Stay ahead of learning milestones! Enroll in a class over the summer!

G
Topic
First Poster
Last Poster
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]
Our full course list for upcoming classes is below:
All classes run 7:30pm-8:45pm ET/4:30pm - 5:45pm PT unless otherwise noted.

Introductory: Grades 5-10

Prealgebra 1 Self-Paced

Prealgebra 1
Tuesday, May 13 - Aug 26
Thursday, May 29 - Sep 11
Sunday, Jun 15 - Oct 12
Monday, Jun 30 - Oct 20
Wednesday, Jul 16 - Oct 29

Prealgebra 2 Self-Paced

Prealgebra 2
Wednesday, May 7 - Aug 20
Monday, Jun 2 - Sep 22
Sunday, Jun 29 - Oct 26
Friday, Jul 25 - Nov 21

Introduction to Algebra A Self-Paced

Introduction to Algebra A
Sunday, May 11 - Sep 14 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Wednesday, May 14 - Aug 27
Friday, May 30 - Sep 26
Monday, Jun 2 - Sep 22
Sunday, Jun 15 - Oct 12
Thursday, Jun 26 - Oct 9
Tuesday, Jul 15 - Oct 28

Introduction to Counting & Probability Self-Paced

Introduction to Counting & Probability
Thursday, May 15 - Jul 31
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Wednesday, Jul 9 - Sep 24
Sunday, Jul 27 - Oct 19

Introduction to Number Theory
Friday, May 9 - Aug 1
Wednesday, May 21 - Aug 6
Monday, Jun 9 - Aug 25
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14
Tuesday, Jul 15 - Sep 30

Introduction to Algebra B Self-Paced

Introduction to Algebra B
Tuesday, May 6 - Aug 19
Wednesday, Jun 4 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Oct 19
Friday, Jul 18 - Nov 14

Introduction to Geometry
Sunday, May 11 - Nov 9
Tuesday, May 20 - Oct 28
Monday, Jun 16 - Dec 8
Friday, Jun 20 - Jan 9
Sunday, Jun 29 - Jan 11
Monday, Jul 14 - Jan 19

Paradoxes and Infinity
Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs, Jul 14 - Jul 16 (meets every day of the week!)

Intermediate: Grades 8-12

Intermediate Algebra
Sunday, Jun 1 - Nov 23
Tuesday, Jun 10 - Nov 18
Wednesday, Jun 25 - Dec 10
Sunday, Jul 13 - Jan 18
Thursday, Jul 24 - Jan 22

Intermediate Counting & Probability
Wednesday, May 21 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Nov 2

Intermediate Number Theory
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Wednesday, Jun 18 - Sep 3

Precalculus
Friday, May 16 - Oct 24
Sunday, Jun 1 - Nov 9
Monday, Jun 30 - Dec 8

Advanced: Grades 9-12

Olympiad Geometry
Tuesday, Jun 10 - Aug 26

Calculus
Tuesday, May 27 - Nov 11
Wednesday, Jun 25 - Dec 17

Group Theory
Thursday, Jun 12 - Sep 11

Contest Preparation: Grades 6-12

MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Basics
Friday, May 23 - Aug 15
Monday, Jun 2 - Aug 18
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Advanced
Sunday, May 11 - Aug 10
Tuesday, May 27 - Aug 12
Wednesday, Jun 11 - Aug 27
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

AMC 10 Problem Series
Friday, May 9 - Aug 1
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Tuesday, Jun 17 - Sep 2
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Monday, Jun 23 - Sep 15
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

AMC 10 Final Fives
Sunday, May 11 - Jun 8
Tuesday, May 27 - Jun 17
Monday, Jun 30 - Jul 21

AMC 12 Problem Series
Tuesday, May 27 - Aug 12
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Wednesday, Aug 6 - Oct 22

AMC 12 Final Fives
Sunday, May 18 - Jun 15

AIME Problem Series A
Thursday, May 22 - Jul 31

AIME Problem Series B
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21

F=ma Problem Series
Wednesday, Jun 11 - Aug 27

WOOT Programs
Visit the pages linked for full schedule details for each of these programs!


MathWOOT Level 1
MathWOOT Level 2
ChemWOOT
CodeWOOT
PhysicsWOOT

Programming

Introduction to Programming with Python
Thursday, May 22 - Aug 7
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Tuesday, Jun 17 - Sep 2
Monday, Jun 30 - Sep 22

Intermediate Programming with Python
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Monday, Jun 30 - Sep 22

USACO Bronze Problem Series
Tuesday, May 13 - Jul 29
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 1

Physics

Introduction to Physics
Wednesday, May 21 - Aug 6
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14
Monday, Jun 23 - Sep 15

Physics 1: Mechanics
Thursday, May 22 - Oct 30
Monday, Jun 23 - Dec 15

Relativity
Mon, Tue, Wed & Thurs, Jun 23 - Jun 26 (meets every day of the week!)
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
ISI UGB 2025 P4
SomeonecoolLovesMaths   8
N 8 minutes ago by chakrabortyahan
Source: ISI UGB 2025 P4
Let $S^1 = \{ z \in \mathbb{C} \mid |z| =1 \}$ be the unit circle in the complex plane. Let $f \colon S^1 \longrightarrow S^2$ be the map given by $f(z) = z^2$. We define $f^{(1)} \colon = f$ and $f^{(k+1)} \colon = f \circ f^{(k)}$ for $k \geq 1$. The smallest positive integer $n$ such that $f^{(n)}(z) = z$ is called the period of $z$. Determine the total number of points in $S^1$ of period $2025$.
(Hint : $2025 = 3^4 \times 5^2$)
8 replies
+1 w
SomeonecoolLovesMaths
Sunday at 11:24 AM
chakrabortyahan
8 minutes ago
Inspired by lbh_qys.
sqing   2
N 29 minutes ago by lbh_qys
Source: Own
Let $ a,b>0   $ . Prove that
$$ \frac{a}{a^2+a +b+1}+ \frac{b}{b^2+a +b+1}  \leq  \frac{1}{2} $$$$ \frac{a}{a^2+ab+a+b+1}+ \frac{b}{b^2+ab+a+b+1} \leq   \sqrt 2-1  $$$$\frac{a}{a^2+ab+a+1}+ \frac{b}{b^2+ab+b+1} \leq  \frac{2(2\sqrt 2-1)}{7} $$$$\frac{a}{a^2+ab+b+1}+ \frac{b}{b^2+ab+a+1} \leq  \frac{2(2\sqrt 2-1)}{7} $$
2 replies
1 viewing
sqing
3 hours ago
lbh_qys
29 minutes ago
So Many Terms
oVlad   7
N an hour ago by NuMBeRaToRiC
Source: KöMaL A. 765
Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ which satisfy the following equality for all $x,y\in\mathbb{R}$ \[f(x)f(y)-f(x-1)-f(y+1)=f(xy)+2x-2y-4.\]Proposed by Dániel Dobák, Budapest
7 replies
oVlad
Mar 20, 2022
NuMBeRaToRiC
an hour ago
Cauchy like Functional Equation
ZETA_in_olympiad   3
N an hour ago by jasperE3
Find all functions $f:\bf R^{\geq 0}\to R$ such that $$f(x^2)+f(y^2)=f\left (\dfrac{x^2y^2-2xy+1}{x^2+2xy+y^2}\right)$$for all $x,y>0$ and $xy>1.$
3 replies
ZETA_in_olympiad
Aug 20, 2022
jasperE3
an hour ago
special polynomials and probability
harazi   12
N an hour ago by MathLuis
Source: USA TST 2005, Problem 3, created by Harazi and Titu
We choose random a unitary polynomial of degree $n$ and coefficients in the set $1,2,...,n!$. Prove that the probability for this polynomial to be special is between $0.71$ and $0.75$, where a polynomial $g$ is called special if for every $k>1$ in the sequence $f(1), f(2), f(3),...$ there are infinitely many numbers relatively prime with $k$.
12 replies
harazi
Jul 14, 2005
MathLuis
an hour ago
Hard to approach it !
BogG   131
N 2 hours ago by Giant_PT
Source: Swiss Imo Selection 2006
Let $\triangle ABC$ be an acute-angled triangle with $AB \not= AC$. Let $H$ be the orthocenter of triangle $ABC$, and let $M$ be the midpoint of the side $BC$. Let $D$ be a point on the side $AB$ and $E$ a point on the side $AC$ such that $AE=AD$ and the points $D$, $H$, $E$ are on the same line. Prove that the line $HM$ is perpendicular to the common chord of the circumscribed circles of triangle $\triangle ABC$ and triangle $\triangle ADE$.
131 replies
BogG
May 25, 2006
Giant_PT
2 hours ago
3-var inequality
sqing   2
N 3 hours ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c>0 $ and $\frac{1}{a+1}+ \frac{1}{b+1}+\frac{1}{c+1}   \geq \frac{a+b +c}{2}   $ . Prove that
$$ \frac{1}{a+2}+ \frac{1}{b+2} + \frac{1}{c+2}\geq1$$
2 replies
sqing
3 hours ago
sqing
3 hours ago
2-var inequality
sqing   4
N 3 hours ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b>0   $ . Prove that
$$\frac{a}{a^2+b+1}+ \frac{b}{b^2+a+1} \leq  \frac{2}{3} $$Thank lbh_qys.
4 replies
sqing
3 hours ago
sqing
3 hours ago
Combinatorics from EGMO 2018
BarishNamazov   27
N 3 hours ago by HamstPan38825
Source: EGMO 2018 P3
The $n$ contestant of EGMO are named $C_1, C_2, \cdots C_n$. After the competition, they queue in front of the restaurant according to the following rules.
[list]
[*]The Jury chooses the initial order of the contestants in the queue.
[*]Every minute, the Jury chooses an integer $i$ with $1 \leq i \leq n$.
[list]
[*]If contestant $C_i$ has at least $i$ other contestants in front of her, she pays one euro to the Jury and moves forward in the queue by exactly $i$ positions.
[*]If contestant $C_i$ has fewer than $i$ other contestants in front of her, the restaurant opens and process ends.
[/list]
[/list]
[list=a]
[*]Prove that the process cannot continue indefinitely, regardless of the Jury’s choices.
[*]Determine for every $n$ the maximum number of euros that the Jury can collect by cunningly choosing the initial order and the sequence of moves.
[/list]
27 replies
BarishNamazov
Apr 11, 2018
HamstPan38825
3 hours ago
Do you have any idea why they all call their problems' characters "Mykhailo"???
mshtand1   1
N 3 hours ago by sarjinius
Source: Ukrainian Mathematical Olympiad 2025. Day 2, Problem 10.7
In a row, $1000$ numbers \(2\) and $2000$ numbers \(-1\) are written in some order.
Mykhailo counted the number of groups of adjacent numbers, consisting of at least two numbers, whose sum equals \(0\).
(a) Find the smallest possible value of this number.
(b) Find the largest possible value of this number.

Proposed by Anton Trygub
1 reply
mshtand1
Mar 14, 2025
sarjinius
3 hours ago
Polynomial divisible by x^2+1
Miquel-point   2
N 4 hours ago by lksb
Source: Romanian IMO TST 1981, P1 Day 1
Consider the polynomial $P(X)=X^{p-1}+X^{p-2}+\ldots+X+1$, where $p>2$ is a prime number. Show that if $n$ is an even number, then the polynomial \[-1+\prod_{k=0}^{n-1} P\left(X^{p^k}\right)\]is divisible by $X^2+1$.

Mircea Becheanu
2 replies
Miquel-point
Apr 6, 2025
lksb
4 hours ago
D1030 : An inequalitie
Dattier   1
N 4 hours ago by lbh_qys
Source: les dattes à Dattier
Let $0<a<b<c<d$ reals, and $n \in \mathbb N^*$.

Is it true that $a^n(b-a)+b^n(c-b)+c^n(d-c) \leq \dfrac {d^{n+1}}{n+1}$ ?
1 reply
Dattier
Yesterday at 7:17 PM
lbh_qys
4 hours ago
IGO 2021 P1
SPHS1234   14
N 5 hours ago by LeYohan
Source: igo 2021 intermediate p1
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with $AB = AC$. Let $H$ be the orthocenter of $ABC$. Point
$E$ is the midpoint of $AC$ and point $D$ lies on the side $BC$ such that $3CD = BC$. Prove that
$BE \perp HD$.

Proposed by Tran Quang Hung - Vietnam
14 replies
SPHS1234
Dec 30, 2021
LeYohan
5 hours ago
Nationalist Combo
blacksheep2003   16
N 5 hours ago by Martin2001
Source: USEMO 2019 Problem 5
Let $\mathcal{P}$ be a regular polygon, and let $\mathcal{V}$ be its set of vertices. Each point in $\mathcal{V}$ is colored red, white, or blue. A subset of $\mathcal{V}$ is patriotic if it contains an equal number of points of each color, and a side of $\mathcal{P}$ is dazzling if its endpoints are of different colors.

Suppose that $\mathcal{V}$ is patriotic and the number of dazzling edges of $\mathcal{P}$ is even. Prove that there exists a line, not passing through any point in $\mathcal{V}$, dividing $\mathcal{V}$ into two nonempty patriotic subsets.

Ankan Bhattacharya
16 replies
1 viewing
blacksheep2003
May 24, 2020
Martin2001
5 hours ago
a, b subset
MithsApprentice   20
N Apr 25, 2025 by Ilikeminecraft
Source: USAMO 1996
Determine (with proof) whether there is a subset $X$ of the integers with the following property: for any integer $n$ there is exactly one solution of $a + 2b = n$ with $a,b \in X$.
20 replies
MithsApprentice
Oct 22, 2005
Ilikeminecraft
Apr 25, 2025
a, b subset
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
Source: USAMO 1996
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
MithsApprentice
2390 posts
#1 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
Determine (with proof) whether there is a subset $X$ of the integers with the following property: for any integer $n$ there is exactly one solution of $a + 2b = n$ with $a,b \in X$.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Agrippina
126 posts
#2 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
I posted (or meant to post) essentially the same problem a few weeks ago, here:
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?p=354033.

I will try to put up a solution soon.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
t0rajir0u
12167 posts
#3 • 10 Y
Y by quangminhltv99, JasperL, Wizard_32, Adventure10, Mango247, aidan0626, kiyoras_2001, and 3 other users
Let $ f(x) = \sum_{a \in X} x^a$; the given condition is equivalent to $ f(x) f(x^2) = \frac {1}{1 - x}$, which immediately gives it away: recall that unique binary expansion implies the identity

$ \frac {1}{1 - x} = (1 + x)(1 + x^2)(1 + x^4)(1 + x^8)...$

so take $ f(x) = (1 + x)(1 + x^4)(1 + x^{16}) ...$. In other words, $ X$ consists of the set of positive integers whose binary expansions in base $ 4$ contain only $ 0$s and $ 1$s. (The bijective proof is straightforward: consider the base-$ 4$ expansion of $ n$ and isolate its digits of $ 2$ and $ 3$, etc.) Agrippina's problem is similar: the identity is $ f(x) f(x^2) f(x^4) = \frac {1}{1 - x}$ and we can take $ f(x) = (1 + x)(1 + x^8)(1 + x^{64})...$.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
dgreenb801
1896 posts
#4 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Ingenious! How did you think of that?
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
t0rajir0u
12167 posts
#5 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Well, first of all this problem's been posted before (although without the source) and this solution given by several MOPpers, so it wasn't hard to remember. It was also given as a very nice list of examples in this thread. Generally, it is very natural to analyze solutions to equations like $ a + b = n, a \in A, b \in B$ by studying the generating functions of $ A$ and $ B$ because $ AB$ gives all the possible sums at once. For example, the following can be solved by similar means.

Putnam 2003 A6: For a set $ S$ of non-negative integers let $ r_S(n)$ denote the number of ordered pairs $ (s_1, s_2) \in S^2, s_1 \neq s_2$ such that $ s_1 + s_2 = n$. Is it possible to partition the non-negative integers into disjoint sets $ A$ and $ B$ such that $ r_A(n) = r_B(n)$ for all $ n$?

The important step is to realize that if $ S(x) = \sum_{s \in S} x^s$, then the set of all sums of distinct elements of $ S$ is given by $ S(x)^2 - S(x^2)$ (why?). The rest is computation, and once you've figured out what the answer should be it is not hard to give a direct proof.

I'll note that even if you didn't think of binary expansion, repeated application of the problem condition allows you to perform the following calculation:

$ f(x) = \frac {1}{(1 - x) f(x^2)} = \frac { f(x^4) (1 - x^2)}{1 - x} = \frac {(1 - x^2)}{(1 - x)(1 - x^4) f(x^4)} = \frac {(1 - x^2)(1 - x^{8}) f(x^{16})}{(1 - x)(1 - x^4)} = ...$

Even if this is not rigorous, it tells you what the answer should look like, but even more it strongly suggests that this is the only answer, not just an answer that works.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
t0rajir0u
12167 posts
#6 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
My apologies; I misread "integer" as "non-negative integer," and the solution I gave doesn't work as is. I'll keep thinking.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
aznlord1337
130 posts
#7 • 3 Y
Y by Delray, vsathiam, Adventure10
Use induction: Suppose we have integers $ x_1...x_n$ such that every $ x_i + 2x_j$ is distinct. Suppose this set misses the value $ n$. Then add to the set $ k, n-2k$, so now we have $ n$ included as a sum. It is clear that if you take $ k$ arbitrarily large it wont overlap with any previous sums. So such a set exists.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
tenniskidperson3
2376 posts
#8 • 5 Y
Y by Delray, Adventure10, Mango247, and 2 other users
Since nobody has come up with a (complete) solution, let me post mine (inspired by Kalva):

First, let us verify that a "base -4" can work. That is, every number can be expressed uniquely as $a_1-4a_2+16a_3-64a_4+\ldots$ where $a_i\in\{0, 1, 2, 3\}$. Uniqueness is evident: if we have $a_1-4a_2+\ldots=b_1-4b_2+\ldots$ then suppose $k$ is the first natural number such that $a_k\neq b_k$. Then

$(-4)^{k-1}a_k+(-4)^ka=(-4)^{k-1}b_k+(-4)^kb$

for the rest of the integer $a$ and $b$. Then that means that, dividing by $(-4)^{k-1}$, we have $a_k-b_k=4(a-b)$, so $a_k-b_k$ is divisible by 4, which is impossible because $a_k$ and $b_k$ are not equal and between 0 and 3. So the uniqueness is proved.

Now take the $4^k$ numbers $a_1-4a_2+16a_3-\ldots+(-4)^{k-1}a_k$ where $a_i\in\{0, 1, 2, 3\}$. The minimal number possible is $3(-4-64-\ldots)$ and the maximal number is $3(1+16+256+\ldots)$, which cover a range of

$3(1+16+256+\ldots)-3(-4-64-\ldots)+1=3(1+4+16+\ldots+4^{k-1})+1=4^k$

numbers. Since there are $4^k$ numbers in the possible range and all numbers are expressed at most once, all numbers must be expressed exactly once. Thus base -4 exists and we can work with it like any normal base.

So now as before, we place all numbers with only 0's and 1's in their base -4 expansions in the set. Then for any integer $n$, take its base -4 expansion $n_1-4n_2+16n_3-\ldots$. If $n_i=0$, let $a_i=b_i=0$; if $n_i=1$, let $a_i=1$ and $b_i=0$; if $n_i=2$, let $a_i=0$ and $b_i=1$; and if $n_i=3$, let $a_i=b_i=1$, so that in any case, $a_i+2b_i=n_i$. Then let $a=a_1-4a_2+16a_3-\ldots\in X$ and $b=b_1-4b_2+16b_3-\ldots\in X$ also. Then clearly $a+2b=n$ by construction.

We must show uniqueness. For any $a, b\in X$, we have

$a-b=(a_1-b_1)-4(a_2-b_2)+16(a_3-b_3)-\ldots$.

The first nonzero $a_i-b_i$ is either $1$ or $-1$. Thus $a-b=\pm(-4)^{k-1}+(-4)^kx$ where $x$ is an integer. Hence $|a-b|$ is divisible by $4^{k-1}$ and not $2\cdot4^{k-1}$, so the highest power of two that divides $a-b$ is also a power of 4.

Now if $a+2b=c+2d$ for $a, b, c, d\in X$, then $a-c=2(d-b)$. If $a\neq c$ then let us look at the highest power of 2 that divides this common difference. It must be a power of 4 that divides $a-c$, but also is a power of 4 that divides $d-b$ and so is twice a power of 4 that divides $2(d-b)$. No number is both a power of 4 and twice a power of 4, so this contradiction shows uniqueness and we're done.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
zero.destroyer
813 posts
#9 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Using generating functions since they generalize to alot of counting problems, (though this uses neg exponents, but it still is legit)

Let $f(x)=(1+x^{1})(1+x^{-4})(1+x^{16})(1+x^{-64})*...(1+x^{(-4)^{a}})$ (the same base -4 thing)
Then
$f(x)f(x^{2})=\frac{(1+x^{1})(1+x^{2})(1+x^{4})(1+x^{8})....(1+x^{2^{n}})}{x^{r}}$, where $r$ is a pretty huge number,

which means at the limiting case, as $a$ tends to infinity,
$f(x)f(x^{2})=...+1/x^{3}+1/x^{2}+1/x^{1}+1+x^{1}+x^{2}+x^{3}...$ which solves the problem.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
tenniskidperson3
2376 posts
#10 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
No that's not legit. It's only legit if the generating function converges for some $x$, which this one does not. The generating function approach does not prove the answer, it just points you in the direction. You need another approach to show that it actually works. In the limit, what is $r$? How do you know that the generating function doesn't just become $\ldots+\frac{1}{x^4}+\frac{1}{x^3}+\frac{1}{x^2}+\frac{1}{x}+1$ and stop there?
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
zero.destroyer
813 posts
#11 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Sorry, I was in a rush, and put only the general idea down. It doesn't HAVE to converge for some X, because of the fact that all it's doing is manipulating the exponents of the terms, as a representation of a sumset problem. I'm not ever actually going to evaluate the function $f(x)$. I know it makes absolutely no sense if you considered $x$ as an actual number, but this wasn't the point here.

And sorry, I can't calculate right now, but essentially it's pretty easy to show through calculation that the most negative exponent and most positive exponents are increasing arbitrarily large as $a$ approaches infinity.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
tenniskidperson3
2376 posts
#12 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
My point is that you cannot just rush into these calculations. You need the theory of formal power series or (in this case) Laurent series. The calculations you do, taking products of sums and expanding them, is only justified when the power (Laurent) series converges. That's why everyone was up in arms when Euler calculated $\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{i^2}=\frac{\pi^2}{6}$ by setting $\sin x=x-\frac{x^3}{6}+\frac{x^5}{120}-\ldots=x(x^2-\pi^2)(x^2-4\pi^2)\ldots$; he had no rigorous justification for saying two power series were equal just because they had exactly the same roots. And this is a bit like what you're doing; you're saying that the power series $\frac{(1+x)(1+x^2)(1+x^4)\ldots}{x^r}=\ldots+\frac{1}{x^3}+\frac{1}{x^2}+\frac{1}{x}+1+x+x^2+x^3+\ldots$, whatever $r$ means in the limiting case.

Now I'm not saying I don't believe you, because I just gave the same solution set as you. I'm just pointing out that your taking the limit of $f(x)f(x^2)$ as $a$ or $n$ goes to infinity and saying that it equals the product of $\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}f(x)$ and $\lim_{m\rightarrow\infty}f(x^2)$ is unjustified. It would be justified if it converged for some number $x$, but it doesn't.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
zero.destroyer
813 posts
#13 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Sorry if I was unclear with my words, by limit, I didn't actually mean that the numerical value for some particular $x$, of $f(x)*f(x^2)$; by limit, I just meant that the larger integers (in absolute value) could be represented uniquely once we increased the size of our sequence. I'm not ever using $f(x)*f(x^2)$ as any evaluation for a numerical answer, I'm just using $f(x)*f(x^2)$ conveniently because it just simplified the concept of "looking at all sums".
Your example indeed uses these generating functions as actual polynomials, which evaluate numerical answers, which isn't the same as what I'm doing.

I can easily just as well put this into an argument without generating functions, but still using the same concept of "the terms acting like a binary string". It's just that the algebraic manipulations are more representative/clear of what the concept is.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
ZetaX
7579 posts
#14 • 6 Y
Y by v_Enhance, starchan, StarLex1, Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
zero.destroyer's argument is correct. You don't need convergence for formal power series at all, but it is indeed necessary to be careful with Laurent series' that are infinite in both directions; but this is mostly due to the fact that these do not form a ring, not even a module over the power series' (but over polynomials or finite Laurent sums).

The argument here never compares terms in a non-formal nature, unlike Euler, who, as said above, plugged in real numbers to to speak of "roots". It is enough to show that additional factors in the product do not contribute to those summands of exponent $s$, where $|s|$ is bounded by some growing bound dependent on the number of factors. This is the case here.

If one wants to do it very formally, an algebraic version would be to state that the module of Laurent series is the projective limit over $n$ of Laurents sums whose exponent's modulus is bounded by $n$. This is just a less comprehensible way to state what I said in the previous paragraph, though.



Also, note this "fact": $\sum_{n \in \mathbb Z} x^ n = \sum_{n=1}^ \infty x^{-n} + \sum_{n=0}^ \infty x^n = \frac{x^{-1}}{1-x^ {-1}} + \frac{1}{1-x} = \frac{1}{x-1} + \frac{1}{1-x} = 0$. The error here is that to apply geometric series, you would need it to be a module over power series' (i.e. multiplying any Laurent series with a power series would need to make sense; try to multiply the above one by $\sum_{n=0}^ \infty x^n $ to see the problem). But the problem is not that we lack a common are of convergence for those sums.
Actually, the fractions are the meromorphic continuations of the sums (which in turn are the Laurent expansions around $\infty$ and $0$) and as an identity of meromorphic functions, this is completely correct!
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Delray
348 posts
#15 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Not clear or not if $a$ and $b$ are distinct.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
HamstPan38825
8866 posts
#16 • 2 Y
Y by StarLex1, Mango247
Let $f(X) = \sum_{a \in X} X^a$. The necessary and sufficient condition for $X$ to satisfy the condition is for $$f(X)f(X^2) = \frac 1{1-X}$$for all $x \neq 1$. One can notice that we have $$f(X^4) = \frac 1{(1-X^2)f(X^2)} = \frac 1{(1-X^2) \cdot \frac 1{(1-X)f(X)}} = \frac{f(X)(1-X)}{1-X^2} = \frac{f(X)}{1+X},$$so the infinite product $$\frac{f(X)}{(1+X)(1+X^4)(1+X^{16}) \cdots} = f(X^{2^n}) \to f(0) = 1,$$so the function $$f(X) = (1+X)(1+X^4)(1+X^{16}) \cdots$$can be checked to work.

In more concrete terms, we may pick $X$ to be the set of numbers that can be represented as the sum of some distinct nonnegative powers of 4.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
RedFireTruck
4223 posts
#17
Y by
We want to find $X$ such that $(\sum_{i\in X} x^i)(\sum_{i\in X} x^{2i})=\dots+x^{-2}+x^{-1}+1+x^1+x^2+\dots$. $(1+x)(1+x^2)=1+x+x^2+x^3$. $(1+x+x^2+x^3)(1+x^{-4}+x^{-8}+x^{-12})=x^{-12}+\dots+x^3$. $(x^{-12}+\dots+x^3)(1+x^{16}+x^{32}+x^{48})=x^{-12}+\dots+x^{51}$. We could keep going like this forever, extending in both directions. Therefore, $X$ is $\{1, -4, 16, -64, \dots\}$ works.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
pinkpig
3761 posts
#18
Y by
solution
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
shendrew7
796 posts
#19
Y by
We interpret this using generating functions. Defining $A(x) = \sum_{k \in \mathcal{X}} x^k$, our condition requires
\[A(x) A(x^2) = \ldots + x^{-2} + x^{-1} + x^0 + x^1 + x^2 + \ldots.\]
to cover all integers exactly once. From here, we note that the functions
\begin{align*}
A(x) &= \prod \left(1+x^{(-4)^i}\right) = (1+x^1)(1+x^{-4})(1+x^{16})(1+x^{-64}) \ldots \\
A(x^2) &= \prod \left(1+x^{2 \cdot (-4)^i}\right) = (1+x^2)(1+x^{-8})(1+x^{32})(1+x^{-128}) \ldots
\end{align*}
indeed have the desired product, so our construction for $\mathcal{X}$ is simply
\[\boxed{\{\mathcal{X}\} = \text{Integers with only 0 and 1 as digits in base -4}}. \quad \blacksquare\]
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by shendrew7, Jan 26, 2024, 2:09 PM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Maximilian113
575 posts
#20
Y by
Posting for storage, this is basically the same as multiple solutions above

Let $f(x)=\sum_{k \in X} x^k,$ then we require $$f(x)f(x^2)=\cdots+x^{-3}+x^{-2}+x+1+x+x^2+x^3+\cdots.$$However observe that $f(x)=(1+x)(1+x^{-4})(1+x^{16})(1+x^{-64})\cdots$ works since every number has a unique representation in base $-2.$
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Ilikeminecraft
636 posts
#21
Y by
Pick $X = \{4^k\mid k\in\mathbb Z_{\geq0}\}.$ To prove this, just use the generating function.
Z K Y
N Quick Reply
G
H
=
a