Let $(a_n)_{n\ge1}$ be a sequence given by \begin{align*} a_1 &= 1, \\ a_{2^k+j} &= -a_j\text{ for any } k\ge0,1\le j\le 2^k. \end{align*} Show that the sequence is not periodic.

Let $n$ be a positive integer. A mouse sits at each corner point of an $n\times n$ board, which is divided into unit squares as shown below for the example $n=5$. [asy] unitsize(5mm); defaultpen(linewidth(.5pt)); fontsize(25pt); for(int i=0; i<=5; ++i) { for(int j=0; j<=5; ++j) { draw((0,i)--(5,i)); draw((j,0)--(j,5)); }} dot((0,0)); dot((5,0)); dot((0,5)); dot((5,5)); [/asy] The mice then move according to a sequence of [i]steps[/i], in the following manner: (a) In each step, each of the four mice travels a distance of one unit in a horizontal or vertical direction. Each unit distance is called an [i]edge[/i] of the board, and we say that each mouse [i]uses[/i] an edge of the board. (b) An edge of the board may not be used twice in the same direction. (c) At most two mice may occupy the same point on the board at any time. The mice wish to collectively organize their movements so that each edge of the board will be used twice (not necessarily be the same mouse), and each mouse will finish up at its starting point. Determine, with proof, the values of $n$ for which the mice may achieve this goal.

The sequences $(a_n)$ and $(b_n)$ are defined by $a_1 = b_1 = 1$ and $a_{n+1} = a_n +b_n, b_{n+1} = a_nb_n$ for $n = 1,2,...$ Show that every two distinct terms of the sequence $(a_n)$ are coprime

Find all natural numbers $n$ greater than $2$ such that there exist $n$ natural numbers $a_{1},a_{2},\ldots,a_{n}$ such that they are not all equal, and the sequence $a_{1}a_{2},a_{2}a_{3},\ldots,a_{n}a_{1}$ forms an arithmetic progression with nonzero common difference.

Let $x_{0}$, $x_{1}$, $x_{2}$, $\cdots$ be a sequence of numbers, where each $x_{k}$ is either $0$ or $1$. For each positive integer $n$, define \[S_{n} = \displaystyle\sum^{n-1}_{k=0}{x_{k}2^{k}}\] Suppose $7S_{n} \equiv 1\pmod {2^{n}}$ for all $n\geq 1$. What is the value of the sum \[x_{2019}+2x_{2020}+4x_{2021}+8x_{2022}?\] $ \textbf{(A)}\ 6 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 7 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 12 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 14 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 15$

In rectangular coordinate system, define two sequences of points: $(A_n)$ on the positive half of the $y$-axis and $(B_n)$ on the curve $y=\sqrt{2x}(x\geq0)$ satisfy that $|OA_n|=|OB_n|=\frac{1}{n}$. $a_n$ is the $x$-intercept of line $A_nB_n$, and the $x$-axis of $B_n$ is $b_n$, $n\in\mathbb{Z}_+$. Prove: [b](a)[/b] $a_n>a_{n+1}>4,n\in\mathbb{Z}_+$; [b](b)[/b] There exists $n_0\in\mathbb{Z}_+$, such that $\forall n>n_0$, $\frac{b_2}{b_1}+\frac{b_3}{b_2}+\cdots +\frac{b_n}{b_{n-1}}+\frac{b_{n+1}}{b_n}<n-2004$.

Let b be a given real number. The sequence of integers $a_1, a_2,a_3, ...$ is such that $a_1 =(b]$ and $a_{n+1}=(a_n+b]$ for all $n\ge 1$ Prove that the sum $a_1+\frac{a_2}{2}+\frac{a_3}{3}+...+\frac{a_n}{n}$ is an integer number for any natural $n$ . (In the condition of the problem, $(x]$ denotes the smallest integer that is greater than or equal to $x$)

Let $a_n$ be a sequence defined by some $a_0$ and the recursion $a_{n+1} = a_n + 2 \cdot 3^n$ for $n \ge 0$. Determine all rational values of $a_0$ such that $a^j_k / a^k_j$ is an integer for all integers $j$ and $k$ with $0 < j < k$.

Let a sequence $(a_i)_{i=10}^{\infty}$ be defined as follows: [list=a] [*] $a_{10}$ is some positive integer, which can of course be written in base 10. [*] For $i \geq 10$ if $a_i > 0$, let $b_i$ be the positive integer whose base-$(i + 1)$ representation is the same as $a_i$'s base-$i$ representation. Then let $a_{i + 1} = b_i - 1$. If $a_i = 0$, $a_{i + 1} = 0$. [/list] For example, if $a_{10} = 11$, then $b_{10} = 11_{11} (= 12_{10})$; $a_{11} = 11_{11} - 1 = 10_{11} (= 11_{10})$; $b_{11} = 10_{12} (= 12_{10})$; $a_{12} = 11$. Does there exist $a_{10}$ such that $a_i$ is strictly positive for all $i \geq 10$?

Determine all sequences $(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_{2011})$ of positive integers, such that for every positive integer $n$ there exists an integer $a$ with \[\sum^{2011}_{j=1} j x^n_j = a^{n+1} + 1\] [i]Proposed by Warut Suksompong, Thailand[/i]

[u]Round 1[/u] [b]p1.[/b] Five girls and three boys are sitting in a room. Suppose that four of the children live in California. Determine the maximum possible number of girls that could live somewhere outside California. [b]p2.[/b] A $4$-meter long stick is rotated $60^o$ about a point on the stick $1$ meter away from one of its ends. Compute the positive difference between the distances traveled by the two endpoints of the stick, in meters. [b]p3.[/b] Let $f(x) = 2x(x - 1)^2 + x^3(x - 2)^2 + 10(x - 1)^3(x - 2)$. Compute $f(0) + f(1) + f(2)$. [u]Round 2[/u] [b]p4.[/b] Twenty boxes with weights $10, 20, 30, ... , 200$ pounds are given. One hand is needed to lift a box for every $10$ pounds it weighs. For example, a $40$ pound box needs four hands to be lifted. Determine the number of people needed to lift all the boxes simultaneously, given that no person can help lift more than one box at a time. [b]p5.[/b] Let $ABC$ be a right triangle with a right angle at $A$, and let $D$ be the foot of the perpendicular from vertex$ A$ to side $BC$. If $AB = 5$ and $BC = 7$, compute the length of segment $AD$. [b]p6.[/b] There are two circular ant holes in the coordinate plane. One has center $(0, 0)$ and radius $3$, and the other has center $(20, 21)$ and radius $5$. Albert wants to cover both of them completely with a circular bowl. Determine the minimum possible radius of the circular bowl. [u]Round 3[/u] [b]p7.[/b] A line of slope $-4$ forms a right triangle with the positive x and y axes. If the area of the triangle is 2013, find the square of the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle. [b]p8.[/b] Let $ABC$ be a right triangle with a right angle at $B$, $AB = 9$, and $BC = 7$. Suppose that point $P$ lies on segment $AB$ with $AP = 3$ and that point $Q$ lies on ray $BC$ with $BQ = 11$. Let segments $AC$ and $P Q$ intersect at point $X$. Compute the positive difference between the areas of triangles $AP X$ and $CQX$. [b]p9.[/b] Fresh Mann and Sophy Moore are racing each other in a river. Fresh Mann swims downstream, while Sophy Moore swims $\frac12$ mile upstream and then travels downstream in a boat. They start at the same time, and they reach the finish line 1 mile downstream of the starting point simultaneously. If Fresh Mann and Sophy Moore both swim at $1$ mile per hour in still water and the boat travels at 10 miles per hour in still water, find the speed of the current. [u]Round 4[/u] [b]p10.[/b] The Fibonacci numbers are defined by $F_0 = 0$, $F_1 = 1$, and for $n \ge 1$, $F_{n+1} = F_n + F_{n-1}$. The first few terms of the Fibonacci sequence are $0$, $1$, $1$, $2$, $3$, $5$, $8$, $13$. Every positive integer can be expressed as the sum of nonconsecutive, distinct, positive Fibonacci numbers, for example, $7 = 5 + 2$. Express $121$ as the sum of nonconsecutive, distinct, positive Fibonacci numbers. (It is not permitted to use both a $2$ and a $1$ in the expression.) [b]p11.[/b] There is a rectangular box of surface area $44$ whose space diagonals have length $10$. Find the sum of the lengths of all the edges of the box. [b]p12.[/b] Let $ABC$ be an acute triangle, and let $D$ and $E$ be the feet of the altitudes to $BC$ and $CA$, respectively. Suppose that segments $AD$ and $BE$ intersect at point $H$ with $AH = 20$ and $HD = 13$. Compute $BD \cdot CD$. PS. You should use hide for answers. Rounds 5-8 have been posted [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c4h2809420p24782524]here[/url]. Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5h2760506p24143309]here[/url].

Consider a sequence of polynomials such that $P_0(x)=2,P_1(x)=x$ and for all $n\ge1$ \[P_{n+1}(x)+P_{n-1}(x)=xP_n(x).\] a) Determine the polynomial \[Q_n(x)=P^2_n(x)-xP_n(x)P_{n-1}(x)+P^2_{n-1}(x)\] for $n=1972.$ b) Express the polynomial \[\bigl(P_{n+1}(x)-P_{n-1}(x)\bigr)^2\] in terms of $P_n(x),Q_n(x).$

Suppose that $S$ is a finite set of real numbers with the property that any two distinct elements of $S$ form an arithmetic progression with another element in $S$. Give an example of such a set with 5 elements and show that no such set exists with more than $5$ elements.

In a sequence ,first term is $2$ and after $2.$ term all terms is equal to sum of the previous number's digits' $5.$ power. (Like this $2.$term is $2^5=32$ , $3.$term is $3^5+2^5=243+32=275\dotsm$) Prove that, this infinite sequence has at least $2$ two numbers are equal.

Let $n$ be a natural number. A sequence $x_1,x_2, \cdots ,x_{n^2}$ of $n^2$ numbers is called $n-\textit{good}$ if each $x_i$ is an element of the set $\{1,2,\cdots ,n\}$ and the ordered pairs $\left(x_i,x_{i+1}\right)$ are all different for $i=1,2,3,\cdots ,n^2$ (here we consider the subscripts modulo $n^2$). Two $n-$good sequences $x_1,x_2,\cdots ,x_{n^2}$ and $y_1,y_2,\cdots ,y_{n^2}$ are called $\textit{similar}$ if there exists an integer $k$ such that $y_i=x_{i+k}$ for all $i=1,2,\cdots,n^2$ (again taking subscripts modulo $n^2$). Suppose that there exists a non-trivial permutation (i.e., a permutation which is different from the identity permutation) $\sigma$ of $\{1,2,\cdots ,n\}$ and an $n-$ good sequence $x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_{n^2}$ which is similar to $\sigma\left(x_1\right),\sigma\left(x_2\right),\cdots ,\sigma\left(x_{n^2}\right)$. Show that $n\equiv 2\pmod{4}$.