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k a May Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
May 1, 2025
May is an exciting month! National MATHCOUNTS is the second week of May in Washington D.C. and our Founder, Richard Rusczyk will be presenting a seminar, Preparing Strong Math Students for College and Careers, on May 11th.

Are you interested in working towards MATHCOUNTS and don’t know where to start? We have you covered! If you have taken Prealgebra, then you are ready for MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Basics. Already aiming for State or National MATHCOUNTS and harder AMC 8 problems? Then our MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Advanced course is for you.

Summer camps are starting next month at the Virtual Campus in math and language arts that are 2 - to 4 - weeks in duration. Spaces are still available - don’t miss your chance to have an enriching summer experience. There are middle and high school competition math camps as well as Math Beasts camps that review key topics coupled with fun explorations covering areas such as graph theory (Math Beasts Camp 6), cryptography (Math Beasts Camp 7-8), and topology (Math Beasts Camp 8-9)!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the following upcoming events:
[list][*]May 9th, 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, Casework 2: Overwhelming Evidence — A Text Adventure, a game where participants will work together to navigate the map, solve puzzles, and win! All are welcome.
[*]May 19th, 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, What's Next After Beast Academy?, designed for students finishing Beast Academy and ready for Prealgebra 1.
[*]May 20th, 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Mathcamp 2025 Qualifying Quiz Part 1 Math Jam, Problems 1 to 4, join the Canada/USA Mathcamp staff for this exciting Math Jam, where they discuss solutions to Problems 1 to 4 of the 2025 Mathcamp Qualifying Quiz!
[*]May 21st, 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Mathcamp 2025 Qualifying Quiz Part 2 Math Jam, Problems 5 and 6, Canada/USA Mathcamp staff will discuss solutions to Problems 5 and 6 of the 2025 Mathcamp Qualifying Quiz![/list]
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0 replies
jlacosta
May 1, 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
Central sequences
EeEeRUT   11
N 43 minutes ago by jonh_malkovich
Source: EGMO 2025 P2
An infinite increasing sequence $a_1 < a_2 < a_3 < \cdots$ of positive integers is called central if for every positive integer $n$ , the arithmetic mean of the first $a_n$ terms of the sequence is equal to $a_n$.

Show that there exists an infinite sequence $b_1, b_2, b_3, \dots$ of positive integers such that for every central sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3, \dots, $ there are infinitely many positive integers $n$ with $a_n = b_n$.
11 replies
EeEeRUT
Apr 16, 2025
jonh_malkovich
43 minutes ago
geometry problem
kjhgyuio   2
N an hour ago by ricarlos
........
2 replies
kjhgyuio
May 11, 2025
ricarlos
an hour ago
2016 Sets
NormanWho   111
N an hour ago by Amkan2022
Source: 2016 USAJMO 4
Find, with proof, the least integer $N$ such that if any $2016$ elements are removed from the set ${1, 2,...,N}$, one can still find $2016$ distinct numbers among the remaining elements with sum $N$.
111 replies
NormanWho
Apr 20, 2016
Amkan2022
an hour ago
camp/class recommendations for incoming freshman
walterboro   14
N an hour ago by jb2015007
hi guys, i'm about to be an incoming freshman, does anyone have recommendations for classes to take next year and camps this summer? i am sure that i can aime qual but not jmo qual yet. ty
14 replies
walterboro
May 10, 2025
jb2015007
an hour ago
Sequence inequality
hxtung   20
N an hour ago by awesomeming327.
Source: IMO ShortList 2003, algebra problem 6
Let $n$ be a positive integer and let $(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$, $(y_1,\ldots,y_n)$ be two sequences of positive real numbers. Suppose $(z_2,\ldots,z_{2n})$ is a sequence of positive real numbers such that $z_{i+j}^2 \geq x_iy_j$ for all $1\le i,j \leq n$.

Let $M=\max\{z_2,\ldots,z_{2n}\}$. Prove that \[
	\left( \frac{M+z_2+\dots+z_{2n}}{2n} \right)^2
	\ge
	\left( \frac{x_1+\dots+x_n}{n} \right)
	\left( \frac{y_1+\dots+y_n}{n} \right). \]

comment

Proposed by Reid Barton, USA
20 replies
1 viewing
hxtung
Jun 9, 2004
awesomeming327.
an hour ago
I guess a very hard function?
Mr.C   20
N an hour ago by jasperE3
Source: A hand out
Find all functions from the reals to it self such that
$f(x)(f(y)+f(f(x)-y))=x^2$
20 replies
Mr.C
Mar 19, 2020
jasperE3
an hour ago
[CASH PRIZES] IndyINTEGIRLS Spring Math Competition
Indy_Integirls   7
N an hour ago by tikachaudhuri
[center]IMAGE

Greetings, AoPS! IndyINTEGIRLS will be hosting a virtual math competition on May 25,
2024 from 12 PM to 3 PM EST.
Join other woman-identifying and/or non-binary "STEMinists" in solving problems, socializing, playing games, winning prizes, and more! If you are interested in competing, please register here![/center]

----------

[center]Important Information[/center]

Eligibility: This competition is open to all woman-identifying and non-binary students in middle and high school. Non-Indiana residents and international students are welcome as well!

Format: There will be a middle school and high school division. In each separate division, there will be an individual round and a team round, where students are grouped into teams of 3-4 and collaboratively solve a set of difficult problems. There will also be a buzzer/countdown/Kahoot-style round, where students from both divisions are grouped together to compete in a MATHCOUNTS-style countdown round! There will be prizes for the top competitors in each division.

Problem Difficulty: Our amazing team of problem writers is working hard to ensure that there will be problems for problem-solvers of all levels! The middle school problems will range from MATHCOUNTS school round to AMC 10 level, while the high school problems will be for more advanced problem-solvers. The team round problems will cover various difficulty levels and are meant to be more difficult, while the countdown/buzzer/Kahoot round questions will be similar to MATHCOUNTS state to MATHCOUNTS Nationals countdown round in difficulty.

Platform: This contest will be held virtually through Zoom. All competitors are required to have their cameras turned on at all times unless they have a reason for otherwise. Proctors and volunteers will be monitoring students at all times to prevent cheating and to create a fair environment for all students.

Prizes: At this moment, prizes are TBD, and more information will be provided and attached to this post as the competition date approaches. Rest assured, IndyINTEGIRLS has historically given out very generous cash prizes, and we intend on maintaining this generosity into our Spring Competition.

Contact & Connect With Us: Follow us on Instagram @indy.integirls, join our Discord, follow us on TikTok @indy.integirls, and email us at indy@integirls.org.

---------
[center]Help Us Out

Please help us in sharing the news of this competition! Our amazing team of officers has worked very hard to provide this educational opportunity to as many students as possible, and we would appreciate it if you could help us spread the word!
7 replies
Indy_Integirls
May 11, 2025
tikachaudhuri
an hour ago
Concurrency from symmetric points on the sides of a triangle
MathMystic33   1
N 2 hours ago by MathLuis
Source: 2024 Macedonian Team Selection Test P3
Let $\triangle ABC$ be a triangle. On side $AB$ take points $K$ and $L$ such that $AK \;=\; LB \;<\;\tfrac12\,AB,$
on side $BC$ take points $M$ and $N$ such that $BM \;=\; NC \;<\;\tfrac12\,BC,$ and on side $CA$ take points $P$ and $Q$ such that $CP \;=\; QA \;<\;\tfrac12\,CA.$ Let $R \;=\; KN\;\cap\;MQ,
\quad
T \;=\; KN \cap LP, $ and $ D \;=\; NP \cap LM, \quad
E \;=\; NP \cap KQ.$
Prove that the lines $DR, BE, CT$ are concurrent.
1 reply
MathMystic33
May 13, 2025
MathLuis
2 hours ago
Nice original fe
Rayanelba   10
N 2 hours ago by GreekIdiot
Source: Original
Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R}_{>0} \to \mathbb{R}_{>0}$ that verify the following equation :
$P(x,y):f(x+yf(x))+f(f(x))=f(xy)+2x$
10 replies
Rayanelba
Thursday at 12:37 PM
GreekIdiot
2 hours ago
Collinearity of intersection points in a triangle
MathMystic33   3
N 3 hours ago by ariopro1387
Source: 2025 Macedonian Team Selection Test P1
On the sides of the triangle \(\triangle ABC\) lie the following points: \(K\) and \(L\) on \(AB\), \(M\) on \(BC\), and \(N\) on \(CA\). Let
\[
P = AM\cap BN,\quad
R = KM\cap LN,\quad
S = KN\cap LM,
\]and let the line \(CS\) meet \(AB\) at \(Q\). Prove that the points \(P\), \(Q\), and \(R\) are collinear.
3 replies
MathMystic33
May 13, 2025
ariopro1387
3 hours ago
My Unsolved Problem
MinhDucDangCHL2000   3
N 3 hours ago by GreekIdiot
Source: 2024 HSGS Olympiad
Let triangle $ABC$ be inscribed in the circle $(O)$. A line through point $O$ intersects $AC$ and $AB$ at points $E$ and $F$, respectively. Let $P$ be the reflection of $E$ across the midpoint of $AC$, and $Q$ be the reflection of $F$ across the midpoint of $AB$. Prove that:
a) the reflection of the orthocenter $H$ of triangle $ABC$ across line $PQ$ lies on the circle $(O)$.
b) the orthocenters of triangles $AEF$ and $HPQ$ coincide.

Im looking for a solution used complex bashing :(
3 replies
MinhDucDangCHL2000
Apr 29, 2025
GreekIdiot
3 hours ago
Classical triangle geometry
Valentin Vornicu   11
N 3 hours ago by HormigaCebolla
Source: Kazakhstan international contest 2006, Problem 2
Let $ ABC$ be a triangle and $ K$ and $ L$ be two points on $ (AB)$, $ (AC)$ such that $ BK = CL$ and let $ P = CK\cap BL$. Let the parallel through $ P$ to the interior angle bisector of $ \angle BAC$ intersect $ AC$ in $ M$. Prove that $ CM = AB$.
11 replies
Valentin Vornicu
Jan 22, 2006
HormigaCebolla
3 hours ago
Incircle in an isoscoles triangle
Sadigly   0
4 hours ago
Source: own
Let $ABC$ be an isosceles triangle with $AB=AC$, and let $I$ be its incenter. Incircle touches sides $BC,CA,AB$ at $D,E,F$, respectively. Foot of altitudes from $E,F$ to $BC$ are $X,Y$ , respectively. Rays $XI,YI$ intersect $(ABC)$ at $P,Q$, respectively. Prove that $(PQD)$ touches incircle at $D$.
0 replies
Sadigly
4 hours ago
0 replies
Metamorphosis of Medial and Contact Triangles
djmathman   102
N 4 hours ago by Mathandski
Source: 2014 USAJMO Problem 6
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with incenter $I$, incircle $\gamma$ and circumcircle $\Gamma$. Let $M,N,P$ be the midpoints of sides $\overline{BC}$, $\overline{CA}$, $\overline{AB}$ and let $E,F$ be the tangency points of $\gamma$ with $\overline{CA}$ and $\overline{AB}$, respectively. Let $U,V$ be the intersections of line $EF$ with line $MN$ and line $MP$, respectively, and let $X$ be the midpoint of arc $BAC$ of $\Gamma$.

(a) Prove that $I$ lies on ray $CV$.

(b) Prove that line $XI$ bisects $\overline{UV}$.
102 replies
djmathman
Apr 30, 2014
Mathandski
4 hours ago
funny title placeholder
pikapika007   61
N May 4, 2025 by Shreyasharma
Source: USAJMO 2025/6
Let $S$ be a set of integers with the following properties:
[list]
[*] $\{ 1, 2, \dots, 2025 \} \subseteq S$.
[*] If $a, b \in S$ and $\gcd(a, b) = 1$, then $ab \in S$.
[*] If for some $s \in S$, $s + 1$ is composite, then all positive divisors of $s + 1$ are in $S$.
[/list]
Prove that $S$ contains all positive integers.
61 replies
pikapika007
Mar 21, 2025
Shreyasharma
May 4, 2025
funny title placeholder
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
Source: USAJMO 2025/6
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llddmmtt1
425 posts
#49 • 2 Y
Y by megarnie, aliz
"1 mod 4 or 3 mod 4"
what the 1434
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by llddmmtt1, Mar 22, 2025, 12:39 PM
Reason: what the typo
Z K Y
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ReaperGod
1579 posts
#50
Y by
vincentwant wrote:
How many points would I get taken off for this:

Let 1 to p-1 in S. Let p/2<c<p be prime. Then c divided one of p-1, 2p-1, 3p-1, etc up to (c-1)p-1. It cannot be p-1 bc size. Then let c divide gp-1. Then (gp-1)/c and c are both in S, so then (this is the error) gp-1 is in S. Thus p is in S.

I missed the case where c^2 divides gp-1. However this case is fine because size gives c^2=gp-1 and c^2-1 is easy to show to be in S (consider $(c\pm1)/2$), but I didn't have time to find this in contest as I found the error in the last 10 min oops

Edit: this doesn't actually work, but just choosing another c I think guarantees that it can't happen again

That is exactly what I did. Could someone confirm that it is considered well known that there are two primes between n/2 and n for large n?
Z K Y
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vincentwant
1423 posts
#51
Y by
ReaperGod wrote:
vincentwant wrote:
How many points would I get taken off for this:

Let 1 to p-1 in S. Let p/2<c<p be prime. Then c divided one of p-1, 2p-1, 3p-1, etc up to (c-1)p-1. It cannot be p-1 bc size. Then let c divide gp-1. Then (gp-1)/c and c are both in S, so then (this is the error) gp-1 is in S. Thus p is in S.

I missed the case where c^2 divides gp-1. However this case is fine because size gives c^2=gp-1 and c^2-1 is easy to show to be in S (consider $(c\pm1)/2$), but I didn't have time to find this in contest as I found the error in the last 10 min oops

Edit: this doesn't actually work, but just choosing another c I think guarantees that it can't happen again

That is exactly what I did. Could someone confirm that it is considered well known that there are two primes between n/2 and n for large n?

yes (from wikipedia)
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llddmmtt1
425 posts
#52
Y by
i thought you had to say the name of a theorem if you wanted to use it, as this is not like extremely well known
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MathLuis
1536 posts
#54
Y by
This kind of qns has been getting more popular lately, kinda fun I'd say.
We prove by induction that if $\{1,2 \cdots ,n \} \in S$ then $n+1 \in S$, this is clear if $n+1$ is composite so assume that $n+1$ is prime.
Now we will prove that $2^{\ell \cdot 2^k} \pm 1, 2^{\ell \cdot 2^k}$ are all on $S$ for all positive integers $k$ and $\ell=3,5$ (because $2025$ is smol :c), base cases are given and for the inductive step just note that $\gcd(2^{\ell \cdot 2^k}-1, 2^{\ell \cdot 2^k}+1)=1$ and therefore $2^{\ell \cdot 2^{k+1}}-1 \in S$ and also then $2^{\ell \cdot 2^{k+1}} \in S$ but also note that $2^{2^{k+1}}+1 \mid 2^{\ell \cdot 2^{k+1}}+1$ so it can't be prime therefore it is also in $S$ thus claim proven.
Now clearly because $k$ can be made large enough from here we get that all powers of $2$ are on $S$, notice then as well that from here we get that $2^x+1 \in S$ for all $x$ composite and that posses one odd factor but then considering the rest of divisors of this amount by making $x$ have a lot of factors we have that all $2^x+1 \in S$ for all positive integers $x$ and using trivial induction from here. we can also get that $2^x-1 \in S$ for all positive integers $x$ and thus we also have $2^x-2 \in S$ for all positive integers $x$ using condition 1 and thus using condition 2 now here consider some large enough composite $x$ then all positive divisors of $2^x-1$ are on $S$ as well so by setting $p-1 \mid x$ for $p$ odd prime and FLT we get that all primes are on $S$ but also by taking $(p-1) p^{\ell} \mid x$ and using euler theorem we get that all odd prime powers are on $S$ as well and well this is kinda overkill since all we needed was $n+1$ prime to be on $S$ so that induction is complete as well xD, thus we are done :cool:.
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v_Enhance
6877 posts
#55 • 1 Y
Y by bachkieu
Solution from Twitch Solves ISL:

We prove by induction on $N$ that $S$ contains $\{1, \dots, N\}$ with the base cases being $N = 1, \dots, 2025$ already given.
For the inductive step, to show $N+1 \in S$:
  • If $N+1$ is composite we're already done from the third bullet.
  • Otherwise, assume $N+1 = p \ge 2025$ is an (odd) prime number. We say a number is good if the prime powers in its prime factorization are all less than $p$. Hence by the second bullet (repeatedly), good numbers are in $S$. Now our proof is split into three cases:
    1. Suppose neither $p-1$ nor $p+1$ is a power of $2$ (but both are still even). We claim that the number \[ s \coloneq p^2-1 = (p-1)(p+1) \]is good. Indeed, one of the numbers has only a single factor of $2$, and the other by hypothesis is not a power of $2$ (but still even). So the largest power of $2$ dividing $p^2-2$ is certainly less than $p$. And every other prime power divides at most one of $p-1$ and $p+1$.
      Hence $s \coloneq p^2-1$ is good. As $s+1 = p^2$, Case 1 is done.
    2. Suppose $p+1$ is a power of $2$; that is $p = 2^q-1$. Since $p > 2025$, we assume $q \ge 11$ is odd. First we contend that the number \[ s' \coloneq 2^{q+1} - 1 = \left( 2^{(q+1)/2}-1 \right) \left( 2^{(q+1)/2}+1 \right) \]is good. Indeed, this follows from the two factors being coprime and both less than $p$. Hence $s'+1 = 2^{q+1}$ is in $S$.
      Thus, we again have \[ s \coloneq p^2-1 = (p-1)(p+1) \in S \]as we did in the previous case, because the largest power of $2$ dividing $p^2-1$ will be exactly $2^{q+1}$ which is known to be in $S$. And since $s+1=p^2$, Case 2 is done.
    3. Finally suppose $p-1$ is a power of $2$; that is $p = 2^{2^e}+1$ is a Fermat prime. Then in particular, $p \equiv 2 \pmod 3$. Now observe that \[ s \coloneq 2p-1 \equiv 0 \pmod 3 \]and moreover $2p-1$ is not a power of $3$ (it would imply $2^{2^e+1} + 1 = 3^k$, which is impossible for $k \ge 3$ by Zsigmondy/Mihailescu/etc.). So $s$ is good, and since $s+1 = 2p$, Case 3 is done.
    Having finished all the cases, we conclude $p \in S$ and the induction is done.

Remark: In fact just $2025 \in S$ is sufficient as a base case; however this requires a bit more work to check. Here is how:
  • From $2025 \in S$ we get $2026 = 2 \cdot 1013$, so $2,1013 \in S$.
  • From $1013+1 = 1014 = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 13^2$ we get $3,13 \in S$.
  • From $3+1 = 4$ we get $4 \in S$.
  • $3 \cdot 13 + 1 = 40 = 2^3 \cdot 5$ we get $5 \in S$.
  • Once $\{1,2,\dots,5\} \subseteq S$, the induction above actually works fine; that is, $N \le 6$ are sufficient as base cases for the earlier cases to finish the rest of the problem. (Case 2 works once $q \ge 3$, and Case 3 works once $e \ge 2$.)
However, $\{1,2,3,4\} \subseteq S$ is not sufficient; for example $S = \{1,2,3,4,6,12\}$ satisfies all the problem conditions.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by v_Enhance, Mar 27, 2025, 10:54 PM
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Quique
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#56
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v_Enhance wrote:
Remark: In fact just $2025 \in S$ is sufficient as a base case; however this requires a bit more work to check. Here is how:
  • From $2025 \in S$ we get $2026 = 2 \cdot 1013$, so $2,1013 \in S$.
  • From $1013+1 = 1014 = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 13^2$ we get $3,13 \in S$.
  • From $3+1 = 4$ we get $4 \in S$.
  • $3 \cdot 13 + 1 = 40 = 2^3 \cdot 5$ we get $5 \in S$.
  • Once $\{1,2,\dots,5\} \subseteq S$, the induction above actually works fine; that is, $N \le 6$ are sufficient as base cases for the earlier cases to finish the rest of the problem. (Case 2 works once $q \ge 3$, and Case 3 works once $e \ge 2$.)
However, $\{1,2,3,4\} \subseteq S$ is not sufficient; for example $S = \{1,2,3,4,6,12\}$ satisfies all the problem conditions.

Nice catch. The problem was proposed with just $2025\in S$.
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Gedagedigedagedago-
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#57 • 17 Y
Y by scannose, i3435, popop614, bjump, megarnie, xTimmyG, balllightning37, zoinkers, EpicBird08, AlexWin0806, Jack_w, qwerty123456asdfgzxcvb, KnowingAnt, aidan0626, TestX01, Amkan2022, OronSH
($\{1, 2, \dots, 2025\} \subseteq S$) Gegagedigeda! ($\text{gcn}(a,b) = 1 \implies ab \in S$) Gegagedigedagedago! $s+1$ composite? WHAT! Help Me!

Like == Help

Ding!

Gegagedimethod: INuggetduction! Casework: IF $[x] \cap S = [x]$. NOITCE: $x \ge 2025$!
1. $x+1$ is NOT PRIME NUGGET! By theorem: $x+1 = nk$ WHERE: $\text{gcn}(n,k) = 1$, $n \le k < x$. NUGGET POINT 2 = SOLUTION!
2. $x+1=\mathfrak p$ IS PRIME NUGGET! Consider case:
2.Gegagedi. Three nuggets divide $\mathfrak p-1$! Notice : $\text{gcn}(\mathfrak p-2, p+1) = \text{gcn}(3, \mathfrak p+1) = 1$. Conclusion: Greatest common nugget of $(\mathfrak p-2)$ and $(\mathfrak p+1)/2$ is 1! Notice: $\mathfrak p-2, (p+1)/2 < \mathfrak p$! Conclusion nugget special: $(\mathfrak p-2)(\mathfrak p+1)/2 \in S$! Conclusion 2: $(\mathfrak p-2)(\mathfrak p+1)/2 + 1$ is NOT PRIME! Because divide by prime nugget $\mathfrak p$.
2.Gegagedi2. Three nuggets divide $\mathfrak p-2$! Consider case again:
2.Gegagedi2.1. Four nuggets divide $\mathfrak p-1$. Notice two: $\text{gcn}(2\mathfrak p+2, \mathfrak p-3) = \text{gcn}(8, \mathfrak p-3) = 2$. Gegagedi special technique: IMBALANCE VALUE! Because Four nuggets divide $\mathfrak p-1$, only two nuggets divide $\mathfrak p-3$! Conclusion: $\text{gcn}(2\mathfrak p + 2, (\mathfrak p-3)/2) = 1$. Nugget point 2 give: $(2\mathfrak p+2)/3 \cdot (\mathfrak p-3)/2 \in S$! Notice: prime nugget divide $(2\mathfrak p+2)(\mathfrak p-3)/6 + 1$!
2.Gegagedi2.2. Four nuggets divide $\mathfrak p - 3$. Then gegagedi residue theory: $12$ NUGGETS DIVIDE $\mathfrak p + 1$! So $4$ nuggets do not divide $\mathfrak p - 1$! And $\mathfrak p - 1$ and $\mathfrak p + 1$ Are not pure 2 nuggets! Imply: Let $\mathfrak p + 1 = 2^{\mathcal G}\nu$ so $\mathfrak  - 1 = 2\mu$. Then $\nu > 2$! So $2^{\mathcal G + 1} < p$! And: $\text{gcn}(\nu, \mu) = 1$! Conclusion: \[ 2^{\mathcal G + 1} \nu \mu \in S!!!!!!!!! \]Gegagedi finish: Nugget point 3 give $(p-1)(p+1) + 1$ divisors in $S$! INuggetduction max design pro!
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Gedagedigedagedago-, Mar 23, 2025, 5:11 PM
Reason: Gegagemistake!
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cowstalker
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#58
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Quique wrote:

Nice catch. The problem was proposed with just $2025\in S$.

yikes thank god it didnt go through lol
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BS2012
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#60
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Solved everything except fermat prime, which i had it down to proving that $2^{2^k+1}$ is in $S,$ and had the main idea for the proof of that in my mersenne prime section (in $2^{q+1}=\left(2^\frac{q+1}{2}-1\right)\left(2^\frac{q+1}{2}+1\right)$). Unfortunately, i wrote something random after getting that a fermat prime is in $S$ if $2^{2^k+1}$ is in $S.$ How many pts?
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by BS2012, Mar 26, 2025, 4:35 PM
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vincentwant
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#61
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vincentwant wrote:
How many points would I get taken off for this:

Let 1 to p-1 in S. Let p/2<c<p be prime. Then c divided one of p-1, 2p-1, 3p-1, etc up to (c-1)p-1. It cannot be p-1 bc size. Then let c divide gp-1. Then (gp-1)/c and c are both in S, so then (this is the error) gp-1 is in S. Thus p is in S.

I missed the case where c^2 divides gp-1. However this case is fine because size gives c^2=gp-1 and c^2-1 is easy to show to be in S (consider $(c\pm1)/2$), but I didn't have time to find this in contest as I found the error in the last 10 min oops

Edit: this doesn't actually work, but just choosing another c I think guarantees that it can't happen again

ok actually i think this does work
because if c^2 divides gp-1 then c^2 is 1 mod p and thus c is either 1 or -1 mod p. the bounds on c dictate that this is impossible.

i think i got 1 pt on this because my writeup was really badge but the solution does work i think

Edit: this is wrong, if c^2 divides gp-1 bound restrictions gives c^2=gp-1 and so c^2 is -1 mod p, not 1. Choosing another c however does work
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by vincentwant, Apr 23, 2025, 12:19 PM
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RaymondZhu
4006 posts
#62
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vincentwant wrote:
vincentwant wrote:
How many points would I get taken off for this:

Let 1 to p-1 in S. Let p/2<c<p be prime. Then c divided one of p-1, 2p-1, 3p-1, etc up to (c-1)p-1. It cannot be p-1 bc size. Then let c divide gp-1. Then (gp-1)/c and c are both in S, so then (this is the error) gp-1 is in S. Thus p is in S.

I missed the case where c^2 divides gp-1. However this case is fine because size gives c^2=gp-1 and c^2-1 is easy to show to be in S (consider $(c\pm1)/2$), but I didn't have time to find this in contest as I found the error in the last 10 min oops

Edit: this doesn't actually work, but just choosing another c I think guarantees that it can't happen again

ok actually i think this does work
because if c^2 divides gp-1 then c^2 is 1 mod p and thus c is either 1 or -1 mod p. the bounds on c dictate that this is impossible.

i think i got 1 pt on this because my writeup was really badge but the solution does work i think

i got 2pt on this, and my friend got 3pt bcs he pointed out that that was flaw i think
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BS2012
1045 posts
#63
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BS2012 wrote:
Solved everything except fermat prime, which i had it down to proving that $2^{2^k+1}$ is in $S,$ and had the main idea for the proof of that in my mersenne prime section (in $2^{q+1}=\left(2^\frac{q+1}{2}-1\right)\left(2^\frac{q+1}{2}+1\right)$). Unfortunately, i wrote something random after getting that a fermat prime is in $S$ if $2^{2^k+1}$ is in $S.$ How many pts?

6 pts somehow
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SKeole
417 posts
#64
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v_Enhance wrote:
Solution from Twitch Solves ISL:

We prove by induction on $N$ that $S$ contains $\{1, \dots, N\}$ with the base cases being $N = 1, \dots, 2025$ already given.
For the inductive step, to show $N+1 \in S$:
  • If $N+1$ is composite we're already done from the third bullet.
  • Otherwise, assume $N+1 = p \ge 2025$ is an (odd) prime number. We say a number is good if the prime powers in its prime factorization are all less than $p$. Hence by the second bullet (repeatedly), good numbers are in $S$. Now our proof is split into three cases:
    1. Suppose neither $p-1$ nor $p+1$ is a power of $2$ (but both are still even). We claim that the number \[ s \coloneq p^2-1 = (p-1)(p+1) \]is good. Indeed, one of the numbers has only a single factor of $2$, and the other by hypothesis is not a power of $2$ (but still even). So the largest power of $2$ dividing $p^2-2$ is certainly less than $p$. And every other prime power divides at most one of $p-1$ and $p+1$.
      Hence $s \coloneq p^2-1$ is good. As $s+1 = p^2$, Case 1 is done.
    2. Suppose $p+1$ is a power of $2$; that is $p = 2^q-1$. Since $p > 2025$, we assume $q \ge 11$ is odd. First we contend that the number \[ s' \coloneq 2^{q+1} - 1 = \left( 2^{(q+1)/2}-1 \right) \left( 2^{(q+1)/2}+1 \right) \]is good. Indeed, this follows from the two factors being coprime and both less than $p$. Hence $s'+1 = 2^{q+1}$ is in $S$.
      Thus, we again have \[ s \coloneq p^2-1 = (p-1)(p+1) \in S \]as we did in the previous case, because the largest power of $2$ dividing $p^2-1$ will be exactly $2^{q+1}$ which is known to be in $S$. And since $s+1=p^2$, Case 2 is done.
    3. Finally suppose $p-1$ is a power of $2$; that is $p = 2^{2^e}+1$ is a Fermat prime. Then in particular, $p \equiv 2 \pmod 3$. Now observe that \[ s \coloneq 2p-1 \equiv 0 \pmod 3 \]and moreover $2p-1$ is not a power of $3$ (it would imply $2^{2^e+1} + 1 = 3^k$, which is impossible for $k \ge 3$ by Zsigmondy/Mihailescu/etc.). So $s$ is good, and since $s+1 = 2p$, Case 3 is done.
    Having finished all the cases, we conclude $p \in S$ and the induction is done.

Remark: In fact just $2025 \in S$ is sufficient as a base case; however this requires a bit more work to check. Here is how:
  • From $2025 \in S$ we get $2026 = 2 \cdot 1013$, so $2,1013 \in S$.
  • From $1013+1 = 1014 = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 13^2$ we get $3,13 \in S$.
  • From $3+1 = 4$ we get $4 \in S$.
  • $3 \cdot 13 + 1 = 40 = 2^3 \cdot 5$ we get $5 \in S$.
  • Once $\{1,2,\dots,5\} \subseteq S$, the induction above actually works fine; that is, $N \le 6$ are sufficient as base cases for the earlier cases to finish the rest of the problem. (Case 2 works once $q \ge 3$, and Case 3 works once $e \ge 2$.)
However, $\{1,2,3,4\} \subseteq S$ is not sufficient; for example $S = \{1,2,3,4,6,12\}$ satisfies all the problem conditions.

For case 2, why can't we reason as follows:
Our aim is to show $2^{q+1}\in S$. By the inductive hypothesis, we can see that both $2^{q-1}-1$ and $2^{q-1}+1$ are in $S$; furthermore, they both must be relatively prime to each other. Thus, by rule 2, $\left(2^{q-1}-1\right) \cdot \left(2^{q-1}+1\right) = 2^{2q-2}-1 \in S$. Now, by rule three, we can see that, because $2^{2q-2}-1 \in S$ and $2^{2q-2}-1 + 1$ is composite, all positive divisors of $2^{2q-2}$ must be in $S$, including $2^{q+1}$.
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Shreyasharma
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#65
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Let the primes be $p_1 < p_2 < \dots$ in ascending order. Say the set of maximal primes powers dividing elements of $S$ is $\{p_1^{e_1}, p_2^{e_2}, \dots, p_k^{e_k}\}$.

First we claim that all powers of $2$ lie in $S$. The key idea is to proceed by induction -- if $\{1, 2, \dots, 2^k\} \in S$, then $2^{k + 1}$ lies in $S$. To see this note that $2^{2k} = (2^{2k - 2} - 1) + 1  = (2^{k - 1} - 1)(2^{k - 1} + 1) + 1$ and all its divisors lie in $S$, proving the claim.

Then consider $\min(p_1^{e_1 + 1}, p_2^{e_2 + 1}, \dots, p_k^{e_k + 1}, p_{k + 1})$.
  • If the minimum is $p_j^{e_j + 1}$ for some $1 \leq j \leq k$, then we easily find that $p_j^{e_j + 1}$ must lie in $S$ as any prime power $q^{\nu_q\left(p_k^{e_j + 1} - 1\right)}$ dividing $p_j^{e_j + 1} - 1$ lies in $S$ by assumption.
  • Otherwise, assume that the minimum is $p_{k + 1}$, and consider $(p_{k + 1} - 1)(p_{k + 1} + 1)$. Any odd prime power dividing $p_{k + 1} - 1$ clearly lies in $S$ by assumption. There is a similar argument for $p_{k + 1} + 1$. Moreover $2^{\nu_2(p_{k + 1}^2 - 1)}$ lies in $S$ by our first argument. Thus $(p_{k + 1}^2 - 1) + 1$ lies in $S$, as do its divisors, namely $p_{k + 1}$.
Thus we can obtain all prime powers, and from the second operation we can thus obtain all positive integers. Thus each positive integer lies in $S$ as desired.
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