$k$ is a positive integer. The sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3, ...$ is defined by $a_1 = k+1$, $a_{n+1} = a_n ^2 - ka_n + k$. Show that $a_m$ and $a_n$ are coprime (for $m \not = n$).

Consider a convex polygon having $n$ vertices, $n\geq 4$. We arbitrarily decompose the polygon into triangles having all the vertices among the vertices of the polygon, such that no two of the triangles have interior points in common. We paint in black the triangles that have two sides that are also sides of the polygon, in red if only one side of the triangle is also a side of the polygon and in white those triangles that have no sides that are sides of the polygon. Prove that there are two more black triangles that white ones.

The game of circulate is played with a deck of $kn$ cards each with a number in $1,2,\ldots,n$ such that there are $k$ cards with each number. First, $n$ piles numbered $1,2,\ldots,n$ of $k$ cards each are dealt out face down. The player then flips over a card from pile $1$, places that card face up at the bottom of the pile, then next flips over a card from the pile whose number matches the number on the card just flipped. The player repeats this until he reaches a pile in which every card has already been flipped and wins if at that point every card has been flipped. Hamster has grown tired of losing every time, so he decides to cheat. He looks at the piles beforehand and rearranges the $k$ cards in each pile as he pleases. When can Hamster perform this procedure such that he will win the game? [i]Brian Hamrick.[/i]

$S$ is the set of functions $f:\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R}$ that satisfy the following conditions: [b]I.[/b] $f(1) = 2$ [b]II.[/b] $f(n+1) \geq f(n) \geq \frac{n}{n + 1} f(2n)$ for $n = 1, 2, \ldots$ Find the smallest $M \in \mathbb{N}$ such that for any $f \in S$ and any $n \in \mathbb{N}, f(n) < M$.

Let $ \{x_n\}_{n\geq 1}$ be a sequences, given by $ x_1 \equal{} 1$, $ x_2 \equal{} 2$ and \[ x_{n \plus{} 2} \equal{} \frac { x_{n \plus{} 1}^2 \plus{} 3 }{x_n} . \] Prove that $ x_{2008}$ is the sum of two perfect squares.

The game of circulate is played with a deck of $kn$ cards each with a number in $1,2,\ldots,n$ such that there are $k$ cards with each number. First, $n$ piles numbered $1,2,\ldots,n$ of $k$ cards each are dealt out face down. The player then flips over a card from pile $1$, places that card face up at the bottom of the pile, then next flips over a card from the pile whose number matches the number on the card just flipped. The player repeats this until he reaches a pile in which every card has already been flipped and wins if at that point every card has been flipped. Hamster has grown tired of losing every time, so he decides to cheat. He looks at the piles beforehand and rearranges the $k$ cards in each pile as he pleases. When can Hamster perform this procedure such that he will win the game? [i]Brian Hamrick.[/i]

Assume real numbers $a_i,b_i\,(i=0,1,\cdots,2n)$ satisfy the following conditions: (1) for $i=0,1,\cdots,2n-1$, we have $a_i+a_{i+1}\geq 0$; (2) for $j=0,1,\cdots,n-1$, we have $a_{2j+1}\leq 0$; (2) for any integer $p,q$, $0\leq p\leq q\leq n$, we have $\sum_{k=2p}^{2q}b_k>0$. Prove that $\sum_{i=0}^{2n}(-1)^i a_i b_i\geq 0$, and determine when the equality holds.

For a fixed integer $k$, determine all polynomials $f(x)$ with integer coefficients such that $f(n)$ divides $(n!)^k$ for every positive integer $n$.

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{N}\to \mathbb{N}$ such that for all $m,n\in \mathbb{N}$: \[f(f(m)+f(n))=m+n.\]

Let $p(x)=x^n+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+\cdots+a_1x+a_0$ be a monic polynomial of degree $n>2$, with real coefficients and all its roots real and different from zero. Prove that for all $k=0,1,2,\cdots,n-2$, at least one of the coefficients $a_k,a_{k+1}$ is different from zero.

Find all functions $f: \mathbb{Q}\to \mathbb{Q}$ such that for all $x,y,z \in \mathbb{Q}$: \[f(x+y+z)+f(x-y)+f(y-z)+f(z-x)=3f(x)+3f(y)+3f(z).\]

Prove that every positive integer can be represented in the form $$3^{m_1}\cdot 2^{n_1}+3^{m_2}\cdot 2^{n_2} + \dots + 3^{m_k}\cdot 2^{n_k}$$ where $m_1 > m_2 > \dots > m_k \geq 0$ and $0 \leq n_1 < n_2 < \dots < n_k$ are integers.

Let $n$ be a fixed positive integer. Initially, $n$ 1's are written on a blackboard. Every minute, David picks two numbers $x$ and $y$ written on the blackboard, erases them, and writes the number $(x+y)^4$ on the blackboard. Show that after $n-1$ minutes, the number written on the blackboard is at least $2^{\frac{4n^2-4}{3}}$. [i]Proposed by Calvin Deng[/i]

There is a $2012\times 2012$ grid with rows numbered $1,2,\dots 2012$ and columns numbered $1,2,\dots, 2012$, and we place some rectangular napkins on it such that the sides of the napkins all lie on grid lines. Each napkin has a positive integer thickness. (in micrometers!) (a) Show that there exist $2012^2$ unique integers $a_{i,j}$ where $i,j \in [1,2012]$ such that for all $x,y\in [1,2012]$, the sum \[ \sum _{i=1}^{x} \sum_{j=1}^{y} a_{i,j} \] is equal to the sum of the thicknesses of all the napkins that cover the grid square in row $x$ and column $y$. (b) Show that if we use at most $500,000$ napkins, at least half of the $a_{i,j}$ will be $0$. [i]Proposed by Ray Li[/i]

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Does $n^2$ has more positive divisors of the form $4k+1$ or of the form $4k-1$?

Let $\mathbb{N}$ denote the set of positive integers. Find all functions $f: \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}$ such that \[ f(m+n)f(m-n) = f(m^2) \] for $m,n \in \mathbb{N}$.

Prove that for every real number $M$ there exists an infinite arithmetical progression of positive integers such that [list] [*] the common difference is not divisible by $10$, [*] the sum of digits of each term exceeds $M$. [/list]

Given a positive integer number $k$, define the function $f$ on the set of all positive integer numbers to itself by \[f(n)=\begin{cases}1, &\text{if }n\le k+1\\ f(f(n-1))+f(n-f(n-1)), &\text{if }n>k+1\end{cases}\] Show that the preimage of every positive integer number under $f$ is a finite non-empty set of consecutive positive integers.

Positive integers $x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n$ ($n \ge 4$) are arranged in a circle such that each $x_i$ divides the sum of the neighbors; that is \[ \frac{x_{i-1}+x_{i+1}}{x_i} = k_i \] is an integer for each $i$, where $x_0 = x_n$, $x_{n+1} = x_1$. Prove that \[ 2n \le k_1 + k_2 + \dots + k_n < 3n. \]

Let $n$ be a positive integer. $n$ people take part in a certain party. For any pair of the participants, either the two are acquainted with each other or they are not. What is the maximum possible number of the pairs for which the two are not acquainted but have a common acquaintance among the participants?

Given a positive integer number $n$, determine the minimum of \[\max \left\{\dfrac{x_1}{1 + x_1},\, \dfrac{x_2}{1 + x_1 + x_2},\, \cdots,\, \dfrac{x_n}{1 + x_1 + x_2 + \cdots + x_n}\right\},\] as $x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n$ run through all non-negative real numbers which add up to $1$. [i]Kvant Magazine[/i]

An $n$-term sequence $(x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n)$ in which each term is either 0 or 1 is called a [i]binary sequence of length [/i]$n$. Let $a_n$ be the number of binary sequences of length $n$ containing no three consecutive terms equal to 0, 1, 0 in that order. Let $b_n$ be the number of binary sequences of length $n$ that contain no four consecutive terms equal to 0, 0, 1, 1 or 1, 1, 0, 0 in that order. Prove that $b_{n+1} = 2a_n$ for all positive integers $n$.

Let $S$ be a set of rational numbers with the following properties: (a) $\frac12$ is an element in $S$, (b) if $x$ is in $S$, then both $\frac{1}{x+1}$ and $\frac{x}{x+1}$ are in $S$. Prove that $S$ contains all rational numbers in the interval $(0, 1)$.

Let $a,b,c,d$ be integers such that the number $a-b+c-d$ is odd and it divides the number $a^2-b^2+c^2-d^2$. Show that, for every positive integer $n$, $a-b+c-d$ divides $a^n-b^n+c^n-d^n$.

A positive integer is written on a blackboard. Players $A$ and $B$ play the following game: in each move one has to choose a proper divisor $m$ of the number $n$ written on the blackboard ($1<m<n$) and replaces $n$ with $n-m$. Player $A$ makes the first move, then players move alternately. The player who can't make a move loses the game. For which starting numbers is there a winning strategy for player $B$?