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

G
Topic
First Poster
Last Poster
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.

WOOT early bird pricing is in effect, don’t miss out! If you took MathWOOT Level 2 last year, no worries, it is all new problems this year! Our Worldwide Online Olympiad Training program is for high school level competitors. AoPS designed these courses to help our top students get the deep focus they need to succeed in their specific competition goals. Check out the details at this link for all our WOOT programs in math, computer science, chemistry, and physics.

Looking for summer camps in math and language arts? Be sure to check out the video-based summer camps offered at the Virtual Campus that are 2- to 4-weeks in duration. 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 events:
[list][*]April 3rd (Webinar), 4pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learning with AoPS: Perspectives from a Parent, Math Camp Instructor, and University Professor
[*]April 8th (Math Jam), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MATHCOUNTS State Discussion
April 9th (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learn about Video-based Summer Camps at the Virtual Campus
[*]April 10th (Math Jam), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MathILy and MathILy-Er Math Jam: Multibackwards Numbers
[*]April 22nd (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Competitive Programming at AoPS (USACO).[/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
Sunday, Apr 13 - Aug 10
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
Sunday, Apr 13 - Aug 10
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
Monday, Apr 7 - Jul 28
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
Wednesday, Apr 16 - Jul 2
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
Thursday, Apr 17 - Jul 3
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
Wednesday, Apr 16 - Jul 30
Tuesday, May 6 - Aug 19
Wednesday, Jun 4 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Oct 19
Friday, Jul 18 - Nov 14

Introduction to Geometry
Wednesday, Apr 23 - Oct 1
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

Intermediate: Grades 8-12

Intermediate Algebra
Monday, Apr 21 - Oct 13
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
Friday, Apr 11 - Jun 27
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Wednesday, Jun 18 - Sep 3

Precalculus
Wednesday, Apr 9 - Sep 3
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
Wednesday, Apr 16 - Jul 2
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
Friday, Apr 11 - Jun 27
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

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
Sat & Sun, Apr 26 - Apr 27 (4:00 - 7:00 pm ET/1:00 - 4:00pm PT)
Mon, Tue, Wed & Thurs, Jun 23 - Jun 26 (meets every day of the week!)
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
Thanks u!
Ruji2018252   4
N 3 minutes ago by teomihai
Let $a^2+b^2+c^2-2a-4b-4c=7(a,b,c\in\mathbb{R})$
Find minimum $T=2a+3b+6c$
4 replies
Ruji2018252
Yesterday at 5:52 PM
teomihai
3 minutes ago
Integral solutions
KDS   4
N 10 minutes ago by Maximilian113
Source: Romania TST 1993
Prove that the equation $ (x+y)^n=x^m+y^m$ has a unique solution in integers with $ x>y>0$ and $ m,n>1$.
4 replies
KDS
Jul 12, 2009
Maximilian113
10 minutes ago
F=(F^3+F^3)/9-2F^3
Yiyj1   0
20 minutes ago
Source: 101 Algebra Problems for the AMSP
Define the Fibonacci sequence $F_n$ as $$F_1=F_2=1, F_{n+1}+F_n=F_{n-1}$$fir $n \in \mathbb{N}$. Prove that $$F_{2n}=\dfrac{F_{2n+2}^3+F_{2n-2}^3}{9}-2F_{2n}^3$$for all $n \ge 2$.
0 replies
Yiyj1
20 minutes ago
0 replies
4 lines concurrent
Zavyk09   2
N 24 minutes ago by aidenkim119
Source: Homework
Let $ABC$ be triangle with circumcenter $(O)$ and orthocenter $H$. $BH, CH$ intersect $(O)$ again at $K, L$ respectively. Lines through $H$ parallel to $AB, AC$ intersects $AC, AB$ at $E, F$ respectively. Point $D$ such that $HKDL$ is a parallelogram. Prove that lines $KE, LF$ and $AD$ are concurrent at a point on $OH$.
2 replies
Zavyk09
Yesterday at 11:51 AM
aidenkim119
24 minutes ago
Inequality => square
Rushil   13
N 31 minutes ago by mqoi_KOLA
Source: INMO 1998 Problem 4
Suppose $ABCD$ is a cyclic quadrilateral inscribed in a circle of radius one unit. If $AB \cdot BC \cdot CD \cdot DA \geq 4$, prove that $ABCD$ is a square.
13 replies
Rushil
Oct 7, 2005
mqoi_KOLA
31 minutes ago
where a, b, c are positive real numbers
eyesofgod1930   2
N 41 minutes ago by sqing
where $a, b, c$ are positive real numbers.Prove that
$\frac{4}{\sqrt{a^{2}+b^{2}+c^{2}+4}}-\frac{9}{\sqrt{(a+b)\sqrt{(a+2c)(b+2c)}}}\leq \frac{5}{8}$
2 replies
eyesofgod1930
Jun 8, 2020
sqing
41 minutes ago
NT function debut
AshAuktober   4
N an hour ago by AshAuktober
Source: 2025 Nepal Practice TST 3 P2 of 3; Own
Let $f$ be a function taking in positive integers and outputting nonnegative integers, defined as follows:
$f(m)$ is the number of positive integers $n$ with $n \le m$ such that the equation $$an + bm = m^2 + n^2 + 1$$has an integer solution $(a, b)$.
Find all positive integers $x$ such that$f(x) \ne 0$ and $$f(f(x)) = f(x) - 1.$$(Adit Aggarwal, India.)
4 replies
AshAuktober
Yesterday at 3:53 PM
AshAuktober
an hour ago
Inspired by 2025 Nepal
sqing   1
N an hour ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a, b, c $ be positive reals such that $ a+b +c+abc = 4 $. Prove that
$$ \frac{1}{a+1} + \frac{1}{b+1} + \frac{1}{c+ 1}\leq\frac{3}{2}(2 - abc) $$$$ \frac{1}{ab+1} + \frac{1}{bc+1} + \frac{1}{ca + 1}\leq\frac{3}{2}(2 - abc) $$
1 reply
1 viewing
sqing
an hour ago
sqing
an hour ago
Inspired by Ruji2018252
sqing   0
2 hours ago
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c $ be reals such that $ a^2+b^2+c^2-2a-4b-4c=7. $ Prove that
$$ -4\leq 2a+b+2c\leq 20$$$$5-4\sqrt 3\leq a+b+c\leq 5+4\sqrt 3$$$$ 11-4\sqrt {14}\leq a+2b+3c\leq 11+4\sqrt {14}$$
0 replies
sqing
2 hours ago
0 replies
Isos Trap
MithsApprentice   38
N 2 hours ago by eg4334
Source: USAMO 1999 Problem 6
Let $ABCD$ be an isosceles trapezoid with $AB \parallel CD$. The inscribed circle $\omega$ of triangle $BCD$ meets $CD$ at $E$. Let $F$ be a point on the (internal) angle bisector of $\angle DAC$ such that $EF \perp CD$. Let the circumscribed circle of triangle $ACF$ meet line $CD$ at $C$ and $G$. Prove that the triangle $AFG$ is isosceles.
38 replies
MithsApprentice
Oct 3, 2005
eg4334
2 hours ago
Funny function that there isn't exist
ItzsleepyXD   0
2 hours ago
Source: Own, Modified from old problem
Determine all functions $f\colon\mathbb{Z}_{>0}\to\mathbb{Z}_{>0}$ such that, for all positive integers $m$ and $n$,
$$ m^{\phi(n)}+n^{\phi(m)} \mid f(m)^n + f(n)^m$$
0 replies
1 viewing
ItzsleepyXD
2 hours ago
0 replies
Inspired by Deomad123
sqing   3
N 2 hours ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c $ be real numbers so that $ a+2b+3c=2 $ and $ 2ab+6bc+3ca =1. $ Show that
$$\frac{10}{9} \leq a+2b+ c\leq 2 $$$$\frac{11-\sqrt{13}}{9} \leq a+b+c\leq \frac{11+\sqrt{13}}{9} $$$$\frac{29-\sqrt{13}}{9} \leq 2a+3b+4c\leq \frac{29+\sqrt{13}}{9} $$
3 replies
sqing
Yesterday at 2:28 PM
sqing
2 hours ago
Incircle and circumcircle
stergiu   6
N 2 hours ago by Sadigly
Source: tst- Greece 2019
Let a triangle $ABC$ inscribed in a circle $\Gamma$ with center $O$. Let $I$ the incenter of triangle $ABC$ and $D, E, F$ the contact points of the incircle with sides $BC, AC, AB$ of triangle $ABC$ respectively . Let also $S$ the foot of the perpendicular line from $D$ to the line $EF$.Prove that line $SI$ passes from the antidiametric point $N$ of $A$ in the circle $\Gamma$.( $AN$ is a diametre of the circle $\Gamma$).
6 replies
stergiu
Sep 23, 2019
Sadigly
2 hours ago
2011-gon
3333   27
N 2 hours ago by Maximilian113
Source: All-Russian 2011
A convex 2011-gon is drawn on the board. Peter keeps drawing its diagonals in such a way, that each newly drawn diagonal intersected no more than one of the already drawn diagonals. What is the greatest number of diagonals that Peter can draw?
27 replies
3333
May 17, 2011
Maximilian113
2 hours ago
Pal triangles
v_Enhance   11
N Nov 15, 2024 by Mathandski
Source: USA January TST for IMO 2013, Problem 1
Two incongruent triangles $ABC$ and $XYZ$ are called a pair of pals if they satisfy the following conditions:
(a) the two triangles have the same area;
(b) let $M$ and $W$ be the respective midpoints of sides $BC$ and $YZ$. The two sets of lengths $\{AB, AM, AC\}$ and $\{XY, XW, XZ\}$ are identical $3$-element sets of pairwise relatively prime integers.

Determine if there are infinitely many pairs of triangles that are pals of each other.
11 replies
v_Enhance
Jul 30, 2013
Mathandski
Nov 15, 2024
Pal triangles
G H J
Source: USA January TST for IMO 2013, Problem 1
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
v_Enhance
6872 posts
#1 • 4 Y
Y by bobjoe123, HamstPan38825, Adventure10, Rounak_iitr
Two incongruent triangles $ABC$ and $XYZ$ are called a pair of pals if they satisfy the following conditions:
(a) the two triangles have the same area;
(b) let $M$ and $W$ be the respective midpoints of sides $BC$ and $YZ$. The two sets of lengths $\{AB, AM, AC\}$ and $\{XY, XW, XZ\}$ are identical $3$-element sets of pairwise relatively prime integers.

Determine if there are infinitely many pairs of triangles that are pals of each other.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
polya78
105 posts
#2 • 5 Y
Y by langkhach11112, Aryan-23, Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
I believe there are an infinite number of pals. If we complete the parallelogram, we see that the triangle with side lengths $AB, 2*AM, AC$ has twice the area of each triangle. So we are done if we can find and infinite number of relatively prime triples $(a,b,c)$ such that $a<b<c$ and triangles with side lengths $(a,2b,c),(2a,b,c)$ have the same area.

Using the area formula $\sqrt{s(s-x)(s-y)(s-z)}$ and crunching away, we wind up with the formula $2c^2=5(a^2+b^2)$. Now if $(n,m)$ satisfy $(2n+1)^2+1=2m^2$ (and there are an infinite number of such pairs), then it follows that we can let $a=2n+3,b=4n+1,c=5m$. Since $c$ is approximately $7n$, the relevant triangle inequalities are satisfied. The only case where where we don't have relatively prime numbers is when the common divisor is 5, and we can just forget about those cases or reduce by a factor of 5.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Idio-logy
206 posts
#3
Y by
There are an infinite number of pals. Let the common three-element set be $\{a,b,c\}$. By Stewart's theorem, if we choose two of them (say $b$ and $c$) as two sides and $a$ be the median, the remaining side of the triangle has length $l=\sqrt{2(b^2+c^2-2a^2)}.$ So by the area formula
\begin{align*}
    \Delta &= \frac14\sqrt{-l^4-b^4-c^4+2l^2b^2+2b^2c^2+2c^2l^2}\\
    &= \frac14\sqrt{-4(b^2+c^2-2a^2)^2-b^4-c^4+4(b^2+c^2)(b^2+c^2-2a^2) + 2b^2c^2}\\
    &= \frac14\sqrt{-16a^4-b^4-c^4+8a^2b^2+8a^2c^2+2b^2c^2}.
\end{align*}Without loss of generality, two triangles have $\{a,b\}$ and $\{b,c\}$ as sides respectively. Then $$-16a^4-b^4-c^4+8a^2b^2+8a^2c^2+2b^2c^2 = -16c^4-b^4-a^4+8c^2b^2+8a^2c^2+2b^2a^2$$which is equivalent to $2b^2=5a^2+5c^2$.
Consider any solution to $(10u+3)^2-10v^2=-1$ (there are infinitely many by recursion), and take $(a,b,c) = (6u+1, 5v, 8u+3)$. It's not hard to verify that the resulting triangles satisfy the triangle inequality, and $a,b,c$ are pairwise coprime.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Idio-logy, Dec 27, 2020, 4:11 AM
Reason: fix
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
naman12
1358 posts
#4
Y by
I'm posting this because memorizing random formulas from the AMC actually helps.

The answer is affirmitive. Note that at least one side of $\triangle ABC$ and $\triangle XYZ$ are equal - let $AB=XY=x,AC=y,XZ=z$ without loss of generality. Then, by 2, we get that $AM=z$ and $XW=y$. Thus, using the median formula, we get
\[2z=2AM=\sqrt{2(AB^2+AC^2)-BC^2}=\sqrt{2(x^2+y^2)-z^2}\implies BC=\sqrt{2x^2+2y^2-4z^2}\]By symmetry, we get that
\[YZ=\sqrt{2x^2+2z^2-4y^2}\]We have the following lemma:
Lemma. For a general triangle with side lengths $a,b,c$, we have the area of that triangle is also given by
\[\dfrac 12\sqrt{a^2c^2-\left(\dfrac{a^2+c^2-b^2}{2}\right)^2}\]Proof. We just need to show that this is equivalent to Heron's formula. We get that by the difference of squares formula
\begin{align*}
    \dfrac 12\sqrt{a^2c^2-\left(\dfrac{a^2+c^2-b^2}{2}\right)^2}&=\dfrac 14\sqrt{4a^2c^2-(a^2+c^2-b^2)^2}\\
    &=\dfrac 14\sqrt{(a^2+c^2+2ac-b^2)(a^2+c^2-2ac-b^2)}\\
    &=\dfrac 14\sqrt{((a+c)^2-b^2)((a-c)^2-b^2)}\\
    &=\dfrac 14\sqrt{(a+b+c)(a+b-c)(a-b+c)(-a+b+c)}
\end{align*}which is Heron's formula. $\blacksquare$

Now, we get that
\[[ABC]=\dfrac 12\sqrt{x^2y^2-\left(\dfrac{x^2+y^2-(2x^2+2y^2-4z^2)}{2}\right)^2}=\dfrac 14\sqrt{4x^2y^2-\left(4z^2-x^2-y^2\right)^2}\]By symmetry, we get
\[[XYZ]=\dfrac 14\sqrt{4x^2z^2-\left(4y^2-x^2-z^2\right)^2}\]Equating, we get
\[4x^2(y^2-z^2)=4(x^2y^2-x^2z^2)=\left(4z^2-x^2-y^2\right)^2-\left(4y^2-x^2-z^2\right)^2=-5(3z^2+3y^2-2x^2)(y-z)(y+z)\]Assuming $y\neq z$, we get
\[-4x^2=15z^2+15y^2-10x^2\]which means that
\[2x^2=5y^2+5z^2\]Let $z=1$, and then we get
\[y^2-10\left(\dfrac x5\right)^2=1\]which has infinitely many solutions as a Pell equation. Thus, we can take any solution of
\[k^2-10\ell^2=1\]and use $(x,y,z)=(5\ell,k,1)$. We still need that $x^2+y^2\geq z^2$ and $x^2+z^2\geq y^2$. As $x$ and $y$ are positive integers, the first is obviously satisfied. For the second, we note that it is equivalent to
\[25\ell^2+1\geq k^2=1+10\ell^2\]which is definitely true. Thus, taking the pair mentioned above indeed is a solution, and as there are an infinitely many $(k,\ell)$, the problem statement is affirmitive.

Remark. I don't believe it! This information (the Lemma) was only memorized for the AMC! I'm actually surprised that it's on the TST - I'm glad for the AMC now (for the first time). Also, I pity those who don't know this formula.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
cyshine
236 posts
#5 • 1 Y
Y by PRMOisTheHardestExam
I gave this problem to my students last week, and I realized that the solutions here choose one of the elements of the set $\{AB,AC,AM\}=\{XY,XZ,XW\}$ equal to $1$, or state that since $c\approx 7n$ the triangle inequality is satisfied (which is not true because $a+b=6n+4<7n$.)
So here's a solution that works, without ever using Pell's equation. First, let me explain why setting an element equal to $1$ does not work. First, no triangle with integer sides can have one of them equal to $1$ unless it is isosceles (otherwise if $m>n$ are the other sides then $m\ge n+1$, violating the triangle inequality). Now, in most cases the median cannot be $1$: if you complete the parallelogram $ABDC$ (that is, define $D=B+C-A$), you'll see that you can construct a triangle with two sides $AB$, $AC$ and $A$-median $AM$ iff you can construct a triangle $\Delta$ with three sides $AB$, $AC$ and $2AM$ (both constructions are half of the parallelogram, and by the way, both triangles have the same area, so you can skip all the computations with medians.) If the median is $1$, then one side of $\Delta$ is $2$, and you either have an isosceles triangle with sides $2,a,a$ and area $\sqrt{a^2-1}$ or a triangle with sides $2,a,a+1$ and area $\frac1{16}\sqrt{3(4a^2+4a-3)}$, both of which are increasing with $a$.
For the sake of completion, let me rewrite the computations: let $AB=XY=x$, $AC=XW=y$ and $AM=XZ=z$ (otherwise the triangles are congruent). Then using the expanded form of Heron's formula $16S=2a^2b^2 + 2a^2c^2 + 2b^2c^2 - a^4 - b^4 - c^4$ for $(a,b,c)=(x,y,2z)$ and $(x,2y,z)$ you can find
$2x^2y^2+8x^2z^2+8y^2z^2 - x^4 - y^4 - 16z^4 = 8x^2y^2 + 2x^2z^2 + 8y^2z^2 - x^4 - 16y^4 - z^4\iff 2x^2(z^2-y^2) = 5(z^2-y^2)(z^2+y^2)
\iff 2x^2 = 5y^2+5z^2.$
Since $5\mid x$, let $x=5t$, so $y^2+z^2=10t^2$. Then $y,z<\sqrt{10}t<5t=x$, and the largest side of each of the triangles with sides $x,y,2z$ or $x,2y,z$ is either $x$ or $2z$ in the first one, and either $x$ or $2y$ in the second one. We need then $x < y+2z$, $y+x > 2z$, $x<2y+z$, and $z+x > 2y$. That's why setting $y=1$ or $z=1$ is a bad idea: if $y=1$ then $z\approx \sqrt{10}t$ and $2z \approx 2\sqrt{10}t = \sqrt{40}t > 5t + 1 = x+y$, violating the triangle inequality.
What to do then? One neat trick you can do to try and keep $y$ and $z$ somewhat close to each other is taking advantage of the fact that $10=3^2+1^2$ and set $y=u+3v$ and $z=3u-v$ (we'll take care of signs later). Then
$y^2+z^2 = 10t^2\iff (u+3v)^2 + (3u-v)^2 = 10t^2 \iff u^2+v^2=t^2,$
and we can use Pythagorean triples! We can use the general form $(2mn; m^2-n^2; m^2+n^2)$, but to keep things simple we set $n=1$ and $m=2a$: $u=4a^2-1$, $v=4a$, and $t=4a^2+1$. Then $x=5t=5(4a^2+1)=20a^2+5$, $y=u+3v=4a^2+12a-1$, and $z=3u-v=12a^2-4a-3$. Then $x+y=24a^2+12a+4 = 2(12a^2+6a+2)>2z$, $x+z=32a^2-4a+2=2(16a^2-2a+1)>2z$, $2y+z=20a^2+20a-5>x$, and $y+2z=28a^2+4a-7>x$.
It remains to check whether $\gcd(x,y,z)=1$. Let $d=\gcd(4a^2+1,4a^2+12a-1)$. Then $d$ is odd and $d\mid (4a^2+12a-1-(4a^2-1))\iff d\mid 12a+2\iff d\mid 6a+1$. Then $d\mid 2a(6a+1)-3(4a^2+1)\iff d\mid 2a-3$, and $d\mid 6a+1-3(2a-3)\iff d\mid 10\iff d\mid 5$. We can just choose $a$ such that $4a^2+12a-1\not\equiv 0\pmod 5\iff -a^2+2a-1\not\equiv0\pmod 5\iff a\not\equiv 1\pmod 5$ (which also takes care of the factor $5$ in $x$.)
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
anser
572 posts
#6
Y by
cyshine wrote:
I gave this problem to my students last week, and I realized that the solutions here choose one of the elements of the set $\{AB,AC,AM\}=\{XY,XZ,XW\}$ equal to $1$, or state that since $c\approx 7n$ the triangle inequality is satisfied (which is not true because $a+b=6n+4<7n$.)

If WLOG $AB = XY = c$, $AM = XZ = a$, and $AC = XW = b$, then we get $2c^2 = 5a^2+5b^2$. By the triangle inequality on $\triangle AMC$ and $\triangle AMB$, $a+b > \frac{1}{2}BC > |b-a|$ and $c+a > \frac{1}{2}BC > c-a$. So $a+b > \frac{1}{2}BC > c-a$ and $2a+b > c$. One can also verify that as long as $2a+b > c$, $\frac{1}{2}BC = \sqrt{\frac{1}{2}b^2 + \frac{1}{2}c^2 - a^2}$ satisfies the triangle inequalities (so it's a necessary and sufficient condition). Analogously in $\triangle XYZ$ we need $2b + a > c$. So I believe that we can't set $a$ or $b$ equal to 1, but the first solution is correct.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Idio-logy
206 posts
#7
Y by
Quote:
First, let me explain why setting an element equal to $1$ does not work.
Indeed, my original solution was wrong. Triangle inequality implies that one would need $a+b > 2c > b-a$ and $b+c > 2a > b-c$ for the construction to work, but my original construction does not satisfy them. However, one could still use Pell equations (along the same lines as the first solution): consider any solution to $(10u+3)^2-10v^2=-1$ (there are infinitely many by recursion), and take $(a,b,c) = (6u+1, 5v, 8u+3)$. It's not hard to verify that they satisfy the size constraint and are pairwise coprime. Thanks for pointing out the mistake.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Idio-logy, Dec 27, 2020, 4:12 AM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
CyclicISLscelesTrapezoid
372 posts
#8
Y by
Let $BC=a$, $CA=b$, $AB=c$, $YZ=x$, and $AM=m$. After analyzing config issues, we assume WLOG that $XY=m$, $XW=c$, and $XZ=b$. There's a way to derive $2b^2=5(c^2+m^2)$ without Heron's. Notice that since the areas of triangles $ABM$ and $XYW$ are the same, $\sin \angle BAM=\sin \angle YXW$. It's easy to check that $\angle BAM \neq \angle YXW$, so $\angle BAM+\angle YXW=180^\circ$. Then, we use LOC on $\triangle ABM$ and $\triangle YXW$ to get \[\frac{a^2}{4}=c^2+m^2-2cm \cos \angle BAC\]and \[\frac{x^2}{4}=c^2+m^2-2cm \cos \angle YXW=c^2+m^2+2cm \cos \angle BAC.\]Add these equations to get $a^2+x^2=8c^2+8m^2$. Then, plug in the median length formulas for $AM$ and $XW$ to prove that.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by CyclicISLscelesTrapezoid, Dec 29, 2021, 5:19 AM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
IAmTheHazard
5001 posts
#9
Y by
The answer is yes, there do exist infinitely many pairs.

Suppose a triangle $PQR$ has sides $x,y$, and corresponding median with length $z$. Then the third side has length $\sqrt{2(x^2+y^2-2z^2)}$ by the midpoint formula. Then, expanding Heron's formula out and substituting, we find that
$$[PQR]=\frac{1}{4}\sqrt{-16z^4-x^4-y^4+8z^2x^2+8z^2y^2+2x^2y^2}.$$Now, WLOG let $AB=XY=a$, so $AC=XW=b$ and $AM=XZ=c$. The condition that $[ABC]=[XYZ]$ becomes
$$-16b^4-a^4-c^4+8b^2a^2+8b^2c^2+2a^2c^2=-16c^4-a^4-b^4+8c^2a^2+8b^2a^2+2a^2b^2,$$which simplifies to $2a^2=5b^2+5c^2$. Consider the equation $x^2-2y^2=-1$, over the nonnegative integers, which is a Pell equation that has infinitely many solutions, with minimal solution $(x,y)=(1,1)$. Evidently, any solution $(x,y)$ has $x$ odd, so we may take $(a,b,c)=(5y,2x-1,x+2)$ which we can verify satisfies the equation.
We now have to check that the triangle inequality holds. We can find that $BC=\sqrt{2((5y)^2+(2x-1)^2-2(x+2)^2)}$ and likewise $YZ=\sqrt{2((5y)^2+(x-1)^2-2(2x-1)^2)}$, and after some brute force computation we can show that we indeed get triangles with these values. Finally, we have to prove that infinitely many such $(a,b,c)$ are pairwise relatively prime. Throw out all $(x,y)$ such that $x \equiv 3 \pmod{5} \implies 5 \mid y$, which leaves an infinite number of $(x,y)$ still. Then $\gcd(2x-1,x+2)=\gcd(5,x+2)=1$. Further, we have $\gcd(x+2,5y)=\gcd(x+2,y)$, and if some prime $p$ divides both $x+2$ and $y$, then $x^2-2y^2 \equiv 4$, so $p \mid 5 \implies p=5$, contradiction. Likewise, $\gcd(2x-1,5y)=\gcd(2x-1,y)$, and if some prime $p$ divides them both then we have
$$4x^2-8y^2=-4 \implies 1 \equiv -4 \pmod{p} \implies p=5,$$which yields the same contradiction. Hence there are an infinite number of triples $(a,b,c)$ such that $\gcd(a,b)=\gcd(b,c)=\gcd(c,a)=1$, so we're done. $\blacksquare$

Remark: awful problem.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
HamstPan38825
8857 posts
#10
Y by
"You can't put computational problems on an olympiad..." —someone, probably

The answer is yes. Without loss of generality we may set $AB=XY=a$, $AM=XZ=b$, $AC=XN=c$. Now, the median formula gives the following two equalities:
\begin{align*}
2c^2+2a^2-BC^2 &= 4b^2 \\
2a^2+2b^2-YZ^2 &= 4c^2.
\end{align*}Now, equating both sides of the area of the two triangles yields $$a^2c^2 - \left(\frac{4b^2-a^2-c^2}2\right) = a^2b^2-\left(\frac{4c^2-a^2-b^2}2\right).$$This eventually simplifies to $$a^2 = \frac 52(b^2+c^2).$$Now, we may fix $c$ to get some solution to the Pell equation $$x^2-10y^2=1.$$It can be verified that these solutions also satisfy the triangle inequality.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Martin2001
132 posts
#11
Y by
Let $c<b<a,$ and WLOG let $AB=XY=a, AM=XZ=b,AC=XN=c.$ Note that $BC^2=2a^2+2c^2-4b^2,YZ^2=2a^2+2b^2-4c^2$ by Stewart's, so after a long computation with Heron we get that $2a^2=5(b^2+c^2).$ Now, let $(a,b,c)=(5m, 4n+1, 2n+3),$ where $(2n+1)^2+1=2m^2,$ which we have infinite solutions by Pell. Now, note that if we flip the triangle through $M,$ and let $A'=D,$ we have that triangle ABD has sidelengths either $a,2b,c$ or $a,b,2c,$ which both work by Triangle inequality as $a \approx 5\sqrt{2}n \approx=7n,$ and finally the only way for $a,b,c$ to not be coprime is when there is a common factor of $5,$ which we can either discard or divide out from all$.\blacksquare$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Martin2001, Jul 22, 2024, 5:48 PM
Reason: awef
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Mathandski
738 posts
#12
Y by
Subjective Rating (MOHs) $       $
Attachments:
Z K Y
N Quick Reply
G
H
=
a