Olympiad problems

1969 IMO Longlists, 66

$(USS 3)$ $(a)$ Prove that if $0 \le a_0 \le a_1 \le a_2,$ then $(a_0 + a_1x - a_2x^2)^2 \le (a_0 + a_1 + a_2)^2\left(1 +\frac{1}{2}x+\frac{1}{3}x^2+\frac{1}{2}x^3+x^4\right)$ $(b)$ Formulate and prove the analogous result for polynomials of third degree.

1967 IMO Shortlist, 3

Tags: trigonometry , taylor series , inequality , trigonometric inequality , calculus

Prove the trigonometric inequality $\cos x < 1 - \frac{x^2}{2} + \frac{x^4}{16},$ when $x \in \left(0, \frac{\pi}{2} \right).$

1969 IMO Shortlist, 66

Tags: inequality , taylor series , polynomial , algebra

$(USS 3)$ $(a)$ Prove that if $0 \le a_0 \le a_1 \le a_2,$ then $(a_0 + a_1x - a_2x^2)^2 \le (a_0 + a_1 + a_2)^2\left(1 +\frac{1}{2}x+\frac{1}{3}x^2+\frac{1}{2}x^3+x^4\right)$ $(b)$ Formulate and prove the analogous result for polynomials of third degree.

1967 IMO Longlists, 3

Tags: taylor series , inequality , trigonometric inequality , trigonometry , calculus

Prove the trigonometric inequality $\cos x < 1 - \frac{x^2}{2} + \frac{x^4}{16},$ when $x \in \left(0, \frac{\pi}{2} \right).$

2025 VJIMC, 4

Tags: complex analysis , holomorphic , taylor series , root , function

Let $D = \{z\in \mathbb{C}: |z| < 1\}$ be the open unit disk in the complex plane and let $f : D \to D$ be a holomorphic function such that $\lim_{|z|\to 1}|f(z)| = 1$. Let the Taylor series of $f$ be $f(z) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_nz^n$. Prove that the number of zeroes of $f$ (counted with multiplicities) equals $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} n|a_n|^2$.

2018 Putnam, A5

Tags: taylor series , real analysis

Let $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ be an infinitely differentiable function satisfying $f(0) = 0$, $f(1) = 1$, and $f(x) \ge 0$ for all $x \in \mathbb{R}$. Show that there exist a positive integer $n$ and a real number $x$ such that $f^{(n)}(x) < 0$.

2025 SEEMOUS, P2

Tags: integration , calculus , taylor series

Calculate $$\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}n\int_0^{\infty} e^{-x}\sqrt[n]{e^x - 1 -\frac{x}{1!} - \frac{x^2}{2!} - \dots -\frac{x^n}{n!}}\,dx.$$