Olympiad problems

2022/2023 Tournament of Towns, P5

Tags: combinatorics , weights

There is a single coin on each square of a $5 \times 5$ board. All the coins look the same. Two of them are fakes and have equal weight. Genuine coins are heavier than fake ones and also weigh the same. The fake coins are on the squares sharing just one vertice. Is it possible to determine for sure a) 13 genuine coins; b) 15 genuine coins; and c) 17 genuine coins in a single weighing on a balance with no unit weights? [i]Rustem Zhenodarov, Alexandr Gribalko, Sergey Tokarev[/i]

Kvant 2020, M2628

Tags: combinatorics , weights , Kvant

There are $m$ identical two-pan weighting scales. One of them is broken and it shows any outcome, at random. The other scales always show the correct outcome. Moreover, the weight of the broken scale differs from those of the other scales, which are all equal. At a move, we may choose a scale and place some of the other scales on its pans. Determine the greatest value of $m$ for which we may find the broken scale with no more than three moves. [i]Proposed by A. Gribalko and O. Manzhina[/i]

2012 Serbia National Math Olympiad, 3

Tags: combinatorics , weights

We are given $n>1$ piles of coins. There are two different types of coins: real and fake coins; they all look alike, but coins of the same type have the same mass, while the coins from different types have different masses. Coins that belong to the same pile are of the same type. We know the mass of real coin. Find the minimal number of weightings on digital scale that we need in order to conclude: which piles consists of which type of coins and also the mass of fake coin. (We assume that every pile consists from infinite number of coins.)

2010 Estonia Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: weights , combinatorics

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Find the largest integer $N$ for which there exists a set of $n$ weights such that it is possible to determine the mass of all bodies with masses of $1, 2, ..., N$ using a balance scale . (i.e. to determine whether a body with unknown mass has a mass $1, 2, ..., N$, and which namely).

2012 Junior Balkan Team Selection Tests - Romania, 4

Tags: weights , combinatorics

$100$ weights, measuring $1,2, ..., 100$ grams, respectively, are placed in the two pans of a scale such that the scale is balanced. Prove that two weights can be removed from each pan such that the equilibrium is not broken.

2003 German National Olympiad, 3

Tags: combinatorics , square , board , way , weights , grid

Consider a $N\times N$ square board where $N\geq 3$ is an odd integer. The caterpillar Carl sits at the center of the square; all other cells contain distinct positive integers. An integer $n$ weights $1\slash n$ kilograms. Carl wants to leave the board but can eat at most $2$ kilograms. Determine whether Carl can always find a way out when a) $N=2003.$ b) $N$ is an arbitrary odd integer.

2015 Bosnia Herzegovina Team Selection Test, 5

Tags: weights , set , combinatorics , partition

Let $N$ be a positive integer. It is given set of weights which satisfies following conditions: $i)$ Every weight from set has some weight from $1,2,...,N$; $ii)$ For every $i\in {1,2,...,N}$ in given set there exists weight $i$; $iii)$ Sum of all weights from given set is even positive integer. Prove that set can be partitioned into two disjoint sets which have equal weight

2011 IMO, 4

Tags: IMO , IMO 2011 , combinatorics , weights , IMO Shortlist , Morteza Saghafiyan , Hi

Let $n > 0$ be an integer. We are given a balance and $n$ weights of weight $2^0, 2^1, \cdots, 2^{n-1}$. We are to place each of the $n$ weights on the balance, one after another, in such a way that the right pan is never heavier than the left pan. At each step we choose one of the weights that has not yet been placed on the balance, and place it on either the left pan or the right pan, until all of the weights have been placed. Determine the number of ways in which this can be done. [i]Proposed by Morteza Saghafian, Iran[/i]

2020 Bulgaria EGMO TST, 3

Tags: weights , real numbers , algebra

Ana has an iron material of mass $20.2$ kg. She asks Bilyana to make $n$ weights to be used in a classical weighning scale with two plates. Bilyana agrees under the condition that each of the $n$ weights is at least $10$ g. Determine the smallest possible value of $n$ for which Ana would always be able to determine the mass of any material (the mass can be any real number between $0$ and $20.2$ kg) with an error of at most $10$ g.

2011 IMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: IMO , IMO 2011 , combinatorics , weights , IMO Shortlist , Morteza Saghafiyan , Hi

Let $n > 0$ be an integer. We are given a balance and $n$ weights of weight $2^0, 2^1, \cdots, 2^{n-1}$. We are to place each of the $n$ weights on the balance, one after another, in such a way that the right pan is never heavier than the left pan. At each step we choose one of the weights that has not yet been placed on the balance, and place it on either the left pan or the right pan, until all of the weights have been placed. Determine the number of ways in which this can be done. [i]Proposed by Morteza Saghafian, Iran[/i]

2013 Junior Balkan Team Selection Tests - Romania, 2

Tags: weights , combinatorics

Weights of $1$ g, $2$ g,$ ...$ , $200$ g are placed on the two pans of a balance such that on each pan there are $100$ weights and the balance is in equilibrium. Prove that one can swap $50$ weights from one pan with $50$ weights from the other pan such that the balance remains in equilibrium. Kvant Magazine

Kvant 2023, M2765

Tags: combinatorics , weights

We have 101 coins and a two-pan scale. In one weighing, we can compare the weights of two coins. What is the smallest number of weighings required in order to decide whether there exist 51 coins which all have the same weight?

2009 All-Russian Olympiad Regional Round, 10.3

Tags: combinatorics , weights

Kostya had two sets of $17$ coins: in one set all the coins were real, and in the other set there were exactly $5$ fakes (all the coins look the same; all real coins weigh the same, all fake coins also weigh the same, but it is unknown lighter or heavier than real ones). Kostya gave away one of the sets friend, and subsequently forgot which of the two sets had stayed. With the help of two weighings, can Kostya on a cup scale without weights, find out which of the two did he give away the sets?

2020 Israel National Olympiad, 1

Tags: combinatorics , weights

Seven identical-looking coins are given, of which four are real and three are counterfeit. The three counterfeit coins have equal weight, and the four real coins have equal weight. It is known that a counterfeit coin is lighter than a real one. In one weighing, one can select two sets of coins and check which set has a smaller total weight, or if they are of equal weight. How many weightings are needed to identify one counterfeit coin?

2000 All-Russian Olympiad, 4

Tags: combinatorics , Russia , weights , algorithm

We are given five equal-looking weights of pairwise distinct masses. For any three weights $A$, $B$, $C$, we can check by a measuring if $m(A) < m(B) < m(C)$, where $m(X)$ denotes the mass of a weight $X$ (the answer is [i]yes[/i] or [i]no[/i].) Can we always arrange the masses of the weights in the increasing order with at most nine measurings?

2006 Thailand Mathematical Olympiad, 17

Tags: combinatorics , weights

Six people, with distinct weights, want to form a triangular position where there are three people in the bottom row, two in the middle row, and one in the top row, and each person in the top two rows must weigh less than both of their supports. How many distinct formations are there?

Kvant 2023, M2749

Tags: combinatorics , weights

We have $n{}$ coins, one of which is fake, which differs in weight from the real ones and a two-pan scale which works correctly if the weights on the pans are different, but can show any outcome if the weights on the pans are equal. For what $n{}$ can we determine which coin is fake and whether it is lighter or heavier than the real coins, in at most $k{}$ weightings? [i]Proposed by A. Zaslavsky[/i]

2010 Estonia Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: weights , combinatorics

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Find the largest integer $N$ for which there exists a set of $n$ weights such that it is possible to determine the mass of all bodies with masses of $1, 2, ..., N$ using a balance scale . (i.e. to determine whether a body with unknown mass has a mass $1, 2, ..., N$, and which namely).

2012 Austria Beginners' Competition, 2

Tags: combinatorics , weights

A postman wants to divide $n$ packages with weights $1, 2, 3, 4, n$ into three groups of exactly the same weight. Can he do this if (a) $n = 2011$ ? (b) $n = 2012$ ?

1989 Greece National Olympiad, 2

Tags: geometry , weights , analytic geometry , Centroid , combinatorial geometry , lattice points

On the plane we consider $70$ points $A_1,A_2,...,A_{70}$ with integer coodinates. Suppose each pooints has weight $1$ and the centers of gravity of the triangles $ A_1A_2A_3$, $A_2A_3A_4$, $..$., $A_{68}A_{69}A_{70}$, $A_{69}A_{70}A_{1}$, $A_{70}A_{1}A_{2}$ have integer coodinates. Prove that the centers of gravity of any triple $A_i,A_j,...,A_{k}$ has integer coodinates.

2018 Junior Balkan Team Selection Tests - Romania, 4

Tags: combinatorics , weights

Consider $n$ weights, $n \ge 2$, of masses $m_1, m_2, ..., m_n$, where $m_k$ are positive integers such that $1 \le m_ k \le k$ for all $k \in \{1,2,...,n\} $: Prove that we can place the weights on the two pans of a balance such that the pans stay in equilibrium if and only if the number $m_1 + m_2 + ...+ m_n$ is even. Estonian Olympiad

1997 Israel National Olympiad, 2

Tags: weights , combinatorics

We are given a balance with two bowls and a number of weights. (a) Give an example of four integer weights using which one can measure any weight of $1,2,...,40$ grams. (b) Are there four weights using which one can measure any weight of $1,2,...,50$ grams?

1999 Estonia National Olympiad, 4

Tags: weights , combinatorics , algebra

$32$ stones, with pairwise different weights, and lever scales without weights are given. How to determine by $35$ scaling, which stone is the heaviest and which is the second by weight?

2024 All-Russian Olympiad Regional Round, 11.6

Tags: weights , algebra , easy

Teacher has 100 weights with masses $1$ g, $2$ g, $\dots$, $100$ g. He wants to give 30 weights to Petya and 30 weights to Vasya so that no 11 Petya's weights have the same total mass as some 12 Vasya's weights, and no 11 Vasya's weights have the same total mass as some 12 Petya's weights. Can the teacher do that?

2009 Postal Coaching, 3

Tags: weights , combinatorics

Let $S$ be the sum of integer weights that come with a two pan balance Scale, say $\omega_1 \le \omega_2 \le \omega_3 \le ... \le\omega_n$. Show that all integer-weighted objects in the range $1$ to $S$ can be weighed exactly if and only if $\omega_1=1$ and $$\omega_{j+1} \le 2 \left( \sum_{l=1}^{j} \omega_l\right) +1$$