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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.

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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
Inequality with ^3+b^3+c^3+3abc=6
bel.jad5   4
N a few seconds ago by avipathak
Source: Own
Let $a,b,c\geq 0$ and $a^3+b^3+c^3+3abc=6$. Prove that:
\[ \frac{a^2+1}{a+1}+\frac{b^2+1}{b+1}+\frac{c^2+1}{c+1} \geq 3\]
4 replies
bel.jad5
Sep 2, 2018
avipathak
a few seconds ago
Similar triangles and cyclic quadrilaterals
tapir1729   25
N 11 minutes ago by VideoCake
Source: TSTST 2024, problem 8
Let $ABC$ be a scalene triangle, and let $D$ be a point on side $BC$ satisfying $\angle BAD=\angle DAC$. Suppose that $X$ and $Y$ are points inside $ABC$ such that triangles $ABX$ and $ACY$ are similar and quadrilaterals $ACDX$ and $ABDY$ are cyclic. Let lines $BX$ and $CY$ meet at $S$ and lines $BY$ and $CX$ meet at $T$. Prove that lines $DS$ and $AT$ are parallel.

Michael Ren
25 replies
tapir1729
Jun 24, 2024
VideoCake
11 minutes ago
number theory
frost23   3
N 18 minutes ago by frost23
Source: own
is it true that all numbers of the form $a1a1a2a2.........anan$ which is a perfect square is of the form $10^n.10^n.88^2/100$ for $n>1$
3 replies
frost23
an hour ago
frost23
18 minutes ago
a^n + b is divisible by p but not by p^2
Assassino9931   1
N 22 minutes ago by sarjinius
Source: Vojtech Jarnik IMC 2025, Category I, P1
Let $a\geq 2$ be an integer. Prove that there exists a positive integer $b$ with the following property: For each positive integer $n$, there is a prime number $p$ (possibly depending on $a,b,n$) such that $a^n + b$ is divisible by $p$, but not divisible by $p^2$.
1 reply
Assassino9931
May 2, 2025
sarjinius
22 minutes ago
Cute NT but misplaced
AndreiVila   2
N 23 minutes ago by Davi Medeiros
Source: IMAR Test 2024 P2
Let $n$ be a positive integer and let $x$ and $y$ be positive divisors of $2n^2-1$. Prove that $x+y$ is not divisible by $2n+1$.
2 replies
AndreiVila
Nov 16, 2024
Davi Medeiros
23 minutes ago
Integer polynomial commutes with sum of digits
cjquines0   45
N an hour ago by anudeep
Source: 2016 IMO Shortlist N1
For any positive integer $k$, denote the sum of digits of $k$ in its decimal representation by $S(k)$. Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that for any positive integer $n \geq 2016$, the integer $P(n)$ is positive and $$S(P(n)) = P(S(n)).$$
Proposed by Warut Suksompong, Thailand
45 replies
cjquines0
Jul 19, 2017
anudeep
an hour ago
Good Permutations in Modulo n
swynca   11
N an hour ago by Assassino9931
Source: BMO 2025 P1
An integer $n > 1$ is called $\emph{good}$ if there exists a permutation $a_1, a_2, a_3, \dots, a_n$ of the numbers $1, 2, 3, \dots, n$, such that:
$(i)$ $a_i$ and $a_{i+1}$ have different parities for every $1 \leq i \leq n-1$;
$(ii)$ the sum $a_1 + a_2 + \cdots + a_k$ is a quadratic residue modulo $n$ for every $1 \leq k \leq n$.
Prove that there exist infinitely many good numbers, as well as infinitely many positive integers which are not good.
11 replies
swynca
Apr 27, 2025
Assassino9931
an hour ago
Israel Number Theory
mathisreaI   67
N an hour ago by lolsamo
Source: IMO 2022 Problem 5
Find all triples $(a,b,p)$ of positive integers with $p$ prime and \[ a^p=b!+p. \]
67 replies
mathisreaI
Jul 13, 2022
lolsamo
an hour ago
IMO 2016 Shortlist, N6
dangerousliri   69
N an hour ago by MR.1
Denote by $\mathbb{N}$ the set of all positive integers. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{N}\rightarrow \mathbb{N}$ such that for all positive integers $m$ and $n$, the integer $f(m)+f(n)-mn$ is nonzero and divides $mf(m)+nf(n)$.

Proposed by Dorlir Ahmeti, Albania
69 replies
dangerousliri
Jul 19, 2017
MR.1
an hour ago
Number of Solutions is 2
Miku3D   30
N 2 hours ago by lakshya2009
Source: 2021 APMO P1
Prove that for each real number $r>2$, there are exactly two or three positive real numbers $x$ satisfying the equation $x^2=r\lfloor x \rfloor$.
30 replies
Miku3D
Jun 9, 2021
lakshya2009
2 hours ago
Problem 3
blug   3
N 2 hours ago by sunken rock
Source: Czech-Polish-Slovak Junior Match 2025 Problem 3
In a triangle $ABC$, $\angle ACB=60^{\circ}$. Points $D, E$ lie on segments $BC, AC$ respectively. Points $K, L$ are such that $ADK$ and $BEL$ are equlateral, $A$ and $L$ lie on opposite sides of $BE$, $B$ and $K$ lie on the opposite siedes of $AD$. Prove that
$$AE+BD=KL.$$
3 replies
blug
Yesterday at 4:47 PM
sunken rock
2 hours ago
Computing functions
BBNoDollar   6
N 2 hours ago by BBNoDollar
Let $f : [0, \infty) \to [0, \infty)$, $f(x) = \dfrac{ax + b}{cx + d}$, with $a, d \in (0, \infty)$, $b, c \in [0, \infty)$. Prove that there exists $n \in \mathbb{N}^*$ such that for every $x \geq 0$
\[
f_n(x) = \frac{x}{1 + nx}, \quad \text{if and only if } f(x) = \frac{x}{1 + x}, \quad \forall x \geq 0.
\](For $n \in \mathbb{N}^*$ and $x \geq 0$, the notation $f_n(x)$ represents $\underbrace{(f \circ f \circ \dots \circ f)}_{n \text{ times}}(x)$. )
6 replies
BBNoDollar
May 18, 2025
BBNoDollar
2 hours ago
Hard Inequality
danilorj   5
N 3 hours ago by danilorj
Let $a, b, c > 0$ with $a + b + c = 1$. Prove that:
\[
\sqrt{a + (b - c)^2} + \sqrt{b + (c - a)^2} + \sqrt{c + (a - b)^2} \geq \sqrt{3},
\]with equality if and only if $a = b = c = \frac{1}{3}$.
5 replies
danilorj
Today at 5:17 AM
danilorj
3 hours ago
easy geo
ErTeeEs06   5
N 3 hours ago by Adywastaken
Source: BxMO 2025 P3
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with incentre $I$ and circumcircle $\Omega$. Let $D, E, F$ be the midpoints of the arcs $\stackrel{\frown}{BC}, \stackrel{\frown}{CA}, \stackrel{\frown}{AB}$ of $\Omega$ not containing $A, B, C$ respectively. Let $D'$ be the point of $\Omega$ diametrically opposite to $D$. Show that $I, D'$ and the midpoint $M$ of $EF$ lie on a line.
5 replies
ErTeeEs06
Apr 26, 2025
Adywastaken
3 hours ago
IMO problem 1
iandrei   77
N Apr 23, 2025 by YaoAOPS
Source: IMO ShortList 2003, combinatorics problem 1
Let $A$ be a $101$-element subset of the set $S=\{1,2,\ldots,1000000\}$. Prove that there exist numbers $t_1$, $t_2, \ldots, t_{100}$ in $S$ such that the sets \[ A_j=\{x+t_j\mid x\in A\},\qquad j=1,2,\ldots,100  \] are pairwise disjoint.
77 replies
iandrei
Jul 14, 2003
YaoAOPS
Apr 23, 2025
IMO problem 1
G H J
Source: IMO ShortList 2003, combinatorics problem 1
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Math4Life7
1703 posts
#69
Y by
We can see that for $a_x, a_y \in A$. We want no pairs such that $a_x - a_y = t_i - t_j$.

We choose our $t_i$ greedily and by induction. Firstly we choose $t_1 =1$.

For our induction step we let $t_{n+1}$ be the first value such that $t_{n+1} - t_j \neq a_x - a_y$ for all $j \in [1, n]$. We can see that there are $\binom{101}{2}$ values of $a_x - a_y$, and there are $n$ values of $j$. Thus the number of values that cannot be obtained by $t_{100}$ is bounded above by $\binom{101}{2} \cdot 100 \leq 10^6$. $\blacksquare$
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ihatemath123
3448 posts
#70
Y by
The "disjoint" condition is satisfied iff $a_w + t_x \neq a_y + t_z$ for all valid $(w,x,y,z)$; in other words, $|a_w - a_y| \neq |t_x - t_z|$ for all valid $w, x, y$ and $z$. There are up to $\binom{101}{2} = 5050$ distinct absolute differences between two elements of $A$.

Consider just arithmetic sequences $t_1, t_2, \dots, t_{100}$ with common difference $d$, where $1 \leq d \leq 10101$. The possible values of $|t_x - t_z|$ are $\{ d, 2d, \dots, 99d \}$; as $d$ varies from $1$ to $10101$, there must be some (in fact, at least $5051$) values of $d$ for which none of $\{ d, 2d, \dots, 99d \}$ are the absolute difference between any two elements of $A$, so we just pick $d$ to be any of those values.
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mannshah1211
652 posts
#71
Y by
Let $k$ be the largest size of such a set $t$. Let $t_1, t_2, \cdots, t_k$ be the numbers, and let $A_1, A_2, \cdots, A_{101}$ be the numbers. Let $n$ be the number of numbers of the form $x - y + t_j$, where $x, y  \in A$. Then, we must have the inequality $10^6 - k \le n,$ since if $10^6 - k > n,$ we have at least one more valid choice to add to $t$. But, in turn, $n \le 101 \cdot 100 \cdot k$, which gives the desired inequality.

EDIT: This is incorrect. I'll edit in the correct solution sometime soon.
EDIT 2: Done.
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by mannshah1211, Jan 17, 2024, 9:53 AM
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eibc
600 posts
#72
Y by
Suppose that we pick $n$ numbers $t_1, t_2, \ldots, t_n$ satisfying the problem conditions for maximal $n$. Then for $x \in S$ and $x \neq t_k$ for some $k$, we must have $x - t_{\ell} = a_i - a_j$ or $x = t_{\ell} + a_i - a_j$ for some integers $1 \le \ell \le n$ and $1 \le i \neq j \le 100$. For a fixed $t_\ell$, there are $101 \cdot 100 = 10100$ ways to choose $(a_i, a_j)$, which is enough to imply that $10100n \ge 10^6 - n$, or $n \ge 100$.
Z K Y
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RGB
19 posts
#73
Y by
We can prove this by contradiction. Suppose there is a $101$-element subset $A$ of $S = \{1,2,\ldots,1000000\}$ such that, for any choice of $100$ numbers $t_1, t_2, \ldots, t_{100}$ from $S$, there exist indices $i$ and $j$ ($1 \leq i < j \leq 100$) such that $A_i$ and $A_j$ have at least one common element.

Let $B_1, B_2, \ldots, B_{100}$ be the sets $A_1, A_2, \ldots, A_{100}$ respectively. For each $j$, the set $B_j$ can be expressed as $B_j = A + t_j = \{x + t_j \mid x \in A\}$.

Now, consider the union of all $B_j$'s for $j = 1, 2, \ldots, 100$:

\[ B = B_1 \cup B_2 \cup \ldots \cup B_{100} \]
Since $B_j = A + t_j$, the union $B$ is essentially the set of all elements in $S$ that can be obtained by adding an element from $A$ to any of the $100$ chosen $t_j$'s.

Now, by our assumption, there must exist two indices $i$ and $j$ ($1 \leq i < j \leq 100$) such that $B_i \cap B_j \neq \emptyset$. This implies that there exists an element $x$ in $A$ such that $x + t_i = x + t_j$, which means $t_i = t_j$.

However, this contradicts our assumption that any choice of $100$ numbers $t_1, t_2, \ldots, t_{100}$ must yield distinct sets $B_j$. Therefore, our assumption must be false, and there must be a $101$-element subset $A$ with the desired property.
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dolphinday
1328 posts
#74
Y by
Keep on choosing $t_i$ until we get stuck(we can't pick any more $t$) for some $i = k$. This implies that for all $t \in S$, it has already been picked or that for some $a$, $b$, $t_i \in S$ we have $t = b + t_i - a$. So then there are at most $k \cdot 10100$($101$ choices for $b$ and $100$ for $a$) values for $t$, so $k \geq 100$ as desired.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by dolphinday, Feb 25, 2024, 7:21 PM
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bjump
1030 posts
#75 • 1 Y
Y by megarnie
badly worded solution
Choose $t_i$'s greedily then for all $a$, $b$ in $A$, and $1 \le j \le 100$ we cannot pick $t_j+a-b$, or $t_i-b+a$ in the list of $t$'s in the future. So for every new $t$ added we eliminate at most $101 \cdot 100 = 10100$ more $t$'s. So we can pick at least $\left \lceil \frac{10^6}{10100} \right \rceil = 100$ different $t$'s before we could be forced to stop, finishing the problem.
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RedFireTruck
4226 posts
#76
Y by
we basically just dont want any absolute difference in $A$ to also be an absolute difference in $t$

there are at most $\binom{101}{2}=5050$ distinct absolute differences in $A$

this means that every time we pick a $t_i$, at most $1+5050\cdot2=10101$ elements get eliminated from $S$ as possibilities for other $t_i$

if we pick $t_1=1$, then only at most $5051$ elements get eliminated from $S$ the first time

since $5051+98\cdot 10101=989898+5051<995000$, we can pick $t_{100}$, as desired.
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ezpotd
1279 posts
#77
Y by
Observe the condition is equivalent to the difference between no two $t_i$ being the difference between two $a_i$. Choose $t_i$, for each $t_i$ we automatically eliminate out of candidacy for future $t_i$ all the numbers that are a different of two $A_i$ from $t_i$, which is at most $2 \cdot \binom{101}{2}$, where the $2$ is for positve/negative, and we also eliminate the chosen number itself, for a total for $10101$ eliminations per chosen $t_i$. Now any number not eliminated can be added to $t_i$ and the condition will still be satisfied, so add the first $99$ numbers and see that we have eliminated $999999$ numbers, and there is one number remaining and we see that we can just add this and done.
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joshualiu315
2534 posts
#78
Y by
Suppose we have a working set: $A = \{a_1, a_2, \dots, a_{101} \}$. Note that $A_i$ and $A_j$ are disjoint if and only if

\[t_i-t_j \notin \{a_p-a_q\vert 1\le p \ne q \le 101\}.\]
In order to get such a set, we will proceed by a greedy algorithm. Assume that we have already picked $n$ elements in $T = \{t_1, \dots, t_n\}$ such that $T$ is as large as possible. That means every $i \in \{1,2,\dots,10^6\}$ is either in $T$ or satisfies

\[i = t_i+b-a,\]
for some $t_i \in T$ and $a,b \in A$.

There are at most $|T| \cdot |A| \cdot (|A|-1) = 10100n$ values of $i$. Thus,

\[n+10100n \ge 10^6 \implies n>99,\]
as desired. $\blacksquare$
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Saucepan_man02
1347 posts
#79
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Here we go:
Consider the set $T$ to have $t_1, \cdots, t_n$ currently. Let $A = \{ a_1, a_2, \cdots, a_{101} \}$. Let set $D$ denote the pair-wise differences of elements of set $A$.
Then, if we cant add another element $t \in S$ to $S$, then we must have: $t = t_k + d$ for some $d \in D$. Note that: $|D| \le 101*100$. Thus: $$101*100*n > 10^6 \implies n \ge 100$$and we are done.
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Maximilian113
575 posts
#80
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Let the elements of $A$ be $a_1, a_2, \cdots a_{101},$ and let the elements of $T$ be $t_1, t_2, \cdots, t_n.$ Since each $x+t_j, x\in A$ is distinct, then clearly for all $p, q, r, s$ $$|t_p-t_q| \neq |a_r-a_s|.$$Set $t_1=1.$ Clearly since there are at most $\binom{101}{2}=5050$ pairwise differences among the elements of $A,$ every time we add a number to the set $T$ we reduce the possible number of potential numbers to add to $T$ by at most $2 \cdot 5050 + 1 = 10101.$ (we account for both sides, and the number itself) Therefore, after choosing $99$ numbers, there are at least $$10^6 - 10101\cdot 99=1$$possible number to add to the set $T,$ so thus it is possible to have $100$ elements in $T.$ QED
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megahertz13
3183 posts
#81
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First choose a random $t_1\in S$.

We will prove that if we have already chosen distinct $t_1,t_2,\dots,t_k$ satisfying the condition, then we can choose a $t_{k+1}$ such that the disjoint condition is satisfied. This will finish the problem.

If there are any intersections, there exists a $1\le j\le k$ and $x,y\in A$ satisfying $$t_j+x=t_{k+1}+y\implies t_{k+1}=t_j+x-y.$$However, since $t_j\ne t_{k+1}$, we have $x\ne y$. Then, there are $$k\cdot 101\cdot 100=10100k$$ways to choose the right-hand side of the equation $t_{k+1}=t_j+x-y$. Since $t_{k+1}$ is not equal to any of $t_1, t_2,\dots,t_k$, there are at most $10101k$ numbers that $t_{k+1}$ cannot be. However, $$10101k\le 999999<|S|,$$so there always exists a $t_{k+1}$.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by megahertz13, Nov 26, 2024, 5:05 PM
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ihategeo_1969
238 posts
#82
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Say $t_1$, $\dots$, $t_k$ are max such subsets.

So adding $A_{k+1}$ has an element common with one of $A_1$, $A_2$, $\dots$, $A_k$. Hence for any $T \in S/\{t_1\dots,t_k\}$, we have \[a_\ell+T=a_j+t_i\]Fix RHS and see that $a_\ell$ takes $101-1$ values and so \[101k \ge \frac{10^6-k}{100} \implies k>99 \iff k \ge 100\]And done.
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YaoAOPS
1541 posts
#83
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Let $D = A - A$ be the elements which can be expressed as the difference of two elements in the list. Then $|S| \le 101 \cdot 100 + 1 = 10101$ since $0 \in D$ is over counted $100$ times. We now select each $t_i$ iteratively. Note that if $t_i$ is selected, then any subsequent $t_j$ selected can't be in $t_i + D$ for the sets to be pairwise disjoint, and furthermore this is sufficient. As such, we may select $t_i$ from $S \setminus \bigcup_{j=1}^{i-1} (t_j + D)$ while preserving the condition. For each $i$, we have that
\begin{align*}
	\left|S \setminus \bigcup_{j=1}^{i-1} (t_j + D)\right| &\ge
	1000000 - \sum_{j=1}^{99} \left|(t_j + D)\right|  \\
    &\ge 1000000 - 99 \cdot 10101 = 1.
\end{align*}so we may choose $t_{100}$ as well to finish.
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