Harder Problems

Gabriel D. Carroll

Given an initial nonnegative integer s1 define the sequence {sn } by sn+1 = |sn n| (n
1). Determine, as an explicit function of the positive integer k, the least s1 for which
the sequence will eventually assume the form a, a + k, a + 1, a + k + 1, a + 2, a + k + 2, . . .
for some constant a, and prove that infinitely many such s1 exist for each k. (MOP
98 Rookie Contest)
Let p be an odd prime and a, b positive integers satisfying (p + 1)a pb = 1. Show that
a = b = 1. (BMC 99-00 contest)
Let S = {1, 2, . . . , n} and suppose T is a set of ordered pairs of elements of S such
that, for any i, j S, there are exactly m values of k for which both (i, k) T and
(k, j) T . Find all pairs (n, m) for which this is possible. (Proposed for MOP 00
Rookie Contest)
Let a1 , a2 , . . . , a2000 be real numbers in the interval [0, 1]. Find the maximum possible
value of
X
(j i)|aj ai |.
1i<j2000

(BMC 00-01 contest)

Given are n+1 real linear equations in n variables (of the form a1 x1 +a2 x2 + +an xn =
a). Prove that each = sign can be replaced with either or so that the resulting n+1
inequalities have the following property: for every choice of real numbers x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ,
at least one inequality is true. (BMC 99-00 contest)
Let RST U be a cyclic quadrilateral with ST > RU and T U > RS. Points X
ST, Y T U satisfy SX = RU, U Y = RS. Let M be the midpoint of XY . Prove that
6 SM U is a right angle. (Proposed for ELMO, MOP 99)
Let a, b be positive integers and R such that ban c (n = 1, 2, . . .) takes on at most
(loga b)/2 distinct values modulo b. Show that is rational.
Fix c with 1 < c < 2 and, for x1 < x2 < < xn , call the (unordered) set
{x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } biased if there exist i, j n 1 such that xi+1 xi > c(xj+1 xj ).
Suppose s1 , s2 , . . . are distinct real numbers and 0 si 1 for all i. Prove that there
are infinitely many n such that the set {s1 , s2 , . . . , sn } is biased.
Let p be a prime and N0 = {0, 1, 2, . . .}. Suppose the function f : N0 N0 satisfies:
(i) f (n) = f (b np c) + f (p{ np }) for all n N0 ;
(ii) there exists n N0 with p 6 | f (n).
If c0 , c1 , . . . , ck are arbitrary integers, prove that there exist a, d N0 such that f (a +
di) ci (mod p) for i = 0, 1, . . . , k. (MOP 99 Rookie Contest, in the special case
where {f (n 1)}
n=1 was the Thue-Morse sequence mod 2)
1

 For each k = 1, 2, . . ., we define the function fk : N N by the relation

P
nk . Show, for n > 1, that fk (n) kj=1 (kj )fj (n 1).

Pn

i=1

fk (b ni c) =

Suppose that S1 , S2 , S3 , . . . are sets of integers such that no integer is contained in more
than one Sn ; every Sn has exactly two elements; and the sum of the elements of Sn is
n. Prove that there exist infinitely many values of n with the following property: one
of the elements of Sn is greater than 13n/7. (BMC 00-01 contest)