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k a April Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Apr 2, 2025
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner, what are your plans? At AoPS Online our schedule has new classes starting now through July, so be sure to keep your skills sharp and be prepared for the Fall school year! Check out the schedule of upcoming classes below.

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[*]April 22nd (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Competitive Programming at AoPS (USACO).[/list]
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0 replies
jlacosta
Apr 2, 2025
0 replies
k i Adding contests to the Contest Collections
dcouchman   1
N Apr 5, 2023 by v_Enhance
Want to help AoPS remain a valuable Olympiad resource? Help us add contests to AoPS's Contest Collections.

Find instructions and a list of contests to add here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c40244h1064480_contests_to_add
1 reply
dcouchman
Sep 9, 2019
v_Enhance
Apr 5, 2023
k i Zero tolerance
ZetaX   49
N May 4, 2019 by NoDealsHere
Source: Use your common sense! (enough is enough)
Some users don't want to learn, some other simply ignore advises.
But please follow the following guideline:


To make it short: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!
If you don't have common sense, don't post.


More specifically:

For new threads:


a) Good, meaningful title:
The title has to say what the problem is about in best way possible.
If that title occured already, it's definitely bad. And contest names aren't good either.
That's in fact a requirement for being able to search old problems.

Examples:
Bad titles:
- "Hard"/"Medium"/"Easy" (if you find it so cool how hard/easy it is, tell it in the post and use a title that tells us the problem)
- "Number Theory" (hey guy, guess why this forum's named that way¿ and is it the only such problem on earth¿)
- "Fibonacci" (there are millions of Fibonacci problems out there, all posted and named the same...)
- "Chinese TST 2003" (does this say anything about the problem¿)
Good titles:
- "On divisors of a³+2b³+4c³-6abc"
- "Number of solutions to x²+y²=6z²"
- "Fibonacci numbers are never squares"


b) Use search function:
Before posting a "new" problem spend at least two, better five, minutes to look if this problem was posted before. If it was, don't repost it. If you have anything important to say on topic, post it in one of the older threads.
If the thread is locked cause of this, use search function.

Update (by Amir Hossein). The best way to search for two keywords in AoPS is to input
[code]+"first keyword" +"second keyword"[/code]
so that any post containing both strings "first word" and "second form".


c) Good problem statement:
Some recent really bad post was:
[quote]$lim_{n\to 1}^{+\infty}\frac{1}{n}-lnn$[/quote]
It contains no question and no answer.
If you do this, too, you are on the best way to get your thread deleted. Write everything clearly, define where your variables come from (and define the "natural" numbers if used). Additionally read your post at least twice before submitting. After you sent it, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.


For answers to already existing threads:


d) Of any interest and with content:
Don't post things that are more trivial than completely obvious. For example, if the question is to solve $x^{3}+y^{3}=z^{3}$, do not answer with "$x=y=z=0$ is a solution" only. Either you post any kind of proof or at least something unexpected (like "$x=1337, y=481, z=42$ is the smallest solution). Someone that does not see that $x=y=z=0$ is a solution of the above without your post is completely wrong here, this is an IMO-level forum.
Similar, posting "I have solved this problem" but not posting anything else is not welcome; it even looks that you just want to show off what a genius you are.

e) Well written and checked answers:
Like c) for new threads, check your solutions at least twice for mistakes. And after sending, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.



To repeat it: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!


Everything definitely out of range of common sense will be locked or deleted (exept for new users having less than about 42 posts, they are newbies and need/get some time to learn).

The above rules will be applied from next monday (5. march of 2007).
Feel free to discuss on this here.
49 replies
ZetaX
Feb 27, 2007
NoDealsHere
May 4, 2019
Question on Balkan SL
Fmimch   1
N 32 minutes ago by Fmimch
Does anyone know where to find the Balkan MO Shortlist 2024? If you have the file, could you send in this thread? Thank you!
1 reply
Fmimch
6 hours ago
Fmimch
32 minutes ago
Find f
Redriver   3
N 36 minutes ago by jasperE3
Find all $: R \to R : \ \ f(x^2+f(y))=y+f^2(x)$
3 replies
Redriver
Jun 25, 2006
jasperE3
36 minutes ago
An easy ineq; ISI BS 2011, P1
Sayan   39
N 40 minutes ago by proxima1681
Let $x_1, x_2, \cdots , x_n$ be positive reals with $x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_n=1$. Then show that
\[\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{x_i}{2-x_i} \ge \frac{n}{2n-1}\]
39 replies
Sayan
Mar 31, 2013
proxima1681
40 minutes ago
problem interesting
Cobedangiu   0
an hour ago
Let $a=3k^2+3k+1 (a,k \in N)$
$i)$ Prove that: $a^2$ is the sum of $3$ square numbers
$ii)$ Let $b \vdots a$ and $b$ is the sum of $3$ square numbers. Prove that: $b^n$ is the sum of $3$ square numbers
0 replies
Cobedangiu
an hour ago
0 replies
Easy Geometry Problem in Taiwan TST
chengbilly   7
N an hour ago by L13832
Source: 2025 Taiwan TST Round 1 Independent Study 2-G
Suppose $I$ and $I_A$ are the incenter and the $A$-excenter of triangle $ABC$, respectively.
Let $M$ be the midpoint of arc $BAC$ on the circumcircle, and $D$ be the foot of the
perpendicular from $I_A$ to $BC$. The line $MI$ intersects the circumcircle again at $T$ . For
any point $X$ on the circumcircle of triangle $ABC$, let $XT$ intersect $BC$ at $Y$ . Prove
that $A, D, X, Y$ are concyclic.
7 replies
chengbilly
Mar 6, 2025
L13832
an hour ago
Overlapping game
Kei0923   3
N 2 hours ago by CrazyInMath
Source: 2023 Japan MO Finals 1
On $5\times 5$ squares, we cover the area with several S-Tetrominos (=Z-Tetrominos) along the square so that in every square, there are two or fewer tiles covering that (tiles can be overlap). Find the maximum possible number of squares covered by at least one tile.
3 replies
Kei0923
Feb 11, 2023
CrazyInMath
2 hours ago
Interesting Function
Kei0923   4
N 2 hours ago by CrazyInMath
Source: 2024 JMO preliminary p8
Function $f:\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ satisfies
$$f(m+n)^2=f(m|f(n)|)+f(n^2)$$for any non-negative integers $m$ and $n$. Determine the number of possible sets of integers $\{f(0), f(1), \dots, f(2024)\}$.
4 replies
Kei0923
Jan 9, 2024
CrazyInMath
2 hours ago
Functional Geometry
GreekIdiot   1
N 2 hours ago by ItzsleepyXD
Source: BMO 2024 SL G7
Let $f: \pi \to \mathbb R$ be a function from the Euclidean plane to the real numbers such that $f(A)+f(B)+f(C)=f(O)+f(G)+f(H)$ for any acute triangle $\Delta ABC$ with circumcenter $O$, centroid $G$ and orthocenter $H$. Prove that $f$ is constant.
1 reply
GreekIdiot
Apr 27, 2025
ItzsleepyXD
2 hours ago
hard inequalities
pennypc123456789   1
N 2 hours ago by 1475393141xj
Given $x,y,z$ be the positive real number. Prove that

$\frac{2xy}{\sqrt{2xy(x^2+y^2)}} + \frac{2yz}{\sqrt{2yz(y^2+z^2)}} + \frac{2xz}{\sqrt{2xz(x^2+z^2)}} \le \frac{2(x^2+y^2+z^2) + xy+yz+xz}{x^2+y^2+z^2}$
1 reply
pennypc123456789
6 hours ago
1475393141xj
2 hours ago
Cute R+ fe
Aryan-23   6
N 2 hours ago by jasperE3
Source: IISc Pravega, Enumeration 2023-24 Finals P1
Find all functions $f\colon \mathbb R^+ \mapsto \mathbb R^+$, such that for all positive reals $x,y$, the following is true:

$$xf(1+xf(y))= f\left(f(x) + \frac 1y\right)$$
Kazi Aryan Amin
6 replies
Aryan-23
Jan 27, 2024
jasperE3
2 hours ago
Easy Combinatorial Game Problem in Taiwan TST
chengbilly   8
N 2 hours ago by CrazyInMath
Source: 2025 Taiwan TST Round 1 Independent Study 1-C
Alice and Bob are playing game on an $n \times n$ grid. Alice goes first, and they take turns drawing a black point from the coordinate set
\[\{(i, j) \mid i, j \in \mathbb{N}, 1 \leq i, j \leq n\}\]There is a constraint that the distance between any two black points cannot be an integer. The player who cannot draw a black point loses. Find all integers $n$ such that Alice has a winning strategy.

Proposed by chengbilly
8 replies
chengbilly
Mar 5, 2025
CrazyInMath
2 hours ago
Tiling problem (Combinatorics or Number Theory?)
Rukevwe   4
N 2 hours ago by CrazyInMath
Source: 2022 Nigerian MO Round 3/Problem 3
A unit square is removed from the corner of an $n \times n$ grid, where $n \geq 2$. Prove that the remainder can be covered by copies of the figures of $3$ or $5$ unit squares depicted in the drawing below.
IMAGE

Note: Every square must be covered once and figures must not go over the bounds of the grid.
4 replies
Rukevwe
May 2, 2022
CrazyInMath
2 hours ago
Finding all integers with a divisibility condition
Tintarn   15
N 3 hours ago by CrazyInMath
Source: Germany 2020, Problem 4
Determine all positive integers $n$ for which there exists a positive integer $d$ with the property that $n$ is divisible by $d$ and $n^2+d^2$ is divisible by $d^2n+1$.
15 replies
Tintarn
Jun 22, 2020
CrazyInMath
3 hours ago
Find all functions
WakeUp   21
N 3 hours ago by CrazyInMath
Source: Baltic Way 2010
Let $\mathbb{R}$ denote the set of real numbers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ such that
\[f(x^2)+f(xy)=f(x)f(y)+yf(x)+xf(x+y)\]
for all $x,y\in\mathbb{R}$.
21 replies
WakeUp
Nov 19, 2010
CrazyInMath
3 hours ago
Sharygin 2025 CR P2
Gengar_in_Galar   5
N Apr 13, 2025 by NicoN9
Source: Sharygin 2025
Four points on the plane are not concyclic, and any three of them are not collinear. Prove that there exists a point $Z$ such that the reflection of each of these four points about $Z$ lies on the circle passing through three remaining points.
Proposed by:A Kuznetsov
5 replies
Gengar_in_Galar
Mar 10, 2025
NicoN9
Apr 13, 2025
Sharygin 2025 CR P2
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
Source: Sharygin 2025
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
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Gengar_in_Galar
29 posts
#1 • 1 Y
Y by kiyoras_2001
Four points on the plane are not concyclic, and any three of them are not collinear. Prove that there exists a point $Z$ such that the reflection of each of these four points about $Z$ lies on the circle passing through three remaining points.
Proposed by:A Kuznetsov
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Gengar_in_Galar, Mar 11, 2025, 9:49 AM
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Siddharthmaybe
106 posts
#2
Y by
used up a lot of time on this to no avail, this is prolly a troll :(
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YaoAOPS
1533 posts
#3 • 1 Y
Y by MS_asdfgzxcvb
Let $M_{IJ}$ be the midpoint of $I$, $J$. Let $P = (M_{AD}M_{BD}M_{CD}) \cap (M_{AB}M_{BD}M_{BC})$ so
\[
\measuredangle M_{AD}E - \measuredangle EM_{AB} = \measuredangle M_{AD}E - \measuredangle EM_{BD} + \measuredangle EM_{BD} - \measuredangle EM_{AB} = \measuredangle M_{AD}M_{CD} - \measuredangle M_{CD}M_{BD} + \measuredangle M_{BD}M_{BC} - \measuredangle M_{AB}M_{BC} = \measuredangle AC - \measuredangle BC + \measuredangle CD - \measuredangle AC = \measuredangle DCB = \measuredangle M_{AD}M_{AC}M_{AB}
\]so $P$ lies on $(M_{AD}M_{AC}M_{AB})$ and we are done by symmetry.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by YaoAOPS, Mar 10, 2025, 6:58 PM
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ND_
48 posts
#4
Y by
Z is simply the Gergonne-Steiner Point.
Z K Y
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FKcosX
1 post
#5
Y by
Suppose the four given points are
\(
A,\; B,\; C,\; D,
\)
with no three collinear and not all four concyclic. (Thus, for each vertex the circle through the other three is well–defined.) We shall now define for each vertex \(X\) the “vertex–circle”
\(
\omega_X=(\text{three points other than }X);
\)
in other words,
\[
\omega_A=(BCD),\quad \omega_B=(ACD),\quad \omega_C=(ABD),\quad \omega_D=(ABC).
\]Next, for each vertex \(X\) we perform the homothety (dilation) \(h_X\) with center \(X\) and ratio \(1/2\). (A homothety with ratio \(1/2\) sends every point \(Y\) to the midpoint of \(XY\).) Denote
\[
\omega'_X = h_X(\omega_X).
\]Thus, for example,
\[
\omega'_A \text{ is the circle through } M_{AB},\; M_{AC},\; M_{AD},
\]where \(M_{AB}\) is the midpoint of \(AB\), etc. (Similarly, \(\omega'_B\) passes through \(M_{BA},M_{BC},M_{BD}\); note that \(M_{BA}=M_{AB}\).)



Observe that if \(X\) and \(Y\) are two distinct vertices then by construction the circle \(\omega'_X\) contains the midpoint \(M_{XY}\) (since \(M_{XY}=h_X(Y)\)) and similarly \(\omega'_Y\) contains \(M_{XY}\) (since \(M_{XY}=h_Y(X)\)). Hence for any two vertices \(X\) and \(Y\) the circles \(\omega'_X\) and \(\omega'_Y\) have the point \(M_{XY}\) in common.

For each vertex \(X\), note that the homothety \(h_X\) with center \(X\) and ratio 2 sends \(\omega'_X\) back to the circumcircle \(\omega_X\). (Indeed, if a point \(P\) lies on \(\omega'_X\) then by definition \(P=h_X(Q)\) for some \(Q\in\omega_X\); applying the inverse homothety of ratio 2 shows that \(2P-X=Q\in\omega_X\).) In particular, if a point \(Z\) lies on \(\omega'_X\) then the point
\[
X' = 2Z-X
\]lies on \(\omega_X\). (This is the same as saying that reflecting \(X\) in \(Z\) lands on \(\omega_X\).)

Thus, if we can show that there exists a point \(Z\) lying simultaneously on all four circles \(\omega'_A,\omega'_B,\omega'_C,\omega'_D\) then for each vertex \(X\) the reflection of \(X\) in \(Z\) lies on \(\omega_X\) (that is, on the circle through the three vertices other than \(X\)). This is exactly the property desired in the original problem.



We now prove that the four circles \(\omega'_A,\omega'_B,\omega'_C,\omega'_D\) have a common point. The proof will use two key facts:

1. Common “side–midpoints”: As we have shown earlier, for any two vertices \(X\) and \(Y\) the circles \(\omega'_X\) and \(\omega'_Y\) meet at the midpoint \(M_{XY}\).

2. The Miquel configuration for the complete quadrilateral:
In any quadrilateral
\(ABCD\)
the four circles
\(\omega_A,\omega_B,\omega_C,\omega_D\)
(i.e. the circumcircles of the triangles determined by three of the four vertices) have a well‐known associated configuration: The three circles determined by the triangles
\(ABC\), \(BCD\),
and
\(CDA\)
have a common “Miquel point”. (In our situation the four points are not concyclic so these circles are distinct and their “Miquel point” is defined by three of them.)

Now, fix two vertices, say \(A\) and \(B\). The circles \(\omega'_A\) and \(\omega'_B\) meet in \(M_{AB}=H\) and in a second point, say \(Z_{AB}\). (Because two distinct circles have two intersections unless they are tangent, and in our configuration tangency is avoided by the general‐position hypothesis.) Next, consider the circles \(\omega'_A\) and \(\omega'_C\); they meet in \(M_{AC}=I\) and in a second point \(Z_{AC}\). One now shows by using the homothetic relationships
\[
h_A(\omega'_A)=\omega_A,\quad h_B(\omega'_B)=\omega_B,\quad h_C(\omega'_C)=\omega_C,
\]and the standard fact about Miquel points in the complete quadrilateral \(ABCD\) (namely, that the circles \(\omega_A,\omega_B,\omega_C,\omega_D\) “rotate” about a unique Miquel point when three are taken at a time) that the second intersections \(Z_{AB}\) and \(Z_{AC}\) must in fact coincide $=Z.$ (One way to see this is to “lift” the configuration via the homothety of ratio 2 from each vertex. For example, applying the homothety with center \(A\) sends the pair \(\omega'_A\) and \(\omega'_B\) to \(\omega_A\) and a circle through the image of \(M_{AB}=H\); the unique intersection point of the corresponding circumcircles coming from the Miquel configuration forces the corresponding “half‐points” to agree.)

A similar argument shows that the second intersection of \(\omega'_B\) and \(\omega'_C\) agrees with these, and then by symmetry the same point \(Z\) lies on all four circles.

Thus, we obtain a unique point \(Z\) such that
\[
Z\in\omega'_A\cap\omega'_B\cap\omega'_C\cap\omega'_D.
\]


Because the homothety with center \(X\) (and ratio 2) sends \(\omega'_X\) to \(\omega_X\), the fact that
\[
Z\in\omega'_X
\]implies that the point
\[
X' = 2Z - X,
\]i.e. the reflection of \(X\) in \(Z\), lies on \(\omega_X\). Since this holds for every vertex \(X\in\{A,B,C,D\}\), the point \(Z\) is exactly the desired point with the property that reflecting any one of \(A\), \(B\), \(C\), \(D\) in \(Z\) lands on the circle determined by the three remaining vertices.

This completes the proof of the concurrency of the four circles.

Hence, such a unique point $Z$ that satisfies the question conditions surely exists and is constructed as said in the solution.
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NicoN9
130 posts
#6
Y by
I believe that the claim in here could easily be proved by Miquel point, but I didn't find it so I simply angle chased.

Let $A$, $B$, $C$, $D$ be points with counterclockwise, and let the midpoint of 6 segments $AB$, $BC$, $CD$, $DA$, $AC$, $BD$ be $A_1$, $B_1$, $C_1$, $D_1$, $X$, $Y$, respectively. We start by the following claim.


claim. Four circles $A_1XD_1$, $A_1YB_1$, $B_1XC_1$, $C_1YD_1$ are concurrent.
proof.
[asy]
/* Geogebra to Asymptote conversion, documentation at artofproblemsolving.com/Wiki go to User:Azjps/geogebra */
import graph; size(10cm); 
real labelscalefactor = 0.5; /* changes label-to-point distance */
pen dps = linewidth(0.7) + fontsize(10); defaultpen(dps); /* default pen style */ 
pen dotstyle = black; /* point style */ 
real xmin = -4.2523573454339205, xmax = 11.33924787294384, ymin = -6.9289892229154875, ymax = 6.01258763471356;  /* image dimensions */
pen zzttqq = rgb(0.6,0.2,0.); 
pair A = (1.644409529211571,3.883035734543391), B = (-2.147249007373794,-2.3643788996029493), C = (5.712750992626203,-2.3643788996029493), D = (4.3927509926262065,2.3156211003970504), A_1 = (-0.2514197390811115,0.7593284174702208), B_1 = (1.7827509926262046,-2.3643788996029493), C_1 = (5.052750992626205,-0.024378899602949478), D_1 = (3.0185802609188888,3.099328417470221), X = (3.678580260918887,0.7593284174702208), Y = (1.1227509926262063,-0.024378899602949478), K = (1.538042621190102,-0.6133811946579423); 

draw(A--B--C--D--cycle, linewidth(2.) + zzttqq); 
 /* draw figures */
draw(circle((1.7135802609188875,1.4681745713163756), 2.0889441997866967), linewidth(2.) + dotted); 
draw(circle((-0.820796891657402,-1.8356359951701189), 2.6566954369565416), linewidth(2.) + dotted); 
draw(circle((3.4495651782426715,-1.2388371846310886), 2.0112467977635373), linewidth(2.) + dotted); 
draw(circle((3.0877509926262054,0.9201889478083394), 2.180237009676515), linewidth(2.) + dotted); 
draw(A--B, linewidth(2.) + zzttqq); 
draw(B--C, linewidth(2.) + zzttqq); 
draw(C--D, linewidth(2.) + zzttqq); 
draw(D--A, linewidth(2.) + zzttqq); 
draw(A--C, linewidth(2.)); 
draw(B--D, linewidth(2.)); 
 /* dots and labels */
dot(A,dotstyle); 
label("$A$", (1.4470187180941552,4.088594441293252), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(B,dotstyle); 
label("$B$", (-2.4917220646625085,-2.572778218944981), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(C,dotstyle); 
label("$C$", (5.785078842881449,-2.1916097560975616), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(D,dotstyle); 
label("$D$", (4.62342257515598,2.34611003970505), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(A_1,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$A_1$", (-0.7855394214407279,1.0210958593306874), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(B_1,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$B_1$", (1.7555836642087326,-2.899494044242769), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(C_1,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$C_1$", (5.240552467385136,-0.01350425411230805), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(D_1,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$D_1$", (3.0624469653998836,3.308106636415203), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(X,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$X$", (3.842934770277932,0.8758888258650037), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(Y,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$Y$", (1.1203028927963674,0.1680045377197964), NE * labelscalefactor); 
dot(K,linewidth(4.pt) + dotstyle); 
label("$K$", (1.1747555303459987,-0.8847464549064095), NE * labelscalefactor); 
clip((xmin,ymin)--(xmin,ymax)--(xmax,ymax)--(xmax,ymin)--cycle); 
 /* end of picture */
[/asy]

Let $K$ be the intersection of first two circles, different from $A_1$. We have\begin{align*}
\measuredangle B_1KX
&= \measuredangle B_1KA_1+\measuredangle A_1KX \\
&= \measuredangle B_1YA_1+\measuredangle A_1D_1X \\
&= \measuredangle CDA + \measuredangle BCD \\
&= \measuredangle BDA = \measuredangle B_1C_1X
\end{align*}thus $K$ also lies on circle $B_1XC_1$. Similarly, for circle $C_1YD_1$ as well.$\blacksquare$

Now, the point $K$ in the claim is the desired point. This is since for example, $Z$ lies on circle $D_1XA_1$, to reflect $A$ to circle $BCD$, and same for $B$, $C$, $D$. (or simply take the homothety to $Z$ with ratio $2$, wrt $A$ then $Z$ must lie on circle $BCD$.) So we are done.
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by NicoN9, Apr 13, 2025, 10:56 AM
Reason: details
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