Let $a(n)$ be the sequence defined by $a(1)=2$ and $a(n+1)=(a(n))^{n+1}-1$ for each integer $n\geq 1$. Suppose that $p>2$ is a prime and $k$ is a positive integer. Prove that some term of the sequence $a(n)$ is divisible by $p^k$. [i]Proposed by John Berman[/i]

In a planar rectangular coordinate system, a sequence of points ${A_n}$ on the positive half of the y-axis and a sequence of points ${B_n}$ on the curve $y=\sqrt{2x}$ $(x\ge0)$ satisfy the condition $|OA_n|=|OB_n|=\frac{1}{n}$. The x-intercept of line $A_nB_n$ is $a_n$, and the x-coordinate of point $B_n$ is $b_n$, $n\in\mathbb{N}$. Prove that (1) $a_n>a_{n+1}>4$, $n\in\mathbb{N}$; (2) There is $n_0\in\mathbb{N}$, such that for any $n>n_0$, $\frac{b_2}{b_1}+\frac{b_3}{b_2}+\ldots +\frac{b_n}{b_{n-1}}+\frac{b_{n+1}}{b_n}<n-2004$.

Let $p$ be a prime number. For each $k$, $1\le k\le p-1$, there exists a unique integer denoted by $k^{-1}$ such that $1\le k^{-1}\le p-1$ and $k^{-1}\cdot k=1\pmod{p}$. Prove that the sequence \[1^{-1},\quad 1^{-1}+2^{-1},\quad 1^{-1}+2^{-1}+3^{-1},\quad \ldots ,\quad 1^{-1}+2^{-1}+\ldots +(p-1)^{-1} \] (addition modulo $p$) contains at most $\frac{p+1}{2}$ distinct elements.

A sequence $\{a_n\}$ is defined recursively by $a_1=\frac{1}{2}, $ and for $n\ge 2,$ $0<a_n\leq a_{n-1}$ and \[a_n^2(a_{n-1}+1)+a_{n-1}^2(a_n+1)-2a_na_{n-1}(a_na_{n-1}+a_n+1)=0.\] $(1)$ Determine the general formula of the sequence $\{a_n\};$ $(2)$ Let $S_n=a_1+\cdots+a_n.$ Prove that for $n\ge 1,$ $\ln\left(\frac{n}{2}+1\right)<S_n<\ln(n+1).$

For each $n \ge 2$ define the polynomial $$f_n(x)=x^n-x^{n-1}-\dots-x-1.$$ Prove that (a) For each $n \ge 2$, $f_n(x)=0$ has a unique positive real root $\alpha_n$; (b) $(\alpha_n)_n$ is a strictly increasing sequence; (c) $\lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \alpha_n=2.$

Patty is standing on a line of planks playing a game. Define a block to be a sequence of adjacent planks, such that both ends are not adjacent to any planks. Every minute, a plank chosen uniformly at random from the block that Patty is standing on disappears, and if Patty is standing on the plank, the game is over. Otherwise, Patty moves to a plank chosen uniformly at random within the block she is in; note that she could end up at the same plank from which she started. If the line of planks begins with $n$ planks, then for sufficiently large n, the expected number of minutes Patty lasts until the game ends (where the first plank disappears a minute after the game starts) can be written as $P(1/n)f(n) + Q(1/n)$, where $P,Q$ are polynomials and $f(n) =\sum^n_{i=1}\frac{1}{i}$ . Find $P(2023) + Q(2023)$.

A capricious mathematician writes a book with pages numbered from $2$ to $400$. The pages are to be read in the following order. Take the last unread page ($400$), then read (in the usual order) all pages which are not relatively prime to it and which have not been read before. Repeat until all pages are read. So, the order would be $2, 4, 5, ... , 400, 3, 7, 9, ... , 399, ...$. What is the last page to be read?

A $\pm 1$-[i]sequence[/i] is a sequence of $2022$ numbers $a_1, \ldots, a_{2022},$ each equal to either $+1$ or $-1$. Determine the largest $C$ so that, for any $\pm 1$-sequence, there exists an integer $k$ and indices $1 \le t_1 < \ldots < t_k \le 2022$ so that $t_{i+1} - t_i \le 2$ for all $i$, and $$\left| \sum_{i = 1}^{k} a_{t_i} \right| \ge C.$$

he sequence of real number $ (x_n)$ is defined by $ x_1 \equal{} 0,$ $ x_2 \equal{} 2$ and $ x_{n\plus{}2} \equal{} 2^{\minus{}x_n} \plus{} \frac{1}{2}$ $ \forall n \equal{} 1,2,3 \ldots$ Prove that the sequence has a limit as $ n$ approaches $ \plus{}\infty.$ Determine the limit.

Given $a\in\mathbb{R}$ and a sequence $(u_n)$ defined by \[ \begin{cases} u_1=a\\ u_{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}+\sqrt{\frac{2n+3}{n+1}u_n+\frac{1}{4}}\quad\forall n\in\mathbb{N}^* \end{cases} \] a) Prove that $(u_n)$ is convergent sequence when $a=5$ and find the limit of the sequence in that case b) Find all $a$ such that the sequence $(u_n)$ is exist and is convergent.

Define a sequence of real numbers $ a_1$, $ a_2$, $ a_3$, $ \dots$ by $ a_1 = 1$ and $ a_{n + 1}^3 = 99a_n^3$ for all $ n \ge 1$. Then $ a_{100}$ equals $ \textbf{(A)}\ 33^{33} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 33^{99} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 99^{33} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 99^{99} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$

Let $n\geq 2$ be a given integer. Initially, we write $n$ sets on the blackboard and do a sequence of moves as follows: choose two sets $A$ and $B$ on the blackboard such that none of them is a subset of the other, and replace $A$ and $B$ by $A\cap B$ and $A\cup B$. This is called a $\textit{move}$. Find the maximum number of moves in a sequence for all possible initial sets.

Prove that $$S_n=\frac1{1^2}+\frac1{2^2}+\ldots+\frac1{n^2}<2$$for every $n\in\mathbb N$.

For a positive integer $n \ge 2$, define a sequence $a_1, a_2, \cdots ,a_n$ as the following. $$ a_1 = \frac{n(2n-1)(2n+1)}{3}$$ $$a_k = \frac{(n+k-1)(n-k+1)}{2(k-1)(2k+1)}a_{k-1}, \text{ } (k=2,3, \cdots n)$$ (a) Show that $a_1, a_2, \cdots a_n$ are all integers. (b) Prove that there are exactly one number out of $a_1, a_2, \cdots a_n$ which is not a multiple of $2n-1$ and exactly one number out of $a_1, a_2, \cdots a_n$ which is not a multiple of $2n+1$ if and only if $2n-1$ and $2n+1$ are all primes.

Let $\{a_i\}$ be a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers. Define the sequence $\{s_k\}$ as $$s_k = \sum_{i=1}^{k}\frac{1}{[a_i,a_{i+1}]},$$ where $[a_i,a_{i+1}]$ is the least commun multiple of $a_i$ and $a_{i+1}$. Show that the sequence $\{s_k\}$ is convergent.

The circles $(R, r)$ and $(P, \rho)$, where $r > \rho$, touch externally at $A$. Their direct common tangent touches $(R, r)$ at B and $(P, \rho)$ at $C$. The line $RP$ meets the circle $(P, \rho)$ again at $D$ and the line $BC$ at $E$. If $|BC| = 6|DE|$, prove that: [b](a)[/b] the lengths of the sides of the triangle $RBE$ are in an arithmetic progression, and [b](b)[/b] $|AB| = 2|AC|.$