Let $k\ge 1$ be a positive integer. We consider $4k$ chips, $2k$ of which are red and $2k$ of which are blue. A sequence of those $4k$ chips can be transformed into another sequence by a so-called move, consisting of interchanging a number (possibly one) of consecutive red chips with an equal number of consecutive blue chips. For example, we can move from $r\underline{bb}br\underline{rr}b$ to $r\underline{rr}br\underline{bb}b$ where $r$ denotes a red chip and $b$ denotes a blue chip. Determine the smallest number $n$ (as a function of $k$) such that starting from any initial sequence of the $4k$ chips, we need at most $n$ moves to reach the state in which the first $2k$ chips are red.

Consider the set $M$ of all sequences of integers $s=(s_1,\ldots,s_k)$ such that $0\leqslant s_i\leqslant n,\; i=1,2,\ldots,k$ and let $M(s)=\max\{s_1,\ldots,s_k\}$. Show that \[\sum_{s\in A} M(s)=(n+1)^{k+1}-(1^k+2^k+\ldots +(n+1)^k).\] [i]Ioan Tomescu[/i]

Let $ a_0$ be a natural number. The sequence $ (a_n)$ is defined by $ a_{n\plus{}1}\equal{}\frac{a_n}{5}$ if $ a_n$ is divisible by $ 5$ and $ a_{n\plus{}1}\equal{}[a_n \sqrt{5}]$ otherwise . Show that the sequence $ a_n$ is increasing starting from some term.

Let $a_n$ be a sequence given by $a_1 = 18$, and $a_n = a_{n-1}^2+6a_{n-1}$, for $n>1$. Prove that this sequence contains no perfect powers.

a) A certain locker room contains $n$ lockers numbered $1,2,\ldots,n$ and all are originally locked. An attendant performs a sequence of operations $T_1, T_2 ,\ldots, T_n$, whereby with the operation $T_k$ the state of those lockers whose number is divisible by $k$ is swapped. After all $n$ operations have been performed, it is observed that all lockers whose number is a perfect square (and only those lockers) are open. Prove this. b) Investigate in a meaningful mathematical way a procedure or set of operations similar to those above which will produce the set of cubes, or the set of numbers of the form $2 m^2 $, or the set of numbers of the form $m^2 +1$, or some nontrivial similar set of your own selection.

Let $A(n)$ denote the number of sequences $a_1\ge a_2\ge\cdots{}\ge a_k$ of positive integers for which $a_1+\cdots{}+a_k = n$ and each $a_i +1$ is a power of two $(i = 1,2,\cdots{},k)$. Let $B(n)$ denote the number of sequences $b_1\ge b_2\ge \cdots{}\ge b_m$ of positive integers for which $b_1+\cdots{}+b_m =n$ and each inequality $b_j\ge 2b_{j+1}$ holds $(j=1,2,\cdots{}, m-1)$. Prove that $A(n) = B(n)$ for every positive integer $n$. [i]Senior Problems Committee of the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee[/i]

Let $(a_n)$ be a sequence of integers, with $a_1 = 1$ and for evert integer $n \ge 1$, $a_{2n} = a_n + 1$ and $a_{2n+1} = 10a_n$. How many times $111$ appears on this sequence?

The number $770$ is written on a blackboard. Melody repeatedly performs moves, where a move consists of subtracting either $40$ or $41$ from the number on the board. She performs moves until the number is not positive, and then she stops. Let $N$ be the number of sequences of moves that Melody could perform. Suppose $N = a\cdot 2^b$ where $a$ is an odd positive integer and $b$ is a nonnegative integer. Compute $100a+b.$

Let $\{b_n\}_{n\geq 1}^{\infty}$ be a sequence of positive integers. The sequence $\{a_n\}_{n\geq 1}^{\infty}$ is defined as follows: $a_1$ is a fixed positive integer and \[a_{n+1}=a_n^{b_n}+1 ,\qquad \forall n\geq 1.\] Find all positive integers $m\geq 3$ with the following property: If the sequence $\{a_n\mod m\}_{n\geq 1 }^{\infty}$ is eventually periodic, then there exist positive integers $q,u,v$ with $2\leq q\leq m-1$, such that the sequence $\{b_{v+ut}\mod q\}_{t\geq 1}^{\infty}$ is purely periodic.

Given odd prime $p$. Sequence ${x_n}$ is defined by $x_{n+2}= 4x_{n+1}-x_n$. Choose $x_0,x_1$ such that for every random positive integer $k$, there exists $i\in \mathbb N$ such that $4p^2-8p+1|x_i - (2p)^k$.

Let $ABC$ be a triangle and let $D$ be a point on the segment $BC$ such that $AD=BC$. \\ Suppose $\angle{CAD}=x^{\circ}, \angle{ABC}=y^{\circ}$ and $\angle{ACB}=z^{\circ}$ and $x,y,z$ are in an arithmetic progression in that order where the first term and the common difference are positive integers. Find the largest possible value of $\angle{ABC}$ in degrees.

Find the period of the repetend of the fraction $\frac{39}{1428}$ by using [i]binary[/i] numbers, i.e. its binary decimal representation. (Note: When a proper fraction is expressed as a decimal number (of any base), either the decimal number terminates after finite steps, or it is of the form $0.b_1b_2\cdots b_sa_1a_2\cdots a_ka_1a_2\cdots a_ka_1a_2 \cdots a_k \cdots$. Here the repeated sequence $a_1a_2\cdots a_k$ is called the [i]repetend[/i] of the fraction, and the smallest length of the repetend, $k$, is called the [i]period[/i] of the decimal number.)

Suppose $(a_n)$, $(b_n)$, $(c_n)$ are arithmetic progressions. Given that $a_1+b_1+c_1 = 0$ and $a_2+b_2+c_2 = 1$, compute $a_{2014}+b_{2014}+c_{2014}$. [i]Proposed by Evan Chen[/i]

Let $N \geq 2$ be an integer, and let $\mathbf a$ $= (a_1, \ldots, a_N)$ and $\mathbf b$ $= (b_1, \ldots b_N)$ be sequences of non-negative integers. For each integer $i \not \in \{1, \ldots, N\}$, let $a_i = a_k$ and $b_i = b_k$, where $k \in \{1, \ldots, N\}$ is the integer such that $i-k$ is divisible by $n$. We say $\mathbf a$ is $\mathbf b$-[i]harmonic[/i] if each $a_i$ equals the following arithmetic mean: \[a_i = \frac{1}{2b_i+1} \sum_{s=-b_i}^{b_i} a_{i+s}.\] Suppose that neither $\mathbf a $ nor $\mathbf b$ is a constant sequence, and that both $\mathbf a$ is $\mathbf b$-[i]harmonic[/i] and $\mathbf b$ is $\mathbf a$-[i]harmonic[/i]. Prove that at least $N+1$ of the numbers $a_1, \ldots, a_N,b_1, \ldots, b_N$ are zero.

Given a sequence $(x_1,x_2,\ldots, x_n)$ of 0's and 1's, let $A$ be the number of triples $(x_i,x_j,x_k)$ with $i<j<k$ such that $(x_i,x_j,x_k)$ equals $(0,1,0)$ or $(1,0,1)$. For $1\leq i \leq n$, let $d_i$ denote the number of $j$ for which either $j < i$ and $x_j = x_i$ or else $j > i$ and $x_j\neq x_i$. (a) Prove that \[A = \binom n3 - \sum_{i=1}^n\binom{d_i}2.\] (Of course, $\textstyle\binom ab = \tfrac{a!}{b!(a-b)!}$.) [5 points] (b) Given an odd number $n$, what is the maximum possible value of $A$? [15 points]

Given sequence $ \{ c_n \}$ satisfying the conditions that $ c_0\equal{}1$, $ c_1\equal{}0$, $ c_2\equal{}2005$, and $ c_{n\plus{}2}\equal{}\minus{}3c_n \minus{} 4c_{n\minus{}1} \plus{}2008$, ($ n\equal{}1,2,3, \cdots$). Let $ \{ a_n \}$ be another sequence such that $ a_n\equal{}5(c_{n\plus{}1} \minus{} c_n) \cdot (502 \minus{} c_{n\minus{}1} \minus{} c_{n\minus{}2}) \plus{} 4^n \times 2004 \times 501$, ($ n\equal{}2,3, \cdots$). Is $ a_n$ a perfect square for every $ n > 2$?