Let $(x_n)_{n=1}^\infty$ be a sequence defined recursively with: $x_1=2$ and $x_{n+1}=\frac{x_n(x_n+n)}{n+1}$ for all $n \ge 1$. Prove that $$n(n+1) >\frac{(x_1+x_2+ \ldots +x_n)^2}{x_{n+1}}.$$ [i]Proposed by Nikola Velov[/i]

Let $a,b$ be positive real numbers satisfying $2ab=a-b$. Denote for any positive integer $k$ $x_k$ and $y_k$ to be the closest integer to $ak$ and $bk$, respectively (if there are two closest integers, choose the larger one). Prove that any positive integer $n$ appears in the sequence $(x_k)_{k\ge 1}$ if and only if it appears at least three times in the sequence $(y_k)_{k\ge 1}$.

Let $(F_n)_{n\geq 1} $ be the Fibonacci sequence $F_1 = F_2 = 1, F_{n+2} = F_{n+1} + F_n (n \geq 1),$ and $P(x)$ the polynomial of degree $990$ satisfying \[ P(k) = F_k, \qquad \text{ for } k = 992, . . . , 1982.\] Prove that $P(1983) = F_{1983} - 1.$

In the fictional country of Mahishmati, there are $50$ cities, including a capital city. Some pairs of cities are connected by two-way flights. Given a city $A$, an ordered list of cities $C_1,\ldots, C_{50}$ is called an [i]antitour[/i] from $A$ if [list] [*] every city (including $A$) appears in the list exactly once, and [*] for each $k\in \{1,2,\ldots, 50\}$, it is impossible to go from $A$ to $C_k$ by a sequence of exactly $k$ (not necessarily distinct) flights. [/list] Baahubali notices that there is an antitour from $A$ for any city $A$. Further, he can take a sequence of flights, starting from the capital and passing through each city exactly once. Find the least possible total number of antitours from the capital city. [i]Proposed by Sutanay Bhattacharya[/i]

If $ \{a_k\}$ is a sequence of real numbers, call the sequence $ \{a'_k\}$ defined by $ a_k' \equal{} \frac {a_k \plus{} a_{k \plus{} 1}}2$ the [i]average sequence[/i] of $ \{a_k\}$. Consider the sequences $ \{a_k\}$; $ \{a_k'\}$ - [i]average sequence[/i] of $ \{a_k\}$; $ \{a_k''\}$ - average sequence of $ \{a_k'\}$ and so on. If all these sequences consist only of integers, then $ \{a_k\}$ is called [i]Good[/i]. Prove that if $ \{x_k\}$ is a [i]good[/i] sequence, then $ \{x_k^2\}$ is also [i]good[/i].

Determine if there are positive integers $a, b$ such that all terms of the sequence defined by \[ x_{1}= 2010,x_{2}= 2011\\ x_{n+2}= x_{n}+ x_{n+1}+a\sqrt{x_{n}x_{n+1}+b}\quad (n\ge 1) \] are integers.

A sequence $2^{a_1}, 2^{a_2}, \cdots,2^{a_m}$ is called [i]good[/i], if $a_i$ are non-negative integers, and $a_{i+1}-a_{i}$ is either $0$ or $1$ for all $1\le i\le m-1$. Fix a positive integer $n$, and Ivan has a whiteboard with some ones written on it. In each step, he may erase any good sequence $2^{a_1}, 2^{a_2}, \cdots,2^{a_m}$ that appears on the whiteboard, and then he writes the number $2^k$ such that $$2^{k-1}<2^{a_1}+2^{a_2}+\cdots+2^{a_m}\le 2^{k}$$ Suppose Ivan starts with the least possible number of ones to obtain $2^n$ after some steps, determine the minimum number of steps he will need in order to do so. [i]Proposed by Ivan Chan Kai Chin[/i]

Find the smallest nomial of this sequence that $a_1=1993^{1994^{1995}}$ and \[ a_{n+1}=\begin{cases}\frac{a_n}{2}&\text{if $n$ is even}\\a_n+7 &\text{if $n$ is odd.} \end{cases} \]

Write down some numbers $a_1,a_2,\ldots, a_n$ from left to right on a line. Step 1, we write $a_1+a_2$ between $a_1,a_2$; $a_2+a_3$ between $a_2,a_3$, …, $a_{n-1}+a_n$ between $a_{n-1},a_n$, and then we have new sequence $b=(a_1, a_1+a_2,a_2,a_2+a_3,a_3, \ldots, a_{n-1}, a_{n-1}+a_n, a_n)$. Step 2, we do the same thing with sequence b to have the new sequence c again…. And so on. If we do 2013 steps, count the number of the number 2013 appear on the line if a) $n=2$, $a_1=1, a_2=1000$ b) $n=1000$, $a_i=i, i=1,2\ldots, 1000$ Sorry for my bad English [color=#008000]Moderator says: alternate phrasing here: https://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=516134[/color]

For a positive integer $K$, define a sequence, $\{a_n\}_n$, as following $a_1=K$, \[ a_{n+1} = \{ \begin{array} {cc} a_n-1 , & \mbox{ if } a_n \mbox{ is even} \\ \frac{a_n-1}2 , & \mbox{ if } a_n \mbox{ is odd} \end{array}, \] for all $n\geq 1$. Find the smallest value of $K$, which makes $a_{2005}$ the first term equal to 0.

Define a sequence $(a_n)_{n \geq 1}$ by $a_1 =1$ and $a_2 =2$ and $a_{n+2} = 2 a_{n+1} - a_n + 2$ for $n \geq 1$. prove that for any $m$ , $a_m a_{m+1}$ is also a term in this sequence.

Let $\alpha$ be a real number with $\alpha>1$. Let the sequence $(a_n)$ be defined as $$a_n=1+\sqrt[\alpha]{2+\sqrt[\alpha]{3+\ldots+\sqrt[\alpha]{n+\sqrt[\alpha]{n+1}}}}$$ for all positive integers $n$. Show that there exists a positive real constant $C$ such that $a_n<C$ for all positive integers $n$.

Lily pads $1,2,3,\ldots$ lie in a row on a pond. A frog makes a sequence of jumps starting on pad $1$. From any pad $k$ the frog jumps to either pad $k+1$ or pad $k+2$ chosen randomly and independently with probability $\tfrac12$. The probability that the frog visits pad $7$ is $\tfrac pq$, where $p$ and $q$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $p+q$.

Prove that: a) the sequence $a_n=\frac{1}{n+1}+\frac{1}{n+2}+\ldots+\frac{1}{n+n},\ n\ge 1$ is monotonic. b) there is a sequence $(a_n)_{n\ge 1}\in \{0,1\}$ such that: \[\lim_{n\to \infty} \left(\frac{a_1}{n+1}+\frac{a_2}{n+2}+\ldots +\frac{a_n}{n+n}\right)=\frac{1}{2}\] [i]Radu Gologan[/i]

Let $n$ be an odd positive integer, and let $x_1,x_2,\cdots ,x_n$ be non-negative real numbers. Show that \[ \min_{i=1,\ldots,n} (x_i^2+x_{i+1}^2) \leq \max_{j=1,\ldots,n} (2x_jx_{j+1}) \]where $x_{n+1}=x_1$.