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k a April Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Apr 2, 2025
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0 replies
jlacosta
Apr 2, 2025
0 replies
Interesting Inequality Problem
Omerking   1
N 28 minutes ago by KhuongTrang
Let $a,b,c$ be three non-negative real numbers satisfying $a+b+c+abc=4.$
Prove that
$$\frac{a}{a^{2}+1}+\frac{b}{b^{2}+1}+\frac{c}{c^{2}+1} \leq\frac{6}{13-3ab-3bc-3ca}$$
1 reply
Omerking
5 hours ago
KhuongTrang
28 minutes ago
Functional Equation
Keith50   1
N an hour ago by jasperE3
Source: Own
Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that \[f(x+f(x)+2f(y))+f(2f(x)-y)=4x+f(y)\]holds for all reals $x$ and $y$.
1 reply
Keith50
Jun 24, 2021
jasperE3
an hour ago
Cursed F.E. #3
EmilXM   6
N an hour ago by jasperE3
Source: Own
Find all $f: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$, such that:
$$f(2f(x)y) = f(xy) + xf(y)$$$\forall x,y \in \mathbb{R}$, and if $\exists t \in \mathbb{R}$, such that $f(2^{2021} + 1 -t)= 2^{2021} + \frac{t-1}{2}$, then $t=1$.
Note
$\rule{100cm}{0.1px}$
[center]<Previous $\hspace{3.14in}$Next>[/center]
6 replies
EmilXM
Jun 3, 2021
jasperE3
an hour ago
Functional equation in R^2
EmilXM   2
N an hour ago by jasperE3
Source: Own
Find all functions $f:\mathbb{R}^2 \longrightarrow \mathbb{R}$, such that: \begin{align*} f(f(x,y),y^2) = f(x^2,0) + 2yf(x,y) \end{align*}For all $x,y \in \mathbb{R}$.

@below fixed.
2 replies
EmilXM
Oct 14, 2020
jasperE3
an hour ago
Distribution of prime numbers
Rainbow1971   3
N Today at 5:09 PM by Rainbow1971
Could anybody possibly prove that the limit of $$(\frac{p_n}{p_n + p_{n-1}})$$is $\tfrac{1}{2}$, maybe even with rather elementary means? As usual, $p_n$ denotes the $n$-th prime number. The problem of that limit came up in my partial solution of this problem: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c7h3495516.

Thank you for your efforts.
3 replies
Rainbow1971
Yesterday at 7:24 PM
Rainbow1971
Today at 5:09 PM
limsup a_n/n^4
EthanWYX2009   3
N Today at 4:06 PM by loup blanc
Source: 2023 Aug taca-15
Let \( M_n = \{ A \mid A \text{ is an } n \times n \text{ real symmetric matrix with entries from } \{0, \pm1, \pm2\} \} \). Define \( a_n \) as the average of all \( \text{tr}(A^6) \) for \( A \in M_n \). Determine the value of \[ a = \lim_{k \to \infty} \sup_{n \geq k} \frac{a_n}{n^4} .\]
3 replies
EthanWYX2009
Yesterday at 10:01 AM
loup blanc
Today at 4:06 PM
Chebyshev polynomial and prime number
mofidy   2
N Today at 2:43 PM by mofidy
Let $U_n(x)$ be a Chebyshev polynomial of the second kind. If n>2 and x > 2 is a integer, Could $U_n(x) -1$ be a prime number?
Thanks.
2 replies
mofidy
Apr 3, 2025
mofidy
Today at 2:43 PM
real analysis
ay19bme   2
N Today at 2:07 PM by ay19bme
..........
2 replies
ay19bme
Today at 8:47 AM
ay19bme
Today at 2:07 PM
Romanian National Olympiad 2024 - Grade 11 - Problem 1
Filipjack   4
N Today at 1:56 PM by Fibonacci_math
Source: Romanian National Olympiad 2024 - Grade 11 - Problem 1
Let $I \subset \mathbb{R}$ be an open interval and $f:I \to \mathbb{R}$ a twice differentiable function such that $f(x)f''(x)=0,$ for any $x \in I.$ Prove that $f''(x)=0,$ for any $x \in I.$
4 replies
Filipjack
Apr 4, 2024
Fibonacci_math
Today at 1:56 PM
Romania NMO 2023 Grade 11 P1
DanDumitrescu   14
N Today at 1:50 PM by Rohit-2006
Source: Romania National Olympiad 2023
Determine twice differentiable functions $f: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ which verify relation

\[
    \left( f'(x) \right)^2 + f''(x) \leq 0, \forall x \in \mathbb{R}.
    \]
14 replies
DanDumitrescu
Apr 14, 2023
Rohit-2006
Today at 1:50 PM
f(x)<=f(a) for all a and all x in a left neighbour of a implies monotony if cont
CatalinBordea   7
N Today at 1:12 PM by solyaris
Source: Romanian District Olympiad 2012, Grade XI, Problem 4
A function $ f:\mathbb{R}\longrightarrow\mathbb{R} $ has property $ \mathcal{F} , $ if for any real number $ a, $ there exists a $ b<a $ such that $ f(x)\le f(a), $ for all $ x\in (b,a) . $

a) Give an example of a function with property $ \mathcal{F} $ that is not monotone on $ \mathbb{R} . $
b) Prove that a continuous function that has property $ \mathcal{F} $ is nondecreasing.
7 replies
CatalinBordea
Oct 9, 2018
solyaris
Today at 1:12 PM
vectorspace
We2592   1
N Today at 10:10 AM by Acridian9
Q.) Let $V = \{ (x, y) \mid x, y \in \mathbb{F} \}$
where $\mathbb{F}$ is field. Define addition of elements of $V$ coordinate wise and for $C\in\mathbb{F}$ and $x,y\in V$ define $c(x,y)=(x,0)$.

Is $V$ is a vector space over field $\mathbb{F}$

how to solve it please help
1 reply
We2592
Today at 8:47 AM
Acridian9
Today at 10:10 AM
Rigid sets of points
a_507_bc   3
N Today at 6:44 AM by solyaris
Source: ICMC 8.1 P6
A set of points in the plane is called rigid if each point is equidistant from the three (or more) points nearest to it.
(a) Does there exist a rigid set of $9$ points?
(b) Does there exist a rigid set of $11$ points?
3 replies
a_507_bc
Nov 24, 2024
solyaris
Today at 6:44 AM
Finding pairs of functions of class C^2 with a certain property
Ciobi_   3
N Today at 6:39 AM by solyaris
Source: Romania NMO 2025 11.1
Find all pairs of twice differentiable functions $f,g \colon \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$, with their second derivative being continuous, such that the following holds for all $x,y \in \mathbb{R}$: \[(f(x)-g(y))(f'(x)-g'(y))(f''(x)-g''(y))=0\]
3 replies
Ciobi_
Apr 2, 2025
solyaris
Today at 6:39 AM
9x9 board
oneplusone   7
N Feb 3, 2019 by enthusiast101
Source: Singapore MO 2011 open round 2 Q2
If 46 squares are colored red in a $9\times 9$ board, show that there is a $2\times 2$ block on the board in which at least 3 of the squares are colored red.
7 replies
oneplusone
Jul 2, 2011
enthusiast101
Feb 3, 2019
9x9 board
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
Source: Singapore MO 2011 open round 2 Q2
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oneplusone
1459 posts
#1 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
If 46 squares are colored red in a $9\times 9$ board, show that there is a $2\times 2$ block on the board in which at least 3 of the squares are colored red.
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yunxiu
571 posts
#2 • 8 Y
Y by math-sina, Adventure10, and 6 other users
If there are at most $2$ red squares in each $2 \times 2$. Then there are at most $5+20\times 2=45$ red squares in $9 \times 9$.
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jatin
547 posts
#3 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Nice proof, yunxiu. By the way, this is India 2006.

An extension:

Let $k$ squares of a $9\times 9$ board be colored red. This colouring will be called a k - saturation if and only if coloring any one of the remaining squares red will result in a $2\times 2$ block of $4$ squares at least $3$ of which are red. Find the least $k$ such that a k - saturation exists.
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yunxiu
571 posts
#4 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
oneplusone wrote:
If 46 squares are colored red in a $9\times 9$ board, show that there is a $2\times 2$ block on the board in which at least 3 of the squares are colored red.

$46$ is the best.
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SMOJ
2663 posts
#5 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
By pigeonhole, we have $16$ red in some $3\times 9$ board . Suppose otherwise. Note that we cannot have more than $3$ red squares in every $2$ adjacent columns. Since we have $9$ columns, we can have at most $15$ red squares. Contradiction.

My method wont work for prime-sided boards
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by SMOJ, Jun 24, 2015, 3:29 AM
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adamz
323 posts
#6 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
General result on my blog:
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/community/c80912h1102321_a_cool_chessboard_problem
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SMOJ
2663 posts
#7 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
I realised the mistake in my above proof: we can have
$RR$
$WW$
$RR$
so that reasoning does not work.

Here is my new proof:
We will prove by contradiction.
Lemma
In any $2\times 9$, we cannot have $10$ or more red squares unless it is of the following configuration:
$RWRWRWRWR$
$RWRWRWRWR$
Proof:
It is obvious we cannot have $11$ or more red squares. In a sub-board with $2$ rows and $9$ columns, suppose we can find two adjacent red squares in a row, then consider these two columns with either the immediate right column or left column. We can have at most $3$ red squares in these $3$ columns. Hence we have at least $7$ left for $6$ columns. Grouping them into $3$ blocks of $2\times 2$, we have a contradiction. Hence we cannot find two adjacent red squares in a row, and hence it must be
$RWRWRWRWR$
$RWRWRWRWR$

Now consider the top row. If it has $5$ red, we have $41$ left for $8$ rows. Contradiction. If not, remove the top $2$ rows. We will be removing at most $9$ red. Repeat this process to get a contradiction.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by SMOJ, Jun 24, 2015, 5:29 AM
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enthusiast101
1086 posts
#8 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Consider a $2 \times 3$ sub-rectangle of the $9 \times 9$ square. It is made up of $2$ overlapping $2 \times 2$ block. The maximum number of red squares in the $2 ~ x ~ 3 $ rectangle is $3$ because if we choose any $4$ red squares, it is easy to show that $3$ of them are part of $1$ square. Hence, since there are $4 \cdot 3=12$ non-overlapping rectangles of this configuration, with a total of $36$ red squares, it leaves $1$ row of $9$ uncolored squares at the bottom. All of these are not part of any considered $2 ~x ~2$ square, and hence can be colored for a maximum of $45$ red squares.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by enthusiast101, Feb 3, 2019, 2:28 PM
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