TST, and so I posted it. It was kind of a disappointment for me.

Find all polynomials $P$ with integer coefficients which satisfy the property that, for any relatively prime integers $a$ and $b$, the sequence $\{P (an + b) \}_{n \ge 1}$ contains an infinite number of terms, any two of which are relatively prime.

Two real number sequences are guiven, one arithmetic $\left(a_n\right)_{n\in \mathbb {N}}$ and another geometric sequence $\left(g_n\right)_{n\in \mathbb {N}}$ none of them constant. Those sequences verifies $a_1=g_1\neq 0$, $a_2=g_2$ and $a_{10}=g_3$. Find with proof that, for every positive integer $p$, there is a positive integer $m$, such that $g_p=a_m$.

[b]p1.[/b] Jose,, Luciano, and Placido enjoy playing cards after their performances, and you are invited to deal. They use just nine cards, numbered from $2$ through $10$, and each player is to receive three cards. You hope to hand out the cards so that the following three conditions hold: A) When Jose and Luciano pick cards randomly from their piles, Luciano most often picks a card higher than Jose, B) When Luciano and Placido pick cards randomly from their piles, Placido most often picks a card higher than Luciano, C) When Placido and Jose pick cards randomly from their piles, Jose most often picks a card higher than Placido. Explain why it is impossible to distribute the nine cards so as to satisfy these three conditions, or give an example of one such distribution. [b]p2.[/b] Is it possible to fill a rectangular box with a finite number of solid cubes (two or more), each with a different edge length? Justify your answer. [b]p3.[/b] Two parallel lines pass through the points $(0, 1)$ and $(-1, 0)$. Two other lines are drawn through $(1, 0)$ and $(0, 0)$, each perpendicular to the ¯rst two. The two sets of lines intersect in four points that are the vertices of a square. Find all possible equations for the first two lines. [b]p4.[/b] Suppose $a_1, a_2, a_3,...$ is a sequence of integers that represent data to be transmitted across a communication channel. Engineers use the quantity $$G(n) =(1 - \sqrt3)a_n -(3 - \sqrt3)a_{n+1} +(3 + \sqrt3)a_{n+2}-(1+ \sqrt3)a_{n+3}$$ to detect noise in the signal. a. Show that if the numbers $a_1, a_2, a_3,...$ are in arithmetic progression, then $G(n) = 0$ for all $n = 1, 2, 3, ...$. b. Show that if $G(n) = 0$ for all $n = 1, 2, 3, ...$, then $a_1, a_2, a_3,...$ is an arithmetic progression. [b]p5.[/b] The Olive View Airline in the remote country of Kuklafrania has decided to use the following rule to establish its air routes: If $A$ and $B$ are two distinct cities, then there is to be an air route connecting $A$ with $B$ either if there is no city closer to $A$ than $B$ or if there is no city closer to $B$ than $A$. No further routes will be permitted. Distances between Kuklafranian cities are never equal. Prove that no city will be connected by air routes to more than ¯ve other cities. PS. You should use hide for answers. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

A sequence of integers fsng is defined as follows: fix integers $a$, $b$, $c$, and $d$, then set $s_1 = a$, $s_2 = b$, and $$s_n = cs_{n-1} + ds_{n-2}$$ for all $n \ge 3$. Create a second sequence $\{t_n\}$ by defining each $t_n$ to be the remainder when $s_n$ is divided by $2018$ (so we always have $0 \le t_n \le 2017$). Let $N = (2018^2)!$. Prove that $t_N = t_{2N}$ regardless of the choices of $a$, $b$, $c$, and $d$.

A grandpa has a finite number of boxes in his attic. Each box is a straight rectangular prism with integer edge lengths. For every box its width is greater or equal to its height and its length is greater or equal to its width. A box can be put inside another box if and only if all of its dimensions are respectively smaller than the other one's. You can put two or more boxes in a bigger box only if the smaller boxes are all already inside one of the boxes. The grandpa decided to put the boxes in each other so that there would be a minimal number of visible boxes in the attic (boxes that have not been put inside another). He decided to use the following algorithm: at each step he finds the longest sequence of boxes so that the first can be put in the second, the second can be put in the third, etc., and then he puts them inside each other in the aforementioned order. The grandpa used the algorithm until no box could be put inside another. It is known that at each step the longest sequence of boxes was unique, e.g., at no moment were there two different sequences with the same length. The grandpa now claims that he has the minimal possible number of visible boxes in his attic. Is the claim necessarily true?

Find all rational terms of sequence defined by formula $ a_n=\sqrt{\frac{9n-2}{n+1}}, n \in N $

Given is a prime number $p$ and natural $n$ such that $p \geq n \geq 3$. Set $A$ is made of sequences of lenght $n$ with elements from the set $\{0,1,2,...,p-1\}$ and have the following property: For arbitrary two sequence $(x_1,...,x_n)$ and $(y_1,...,y_n)$ from the set $A$ there exist three different numbers $k,l,m$ such that: $x_k \not = y_k$, $x_l \not = y_l$, $x_m \not = y_m$. Find the largest possible cardinality of $A$.

The sequence $\{a_n\}$ is defined by: $a_1=\frac{21}{16}$, and for $n\ge2$,\[ 2a_n-3a_{n-1}=\frac{3}{2^{n+1}}. \]Let $m$ be an integer with $m\ge2$. Prove that: for $n\le m$, we have\[ \left(a_n+\frac{3}{2^{n+3}}\right)^{\frac{1}{m}}\left(m-\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^{{\frac{n(m-1)}{m}}}\right)<\frac{m^2-1}{m-n+1}. \]