Found problems: 560
2011 Romanian Masters In Mathematics, 2
For every $n\geq 3$, determine all the configurations of $n$ distinct points $X_1,X_2,\ldots,X_n$ in the plane, with the property that for any pair of distinct points $X_i$, $X_j$ there exists a permutation $\sigma$ of the integers $\{1,\ldots,n\}$, such that $\textrm{d}(X_i,X_k) = \textrm{d}(X_j,X_{\sigma(k)})$ for all $1\leq k \leq n$.
(We write $\textrm{d}(X,Y)$ to denote the distance between points $X$ and $Y$.)
[i](United Kingdom) Luke Betts[/i]
2010 CIIM, Problem 1
Given two vectors $v = (v_1,\dots,v_n)$ and $w = (w_1\dots,w_n)$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$, lets define $v*w$ as the matrix in which the element of row $i$ and column $j$ is $v_iw_j$. Supose that $v$ and $w$ are linearly independent. Find the rank of the matrix $v*w - w*v.$
2018 Kürschák Competition, 2
Given a prime number $p$ and let $\overline{v_1},\overline{v_2},\dotsc ,\overline{v_n}$ be $n$ distinct vectors of length $p$ with integer coordinates in an $\mathbb{R}^3$ Cartesian coordinate system. Suppose that for any $1\leqslant j<k\leqslant n$, there exists an integer $0<\ell <p$ such that all three coordinates of $\overline{v_j} -\ell \cdot \overline{v_k} $ is divisible by $p$. Prove that $n\leqslant 6$.
2008 AIME Problems, 15
A square piece of paper has sides of length $ 100$. From each corner a wedge is cut in the following manner: at each corner, the two cuts for the wedge each start at distance $ \sqrt {17}$ from the corner, and they meet on the diagonal at an angle of $ 60^\circ$ (see the figure below). The paper is then folded up along the lines joining the vertices of adjacent cuts. When the two edges of a cut meet, they are taped together. The result is a paper tray whose sides are not at right angles to the base. The height of the tray, that is, the perpendicular distance between the plane of the base and the plane formed by the upper edges, can be written in the form $ \sqrt [n]{m}$, where $ m$ and $ n$ are positive integers, $ m < 1000$, and $ m$ is not divisible by the $ n$th power of any prime. Find $ m \plus{} n$.
[asy]import math;
unitsize(5mm);
defaultpen(fontsize(9pt)+Helvetica()+linewidth(0.7));
pair O=(0,0);
pair A=(0,sqrt(17));
pair B=(sqrt(17),0);
pair C=shift(sqrt(17),0)*(sqrt(34)*dir(75));
pair D=(xpart(C),8);
pair E=(8,ypart(C));
draw(O--(0,8));
draw(O--(8,0));
draw(O--C);
draw(A--C--B);
draw(D--C--E);
label("$\sqrt{17}$",(0,2),W);
label("$\sqrt{17}$",(2,0),S);
label("cut",midpoint(A--C),NNW);
label("cut",midpoint(B--C),ESE);
label("fold",midpoint(C--D),W);
label("fold",midpoint(C--E),S);
label("$30^\circ$",shift(-0.6,-0.6)*C,WSW);
label("$30^\circ$",shift(-1.2,-1.2)*C,SSE);[/asy]
2013 India IMO Training Camp, 3
A marker is placed at the origin of an integer lattice. Calvin and Hobbes play the following game. Calvin starts the game and each of them takes turns alternatively. At each turn, one can choose two (not necessarily distinct) integers $a, b$, neither of which was chosen earlier by any player and move the marker by $a$ units in the horizontal direction and $b$ units in the vertical direction. Hobbes wins if the marker is back at the origin any time after the first turn. Prove or disprove that Calvin can prevent Hobbes from winning.
Note: A move in the horizontal direction by a positive quantity will be towards the right, and by a negative quantity will be towards the left (and similar directions in the vertical case as well).
2013 USA TSTST, 7
A country has $n$ cities, labelled $1,2,3,\dots,n$. It wants to build exactly $n-1$ roads between certain pairs of cities so that every city is reachable from every other city via some sequence of roads. However, it is not permitted to put roads between pairs of cities that have labels differing by exactly $1$, and it is also not permitted to put a road between cities $1$ and $n$. Let $T_n$ be the total number of possible ways to build these roads.
(a) For all odd $n$, prove that $T_n$ is divisible by $n$.
(b) For all even $n$, prove that $T_n$ is divisible by $n/2$.
2015 Online Math Open Problems, 29
Given vectors $v_1, \dots, v_n$ and the string $v_1v_2 \dots v_n$,
we consider valid expressions formed by inserting $n-1$ sets of balanced parentheses and $n-1$ binary products,
such that every product is surrounded by a parentheses and is one of the following forms:
1. A "normal product'' $ab$, which takes a pair of scalars and returns a scalar, or takes a scalar and vector (in any order) and returns a vector. \\
2. A "dot product'' $a \cdot b$, which takes in two vectors and returns a scalar. \\
3. A "cross product'' $a \times b$, which takes in two vectors and returns a vector. \\
An example of a [i]valid [/i] expression when $n=5$ is $(((v_1 \cdot v_2)v_3) \cdot (v_4 \times v_5))$, whose final output is a scalar. An example of an [i] invalid [/i] expression is $(((v_1 \times (v_2 \times v_3)) \times (v_4 \cdot v_5))$; even though every product is surrounded by parentheses, in the last step one tries to take the cross product of a vector and a scalar. \\
Denote by $T_n$ the number of valid expressions (with $T_1 = 1$), and let $R_n$
denote the remainder when $T_n$ is divided by $4$.
Compute $R_1 + R_2 + R_3 + \ldots + R_{1,000,000}$.
[i] Proposed by Ashwin Sah [/i]
2007 AMC 12/AHSME, 22
Two particles move along the edges of equilateral triangle $ \triangle ABC$ in the direction
\[ A\rightarrow B\rightarrow C\rightarrow A
\]starting simultaneously and moving at the same speed. One starts at $ A$, and the other starts at the midpoint of $ \overline{BC}$. The midpoint of the line segment joining the two particles traces out a path that encloses a region $ R$. What is the ratio of the area of $ R$ to the area of $ \triangle ABC$?
$ \textbf{(A)}\ \frac {1}{16}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \frac {1}{12}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \frac {1}{9}\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac {1}{6}\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \frac {1}{4}$
2009 IMS, 4
In this infinite tree, degree of each vertex is equal to 3. A real number $ \lambda$ is given. We want to assign a real number to each node in such a way that for each node sum of numbers assigned to its neighbors is equal to $ \lambda$ times of the number assigned to this node.
Find all $ \lambda$ for which this is possible.
2002 USAMTS Problems, 4
A transposition of a vector is created by switching exactly two entries of the vector. For example, $(1,5,3,4,2,6,7)$ is a transposition of $(1,2,3,4,5,6,7).$ Find the vector $X$ if $S=(0,0,1,1,0,1,1)$, $T=(0,0,1,1,1,1,0),$ $U=(1,0,1,0,1,1,0),$ and $V=(1,1,0,1,0,1,0)$ are all transpositions of $X$. Describe your method for finding $X.$
2006 QEDMO 3rd, 3
Find all functions $ f: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that for all real numbers $ x,y$:
$ x f(x)\minus{}yf(y)\equal{}(x\minus{}y)f(x\plus{}y)$.
1985 Czech And Slovak Olympiad IIIA, 3
If $\overrightarrow{u_1},\overrightarrow{u_2}, ...,\overrightarrow{u_n}$ be vectors in the plane such that the sum of their lengths is at least $1$, then between them we find vectors whose sum is a vector of length at least $\sqrt2/8$. Prove it.
1980 Poland - Second Round, 1
Students $ A $ and $ B $ play according to the following rules: student $ A $ selects a vector $ \overrightarrow{a_1} $ of length 1 in the plane, then student $ B $ gives the number $ s_1 $, equal to $ 1 $ or $ - $1; then the student $ A $ chooses a vector $ \overrightarrow{a_1} $ of length $ 1 $, and in turn the student $ B $ gives a number $ s_2 $ equal to $ 1 $ or $ -1 $ etc. $ B $ wins if for a certain $ n $ vector $ \sum_{j=1}^n \varepsilon_j \overrightarrow{a_j} $ has a length greater than the number $ R $ determined before the start of the game. Prove that student $B$ can achieve a win in no more than $R^2 + 1$ steps regardless of partner $A$'s actions.
1974 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 193
Given $n$ vectors of unit length in the plane. The length of their total sum is less than one. Prove that you can rearrange them to provide the property:
[i]for every[/i] $k, k\le n$[i], the length of the sum of the first[/i] $k$ [i]vectors is less than[/i] $2$.
1990 IMO Longlists, 1
Prove that on the coordinate plane it is impossible to draw a closed broken line such that
[i](i)[/i] the coordinates of each vertex are rational;
[i](ii)[/i] the length each of its edges is 1;
[i](iii)[/i] the line has an odd number of vertices.
2006 District Olympiad, 4
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with $AB=AC$. Let $D$ be the midpoint of $BC$, $M$ the midpoint of $AD$ and $N$ the foot of the perpendicular from $D$ to $BM$. Prove that $\angle ANC = 90^\circ$.
2006 Putnam, B4
Let $Z$ denote the set of points in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ whose coordinates are $0$ or $1.$ (Thus $Z$ has $2^{n}$ elements, which are the vertices of a unit hypercube in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$.) Given a vector subspace $V$ of $\mathbb{R}^{n},$ let $Z(V)$ denote the number of members of $Z$ that lie in $V.$ Let $k$ be given, $0\le k\le n.$ Find the maximum, over all vector subspaces $V\subseteq\mathbb{R}^{n}$ of dimension $k,$ of the number of points in $V\cap Z.$
1999 Estonia National Olympiad, 4
For the given triangle $ABC$, prove that a point $X$ on the side $AB$ satisfies the condition $\overrightarrow{XA} \cdot\overrightarrow{XB} +\overrightarrow{XC} \cdot \overrightarrow{XC} = \overrightarrow{CA} \cdot \overrightarrow{CB} $, iff $X$ is the basepoint of the altitude or median of the triangle $ABC$.
2011 Indonesia TST, 2
At a certain mathematical conference, every pair of mathematicians are either friends or strangers. At mealtime, every participant eats in one of two large dining rooms. Each mathematician insists upon eating in a room which contains an even number of his or her friends. Prove that the number of ways that the mathematicians may be split between the two rooms is a power of two (i.e., is of the form $ 2^k$ for some positive integer $ k$).
2014 Contests, 3
Let $R$ be a commutative ring with $1$ such that the number of elements of $R$ is equal to $p^3$ where $p$ is a prime number. Prove that if the number of elements of $\text{zd}(R)$ be in the form of $p^n$ ($n \in \mathbb{N^*}$) where $\text{zd}(R) = \{a \in R \mid \exists 0 \neq b \in R, ab = 0\}$, then $R$ has exactly one maximal ideal.
2003 Belarusian National Olympiad, 1
Given an $n \times n$ ($n \ge 3$) square table with one of the following unit vectors $\uparrow, \downarrow, \leftarrow, \rightarrow$ in any its cell (the vectors are parallel to the sides and the middles of them coincide with the centers of the cells). Per move a beetle creeps from one cell to another in accordance with the vector’s direction. If the beetle starts from any cell, then it comes back to this cell after some number of moves. The vectors are directed so that they do not allow the beetle to leave the table.
Is it possible that the sum of all vectors at any row (except for the first one and the last one) is equal to the vector that is parallel to this row, and the sum of all vectors at any column (except for the first one and the last one) is equal to the vector that is parallel to this column ?
(D. Dudko)
2013 IMC, 1
Let $\displaystyle{A}$ and $\displaystyle{B}$ be real symmetric matrixes with all eigenvalues strictly greater than $\displaystyle{1}$. Let $\displaystyle{\lambda }$ be a real eigenvalue of matrix $\displaystyle{{\rm A}{\rm B}}$. Prove that $\displaystyle{\left| \lambda \right| > 1}$.
[i]Proposed by Pavel Kozhevnikov, MIPT, Moscow.[/i]
1997 IMO Shortlist, 3
For each finite set $ U$ of nonzero vectors in the plane we define $ l(U)$ to be the length of the vector that is the sum of all vectors in $ U.$ Given a finite set $ V$ of nonzero vectors in the plane, a subset $ B$ of $ V$ is said to be maximal if $ l(B)$ is greater than or equal to $ l(A)$ for each nonempty subset $ A$ of $ V.$
(a) Construct sets of 4 and 5 vectors that have 8 and 10 maximal subsets respectively.
(b) Show that, for any set $ V$ consisting of $ n \geq 1$ vectors the number of maximal subsets is less than or equal to $ 2n.$
1985 Greece National Olympiad, 4
Given the vector spaces $V,W$ with coefficients over a field $K$ and function $ \phi :V\to W$ satisfying the relation :
$$\varphi(\lambda x+y)= \lambda \varphi(x)+\phi (y)$$ for all $x,y \in V, \lambda \in K$. Such a function is called linear.
Let $L\varphi=\{x\in V/\varphi(x)=0\}$ , and$M=\varphi(V)$ , prove that :
(i) $L\varphi$ is subspace of $V$ and $M$ is subspace of $W$
(ii) $L\varphi={O}$ iff $\varphi$ is $1-1$
(iii) Dimension of $V$ equals to dimension of $L\varphi$ plus dimension of $M$
(iv) If $\theta : \mathbb{R}^3\to\mathbb{R}^3$ with $\theta(x,y,z)=(2x-z,x-y,x-3y+z)$, prove that $\theta$ is linear function . Find $L\theta=\{x\in {R}^3/\theta(x)=0\}$ and dimension of $M=\theta({R}^3)$.
2009 Italy TST, 1
Let $n,k$ be positive integers such that $n\ge k$. $n$ lamps are placed on a circle, which are all off. In any step we can change the state of $k$ consecutive lamps. In the following three cases, how many states of lamps are there in all $2^n$ possible states that can be obtained from the initial state by a certain series of operations?
i)$k$ is a prime number greater than $2$;
ii) $k$ is odd;
iii) $k$ is even.