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Flee Jumping on Number Line
utkarshgupta   23
N an hour ago by Ilikeminecraft
Source: All Russian Olympiad 2015 11.5
An immortal flea jumps on whole points of the number line, beginning with $0$. The length of the first jump is $3$, the second $5$, the third $9$, and so on. The length of $k^{\text{th}}$ jump is equal to $2^k + 1$. The flea decides whether to jump left or right on its own. Is it possible that sooner or later the flee will have been on every natural point, perhaps having visited some of the points more than once?
23 replies
utkarshgupta
Dec 11, 2015
Ilikeminecraft
an hour ago
Smallest value of |253^m - 40^n|
MS_Kekas   3
N an hour ago by imagien_bad
Source: Kyiv City MO 2024 Round 1, Problem 9.5
Find the smallest value of the expression $|253^m - 40^n|$ over all pairs of positive integers $(m, n)$.

Proposed by Oleksii Masalitin
3 replies
MS_Kekas
Jan 28, 2024
imagien_bad
an hour ago
Operating on lamps in a circle
anantmudgal09   7
N an hour ago by hectorleo123
Source: India Practice TST 2017 D2 P3
There are $n$ lamps $L_1, L_2, \dots, L_n$ arranged in a circle in that order. At any given time, each lamp is either on or off. Every second, each lamp undergoes a change according to the following rule:

(a) For each lamp $L_i$, if $L_{i-1}, L_i, L_{i+1}$ have the same state in the previous second, then $L_i$ is off right now. (Indices taken mod $n$.)

(b) Otherwise, $L_i$ is on right now.

Initially, all the lamps are off, except for $L_1$ which is on. Prove that for infinitely many integers $n$ all the lamps will be off eventually, after a finite amount of time.
7 replies
1 viewing
anantmudgal09
Dec 9, 2017
hectorleo123
an hour ago
2025 Caucasus MO Seniors P1
BR1F1SZ   3
N an hour ago by Mathdreams
Source: Caucasus MO
For given positive integers $a$ and $b$, let us consider the equation$$a + \gcd(b, x) = b + \gcd(a, x).$$[list=a]
[*]For $a = 20$ and $b = 25$, find the least positive integer $x$ satisfying this equation.
[*]Prove that for any positive integers $a$ and $b$, there exist infinitely many positive integers $x$ satisfying this equation.
[/list]
(Here, $\gcd(m, n)$ denotes the greatest common divisor of positive integers $m$ and $n$.)
3 replies
BR1F1SZ
4 hours ago
Mathdreams
an hour ago
IMO 2018 Problem 2
juckter   95
N an hour ago by Marcus_Zhang
Find all integers $n \geq 3$ for which there exist real numbers $a_1, a_2, \dots a_{n + 2}$ satisfying $a_{n + 1} = a_1$, $a_{n + 2} = a_2$ and
$$a_ia_{i + 1} + 1 = a_{i + 2},$$for $i = 1, 2, \dots, n$.

Proposed by Patrik Bak, Slovakia
95 replies
juckter
Jul 9, 2018
Marcus_Zhang
an hour ago
Long condition for the beginning
wassupevery1   2
N an hour ago by wassupevery1
Source: 2025 Vietnam IMO TST - Problem 1
Find all functions $f: \mathbb{Q}^+ \to \mathbb{Q}^+$ such that $$\dfrac{f(x)f(y)}{f(xy)} = \dfrac{\left( \sqrt{f(x)} + \sqrt{f(y)} \right)^2}{f(x+y)}$$holds for all positive rational numbers $x, y$.
2 replies
wassupevery1
Yesterday at 1:49 PM
wassupevery1
an hour ago
Inspired by IMO 1984
sqing   0
an hour ago
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c\geq 0 $ and $a+b+c=1$. Prove that
$$a^2+b^2+ ab +24abc\leq\frac{81}{64}$$Equality holds when $a=b=\frac{3}{8},c=\frac{1}{4}.$
$$a^2+b^2+ ab +18abc\leq\frac{343}{324}$$Equality holds when $a=b=\frac{7}{18},c=\frac{2}{9}.$
0 replies
sqing
an hour ago
0 replies
Prime-related integers [CMO 2018 - P3]
Amir Hossein   15
N 2 hours ago by Ilikeminecraft
Source: 2018 Canadian Mathematical Olympiad - P3
Two positive integers $a$ and $b$ are prime-related if $a = pb$ or $b = pa$ for some prime $p$. Find all positive integers $n$, such that $n$ has at least three divisors, and all the divisors can be arranged without repetition in a circle so that any two adjacent divisors are prime-related.

Note that $1$ and $n$ are included as divisors.
15 replies
Amir Hossein
Mar 31, 2018
Ilikeminecraft
2 hours ago
Inspired by IMO 1984
sqing   2
N 2 hours ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c\geq 0 $ and $a+b+c=1$. Prove that
$$a^2+b^2+ ab +17abc\leq\frac{8000}{7803}$$$$a^2+b^2+ ab +\frac{163}{10}abc\leq\frac{7189057}{7173630}$$$$a^2+b^2+ ab +16.23442238abc\le1$$
2 replies
sqing
Yesterday at 3:04 PM
sqing
2 hours ago
2025 Caucasus MO Juniors P6
BR1F1SZ   1
N 2 hours ago by maromex
Source: Caucasus MO
A point $P$ is chosen inside a convex quadrilateral $ABCD$. Could it happen that$$PA = AB, \quad PB = BC, \quad PC = CD \quad \text{and} \quad PD = DA?$$
1 reply
BR1F1SZ
3 hours ago
maromex
2 hours ago
old and easy imo inequality
Valentin Vornicu   211
N Mar 23, 2025 by Mathdreams
Source: IMO 2000, Problem 2, IMO Shortlist 2000, A1
Let $ a, b, c$ be positive real numbers so that $ abc = 1$. Prove that
\[ \left( a - 1 + \frac 1b \right) \left( b - 1 + \frac 1c \right) \left( c - 1 + \frac 1a \right) \leq 1.
\]
211 replies
Valentin Vornicu
Oct 24, 2005
Mathdreams
Mar 23, 2025
old and easy imo inequality
G H J
Source: IMO 2000, Problem 2, IMO Shortlist 2000, A1
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naonaoaz
329 posts
#210
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Since $abc = 1$, let $a = \frac{x}{y}$, $b = \frac{y}{z}$, and $\frac{z}{x}$. Thus it suffices to prove
\[\prod_{\text{cyc}} \frac{x+z-y}{y} \le 1\]Expanding, it suffices to prove that
\[\sum_{\text{cyc}} x^3 + 3xyz \ge \sum_{\text{sym}} x^2y\]which is true by Schur.
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KHOMNYO2
94 posts
#211
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Gold is old heh (or whatever :P)
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by KHOMNYO2, Aug 3, 2024, 3:43 AM
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ezpotd
1251 posts
#212
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Let $\frac xy = a$ and cyclic variants, then we can rewrite as $\prod_{cyc} (x - y + z) \le xyz$. Observe at most one of the cyclic terms can be negative, since if the variable being negated is not maximized we can easily see the term is positive. If one term is negative, we instantly win by sign, otherwise we see that $x < y + z$ and cyclic variants so $x,y,z$ are sides of a triangle, set $p,q,r$ with $q + r = x$ and cyclic variants, then we are reduced to proving $8pqr \le (p  +q)(q + r)(p + r)$, which is obvious by AM-GM on each term on the RHS.
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AshAuktober
936 posts
#213
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Perform the substitution $a = \frac xy, b = \frac yz, c = \frac zx$ with $x, y, z >0$. Then we have
\[ \left( a - 1 + \frac 1b \right) \left( b - 1 + \frac 1c \right) \left( c - 1 + \frac 1a \right) \leq 1 \iff (x+y-z)(x-y+z)(-x+y+z) \le xyz.
\]Now we have two cases:

Case 1: The number of terms out of $(x+y-z), (x-y+z), (-x+y+z)$ which are negative is at least $2$.
WLOG $$x + y < z, x + z < y,$$then adding yields a contradiction.
Case 2: There is one negative term among $(x+y-z), (x-y+z), (-x+y+z)$.
Then $$(x+y-z)(x-y+z)(-x+y+z) \le xyz < 0 < xyz.$$Case 3: All of the terms $(x+y-z), (x-y+z), (-x+y+z)$ are nonnegative.
Perform the substitution $x = p+q, y = q+r, z = r+p$. with $p, q, r \ge 0$. Then the inequality reduces to $$8pqr \le (p+q)(q+r)(r+p).$$which is true by AM-GM.

Since all of the cases have been exhausted, we have proven the inequality. $\square$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by AshAuktober, Aug 25, 2024, 2:34 PM
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maths_enthusiast_0001
122 posts
#215
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We have $a,b,c \in \mathbb{R^{+}}$ with $abc=1$.
Claim: $\left( a - 1 + \frac 1b \right) \left( b - 1 + \frac 1c \right) \left( c - 1 + \frac 1a \right) \leq 1$
Proof: On expanding the inequality and using $abc=1$, the above expression is equivalent to:
$$ a+b+c+ab+bc+ca-(a^{2}b+b^{2}c+c^{2}a) \leq 3$$Now by using the substitution $\left(a=\dfrac{u}{v},b=\dfrac{v}{w},c=\dfrac{w}{u}\right)$ we can homogenize the above inequality. Thus we have to show that,
$$ u^{3}+v^{3}+w^{3}+3uvw \geq uv(u+v)+vw(v+w)+wu(w+u)$$which is trivial by Schur's and hence, we are done. $\blacksquare$
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pie854
243 posts
#216
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Storage
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Eka01
204 posts
#217
Y by
Write $a=\frac{x}{y}$ and so on. Multiply the product of denominators on both sides of the inequality and expand the $LHS$ and simplify a bit. The resulting inequality is just a case of Schur's.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Eka01, Jan 23, 2025, 11:39 AM
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megahertz13
3177 posts
#218 • 1 Y
Y by kilobyte144
Let $$a=\frac{x}{y}$$$$b=\frac{y}{z}$$$$c=\frac{z}{x}.$$We wish to show that $$(\frac{x+z-y}{y})(\frac{y+x-z}{z})(\frac{z+y-x}{x})\le 1,$$or $$(-x+y+z)(x-y+z)(x+y-z)\le xyz.$$Expanding gives Schur's inequality, which is true.
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JH_K2IMO
125 posts
#219
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Let's substitute as follows: a= y/x, b= z/y, c= x/z.
(a -1 +1/b)(b -1 +1/c)(c -1 +1/a)=< 1 ⟺ (xy+yz-zx)(xy-yz+zx)(-xy+yz+zx)=<(x^2)(y^2)(z^2).
The right-hand side is always positive.
Only two terms on the left-hand side cannot be negative.
Let xy+yz-zx=k, xy-yz+zx=m, -xy+yz+zx=n.
(xy+yz-zx)(xy-yz+zx)(-xy+yz+zx)=<(x^2)(y^2)(z^2)⟺kmn=<{(k+m)(m+n)(n+k)/8}.
It holds by the arithmetic-geometric mean inequality.
∴The problem has been proven.
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Mhremath
66 posts
#220
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by not opening full but grouping and using abc=1 and from titu and some cases will give easily
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little-fermat
147 posts
#221
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I have discussed this problem in my youtube channel in my inequalities tutorial playlist. Here is the link
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Mathandski
725 posts
#222
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Two years ago this problem took me $2$ hours
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NerdyNashville
3 posts
#223
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Given that $abc = 1$, there exist positive real numbers $x, y, z$ such that:
\[
a = \frac{x}{y}, \quad b = \frac{y}{z}, \quad c = \frac{z}{x}.
\]Thus, the given inequality transforms into:
\[
(x + y - z)(-x + y + z)(x - y + z) \leq xyz.
\]Expanding this, we obtain:
\[
x^3 + y^3 + z^3 + 3xyz \geq x^2(y + z) + y^2(x + z) + z^2(x + y).
\]which is trivial by Schur's inequality
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Marcus_Zhang
956 posts
#224
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Not the most popular way but still works ig
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by Marcus_Zhang, Mar 21, 2025, 11:08 PM
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Mathdreams
1430 posts
#228
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Solution
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