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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 9th (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learn about Video-based Summer Camps at the Virtual Campus
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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
geometry problem
Medjl   4
N a few seconds ago by tigerBoss101
Source: Netherlands TST for IMO 2017 day 3 problem 1
A circle $\omega$ with diameter $AK$ is given. The point $M$ lies in the interior of the circle, but not on $AK$. The line $AM$ intersects $\omega$ in $A$ and $Q$. The tangent to $\omega$ at $Q$ intersects the line through $M$ perpendicular to $AK$, at $P$. The point $L$ lies on $\omega$, and is such that $PL$ is tangent to $\omega$ and $L\neq Q$.
Show that $K, L$, and $M$ are collinear.
4 replies
Medjl
Feb 1, 2018
tigerBoss101
a few seconds ago
IMO ShortList 2002, geometry problem 3
orl   71
N 15 minutes ago by Avron
Source: IMO ShortList 2002, geometry problem 3
The circle $S$ has centre $O$, and $BC$ is a diameter of $S$. Let $A$ be a point of $S$ such that $\angle AOB<120{{}^\circ}$. Let $D$ be the midpoint of the arc $AB$ which does not contain $C$. The line through $O$ parallel to $DA$ meets the line $AC$ at $I$. The perpendicular bisector of $OA$ meets $S$ at $E$ and at $F$. Prove that $I$ is the incentre of the triangle $CEF.$
71 replies
orl
Sep 28, 2004
Avron
15 minutes ago
Perpendicularity
April   31
N 15 minutes ago by Tsikaloudakis
Source: CGMO 2007 P5
Point $D$ lies inside triangle $ABC$ such that $\angle DAC = \angle DCA = 30^{\circ}$ and $\angle DBA = 60^{\circ}$. Point $E$ is the midpoint of segment $BC$. Point $F$ lies on segment $AC$ with $AF = 2FC$. Prove that $DE \perp EF$.
31 replies
April
Dec 28, 2008
Tsikaloudakis
15 minutes ago
China Mathematical Olympiad 1986 problem3
jred   4
N 19 minutes ago by alexanderhamilton124
Source: China Mathematical Olympiad 1986 problem3
Let $Z_1,Z_2,\cdots ,Z_n$ be complex numbers satisfying $|Z_1|+|Z_2|+\cdots +|Z_n|=1$. Show that there exist some among the $n$ complex numbers such that the modulus of the sum of these complex numbers is not less than $1/6$.
4 replies
jred
Jan 17, 2014
alexanderhamilton124
19 minutes ago
Unique NT Function
IndoMathXdZ   33
N 21 minutes ago by N3bula
Source: IMO SL 2018 N6
Let $f : \{ 1, 2, 3, \dots \} \to \{ 2, 3, \dots \}$ be a function such that $f(m + n) | f(m) + f(n) $ for all pairs $m,n$ of positive integers. Prove that there exists a positive integer $c > 1$ which divides all values of $f$.
33 replies
IndoMathXdZ
Jul 17, 2019
N3bula
21 minutes ago
angle wanted, right ABC, AM=CB , CN=MB
parmenides51   1
N 32 minutes ago by Mathzeus1024
Source: 2022 European Math Tournament - Senior First + Grand League - Math Battle 1.3
In a right-angled triangle $ABC$, points $M$ and $N$ are taken on the legs $AB$ and $BC$, respectively, so that $AM=CB$ and $CN=MB$. Find the acute angle between line segments $AN$ and $CM$.
1 reply
parmenides51
Dec 19, 2022
Mathzeus1024
32 minutes ago
Some interestingly hard inequality
ItzsleepyXD   1
N 35 minutes ago by ItzsleepyXD
Source: Own , modified
Let $ a,b,c \in \mathbb{R^+}$. Find the max $t \in \mathbb{R^+}$ that $$ \frac{1}{a^3(b+c)} + \frac{1}{b^3(c+a} + \frac{1}{c^3(a+b)} \geqslant \frac{4}{9}( \frac{a}{b+c} + \frac{b}{c+a} + \frac{c}{a+b})^3 + t ( \frac{a}{b+c} + \frac{b}{c+a} + \frac{c}{a+b} -\frac{3}{2})$$for all $a^2+b^2+c^2 = 3$.

more
1 reply
ItzsleepyXD
Mar 17, 2025
ItzsleepyXD
35 minutes ago
Inspired by Czech-Polish-Slovak 2017
sqing   2
N an hour ago by lbh_qys
Let $x, y$ be real numbers. Prove that
$$\frac{(xy+1)(x + 2y)}{(x^2 + 1)(2y^2 + 1)} \leq \frac{3}{2\sqrt 2}$$$$\frac{(xy+1)(x +3y)}{(x^2 + 1)(3y^2 + 1)} \leq \frac{2}{ \sqrt 3}$$$$\frac{(xy - 1)(x + 2y)}{(x^2 + 1)(2y^2 + 1)} \leq \frac{1}{\sqrt 2}$$$$\frac{(xy - 1)(x + 3y)}{(x^2 + 1)(3y^2 + 1)} \leq \frac{\sqrt 3}{2}$$
2 replies
sqing
an hour ago
lbh_qys
an hour ago
Inequality by Po-Ru Loh
v_Enhance   55
N an hour ago by ethan2011
Source: ELMO 2003 Problem 4
Let $x,y,z \ge 1$ be real numbers such that \[ \frac{1}{x^2-1} + \frac{1}{y^2-1} + \frac{1}{z^2-1} = 1. \] Prove that \[ \frac{1}{x+1} + \frac{1}{y+1} + \frac{1}{z+1} \le 1. \]
55 replies
v_Enhance
Dec 29, 2012
ethan2011
an hour ago
Serbian selection contest for the BMO 2025 - P4
OgnjenTesic   1
N an hour ago by WallyWalrus
Let $a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_8$ be real numbers. Prove that
$$\sum_{i=1}^{8} \left( a_i^2 + a_i a_{i+2} \right) \geq \sum_{i=1}^{8} \left( a_i a_{i+1} + a_i a_{i+3} \right),$$where the indices are taken modulo 8, i.e., $a_9 = a_1$, $a_{10} = a_2$, and $a_{11} = a_3$. In which cases does equality hold?

Proposed by Vukašin Pantelić and Andrija Živadinović
1 reply
OgnjenTesic
Apr 7, 2025
WallyWalrus
an hour ago
Projective training on circumscribds
Assassino9931   1
N an hour ago by VicKmath7
Source: Bulgaria Balkan MO TST 2025
Let $ABCD$ be a circumscribed quadrilateral with incircle $k$ and no two opposite angles equal. Let $P$ be an arbitrary point on the diagonal $BD$, which is inside $k$. The segments $AP$ and $CP$ intersect $k$ at $K$ and $L$. The tangents to $k$ at $K$ and $L$ intersect at $S$. Prove that $S$ lies on the line $BD$.
1 reply
Assassino9931
Yesterday at 10:17 PM
VicKmath7
an hour ago
Orthocenter config once again
Assassino9931   7
N an hour ago by VicKmath7
Source: Bulgaria National Olympiad 2025, Day 2, Problem 4
Let \( ABC \) be an acute triangle with \( AB < AC \), midpoint $M$ of side $BC$, altitude \( AD \) (\( D \in BC \)), and orthocenter \( H \). A circle passes through points \( B \) and \( D \), is tangent to line \( AB \), and intersects the circumcircle of triangle \( ABC \) at a second point \( Q \). The circumcircle of triangle \( QDH \) intersects line \( BC \) at a second point \( P \). Prove that the lines \( MH \) and \( AP \) are perpendicular.
7 replies
Assassino9931
Tuesday at 1:53 PM
VicKmath7
an hour ago
Angle EBA is equal to Angle DCB
WakeUp   6
N an hour ago by Nari_Tom
Source: Baltic Way 2011
Let $ABCD$ be a convex quadrilateral such that $\angle ADB=\angle BDC$. Suppose that a point $E$ on the side $AD$ satisfies the equality
\[AE\cdot ED + BE^2=CD\cdot AE.\]
Show that $\angle EBA=\angle DCB$.
6 replies
WakeUp
Nov 6, 2011
Nari_Tom
an hour ago
if xy+xz+yz+2xyz+1 prove that...
behdad.math.math   5
N an hour ago by Sadigly
if xy+xz+yz+2xyz+1 prove that x+y+z>=3/2
5 replies
behdad.math.math
Sep 25, 2008
Sadigly
an hour ago
The Tetrahedral Space Partition
jannatiar   7
N Apr 3, 2025 by sami1618
Source: 2025 AlborzMO Day 2 P3
Is it possible to partition three-dimensional space into tetrahedra (not necessarily regular) such that there exists a plane that intersects the edges of each tetrahedron at exactly 4 or 0 points?

Proposed by Arvin Taheri
7 replies
jannatiar
Mar 9, 2025
sami1618
Apr 3, 2025
The Tetrahedral Space Partition
G H J
Source: 2025 AlborzMO Day 2 P3
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jannatiar
21 posts
#1 • 2 Y
Y by sami1618, cubres
Is it possible to partition three-dimensional space into tetrahedra (not necessarily regular) such that there exists a plane that intersects the edges of each tetrahedron at exactly 4 or 0 points?

Proposed by Arvin Taheri
Z K Y
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alinazarboland
168 posts
#3 • 2 Y
Y by sami1618, cubres
Hint
Z K Y
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sami1618
885 posts
#4 • 1 Y
Y by cubres
does the partition need to be locally finite?
Z K Y
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jannatiar
21 posts
#5 • 2 Y
Y by sami1618, cubres
sami1618 wrote:
does the partition need to be locally finite?
NO
Z K Y
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sami1618
885 posts
#6 • 2 Y
Y by Sedro, cubres
Consider cartesian axes and specifically the $xy$-plane and a tiling of this plane with white and red unit squares in a checkerboard pattern (ensure the vertices of the squares are at lattice points). For each square, draw a regular tetrahedron with the property that each vertex of the square coincides with the midpoint of one of the edges of the tetrahedron. Notice for every square there are exactly two distinct possible ways the tetrahedron could be drawn. On the white squares ensure that the upper edge of the tetrahedron is parallel to the $x$-axis and for the red squares ensure that the upper edge of the tetrahedron is parallel to the $y$-axis.

Shown below are the tetrahedrons corresponding to four adjacent squares. By $180^{\circ}$ rotation about the $x$ or $y$ axis it is clear that the tetrahedrons fit together seamlessly and their vertices coincide with the midpoints of the edges of adjacent tetrahedron.
[asy]
size(200);
import three;
currentprojection = perspective(3,5,7);
draw(surface((-4,-4,0)--(4,-4,0)--(4,4,0)--(-4,4,0)--cycle), gray+opacity(0.2));
draw((-4,0,0)--(4,0,0), black);  // x-axis
draw((0,-4,0)--(0,4,0), black);  // y-axis
triple[] tetra1 = {(1,-1,1), (1,3,1), (-1,1,-1), (3,1,-1)};
triple[] tetra2 = {(-1,-3,1), (-1,1,1), (-3,-1,-1), (1,-1,-1)};
triple[] tetra3 = {(-3,1,1), (1,1,1), (-1,-1,-1), (-1,3,-1)};
triple[] tetra4 = {(-1,-1,1), (3,-1,1), (1,-3,-1), (1,1,-1)};
void drawTetra(triple[] T, pen color) {
    draw(surface(T[0]--T[1]--T[2]--cycle), color+opacity(0.4));
    draw(surface(T[0]--T[1]--T[3]--cycle), color+opacity(0.4));
    draw(T[0]--T[2]--T[1]--T[3]--cycle, black+linewidth(0.8));
    draw(T[0]--T[1], black+linewidth(0.8));}
drawTetra(tetra2, red);
drawTetra(tetra4, grey);
drawTetra(tetra1, red);
drawTetra(tetra3, grey);
draw(surface((-1,-1,1)--(-1,1,1)--(0,0,0)--cycle), red+opacity(0.4));
draw(surface((-1,-1,1)--(-1,1,1)--(-2,0,0)--cycle), red+opacity(0.4));
draw((-1,-1,1)--(-1,1,1), linewidth(0.8));
draw((2,2,0)--(2,-2,0)--(-2,-2,0)--(-2,2,0)--cycle);
draw((2,0,0)--(-2,0,0));
draw((0,2,0)--(0,-2,0));
draw((0,0,0)--(-1,1,1), linewidth(0.8));
draw((0,0,0)--(-1,-1,1), linewidth(0.8));
draw((-2,0,0)--(-1,1,1), linewidth(0.8));
draw((0,0,-4)--(0,0,4), black, Arrow3);
label("$z$", (0,0,4.5), N);
label("$x$", (4.5,0,0), E);
label("$y$", (0,4.5,0), N);
[/asy]
Now that this has been done to the $xy$-plane do this for all planes $z=k$ where $k$ is a non-zero integer (we are "stacking" the sheets of tetrahedron). It is not hard to see that after drawing such tetrahedron, we are left with a collection of octahedron in space. We now go through a separate procedure for partitioning each of these octahedron into tetrahedron.

If the octahedron does not touch the $xy$-plane we can simply divide it into four tetrahedron. Otherwise let the octahedron touch the $xy$-plane at $P$. Call the octahedron $\mathcal{O}$. Then let $\mathcal{O}_1$ be the result of $\mathcal{O}$ after applying the homothety centered at $P$ with factor $1/2$. Then $\mathcal{O}-\mathcal{O}_1$ can be tiled with a finite number of tetrahedron (specifically $14$). Then repeat this process with $\mathcal{O}_1$ and so on.

It can be shown that these tetrahedron do indeed form a partition of space. Since the $xy$-plane intersects each of the original tetrahedron at exactly $4$ points and non of the tetrahedron formed by portioning the octahedron touch the $xy$-plane, we are finished.
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by sami1618, Apr 3, 2025, 2:00 PM
Z K Y
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jannatiar
21 posts
#7 • 3 Y
Y by MS_asdfgzxcvb, sami1618, cubres
The answer is yes.

Lemma 1:A cube can be partitioned into a finite number of tetrahedra.

Proof: As shown in the figure below, a cube can be divided into six tetrahedra.

https://i.imgur.com/MB0Hzn3.png

First, consider a plane in three-dimensional space. Then, imagine two lines parallel to the plane, one on each side, arranged in such a way that the two lines are skew (non-parallel and non-intersecting) and perpendicular to each other. Next, consider infinitely many points on each of these two lines (as shown in the figure below).

https://i.imgur.com/lkdUw2G.png

Now, consider two consecutive points on one of the lines (for example, points A and B) and all the tetrahedra formed by A, B, and every pair of consecutive points on the other line. Clearly, this defines an infinitely long strip covering the original plane (as shown in the figure below).

https://i.imgur.com/0iIcawj.png

Now, we repeat the same process for every pair of consecutive points on the first line, thereby completely covering the original plane. Finally, it suffices to fill the two half-spaces (above and below the plane). According to Lemma 1, this can be achieved using a collection of cubes. This partitioning yields the desired result stated in the problem.
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by jannatiar, Apr 1, 2025, 3:47 PM
Z K Y
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jannatiar
21 posts
#8 • 1 Y
Y by cubres
sami1618 wrote:
incorrect solution

Where was this solution wrong?
Z K Y
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sami1618
885 posts
#9 • 1 Y
Y by jannatiar
jannatiar wrote:
sami1618 wrote:
incorrect solution

Where was this solution wrong?

The part that went wrong was tiling the octahedron. For a set of polyhedron to partition space it must be that their union cover space and their interiors are non intersecting. My solution fell short of the first condition. This similar problem explains why. Consider an equilateral triangle. Divide it into four congruent equilateral triangles and add all but the central triangle to the partition. Repeat this process indefinitely with the remaining equilateral triangle. Then this is not a partition because the center of the equilateral triangle does not lie in the interior or on the boundary of any of the triangles in the partition.
[asy]
import geometry;
size(2cm);
pair A=dir(90); pair B=dir(210); pair C=dir(330);
pair A1=.5(C+B); pair B1=.5(A+C); pair C1=.5(A+B);
pair A2=.5(B1+C1); pair B2=.5(A1+C1); pair C2=.5(A1+B1);
pair A3=.5(B2+C2); pair B3=.5(A2+C2); pair C3=.5(A2+B2);
pair A4=.5(B3+C3); pair B4=.5(A3+C3); pair C4=.5(A3+B3);
filldraw(A--B1--C1--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(B--A1--C1--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(C--B1--A1--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(A1--B2--C2--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(B1--A2--C2--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(C1--B2--A2--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(A2--B3--C3--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(B2--A3--C3--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(C2--B3--A3--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(A3--B4--C4--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(B3--A4--C4--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
filldraw(C3--B4--A4--cycle, red+opacity(.5));
dot((0,0));
[/asy]
But this can be fixed if we ensure that the "limit points" lies on the boundary of the region we want to partition. I went back and fixed my original solution.
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