2005 Canadian MO Problems

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Problem 1

Consider an equilateral triangle of side length $n$, which is divided into unit triangles, as shown. Let $f(n)$ be the number of paths from the triangle in the top row to the middle triangle in the bottom row, such that adjacent triangles in our path share a common edge and the path never travels up (from a lower row to a higher row) or revisits a triangle. An example of one such path is illustrated below for $n=5$. Determine the value of $f(2005)$.

CanMO 2005 1.png

Solution

Problem 2

Let $(a,b,c)$ be a Pythagorean triple, i.e., a triplet of positive integers with ${a}^2+{b}^2={c}^2$.

  • Prove that $(c/a + c/b)^2 > 8$.
  • Prove that there does not exist any integer $n$ for which we can find a Pythagorean triple $(a,b,c)$ satisfying $(c/a + c/b)^2 = n$.

Solution

Problem 3

Let $S$ be a set of $n\ge 3$ points in the interior of a circle.

  • Show that there are three distinct points $a,b,c\in S$ and three distinct points $A,B,C$ on the circle such that $a$ is (strictly) closer to $A$ than any other point in $S$, $b$ is closer to $B$ than any other point in $S$ and $c$ is closer to $C$ than any other point in $S$.
  • Show that for no value of $n$ can four such points in $S$ (and corresponding points on the circle) be guaranteed.

Solution

Problem 4

Let $ABC$ be a triangle with circumradius $R$, perimeter $P$ and area $K$. Determine the maximum value of $KP/R^3$.

Solution

Problem 5

Let's say that an ordered triple of positive integers $(a,b,c)$ is $n$-\emph{powerful} if $a \le b \le c$, $\gcd(a,b,c) = 1$, and $a^n + b^n + c^n$ is divisible by $a+b+c$. For example, $(1,2,2)$ is 5-powerful.

  • Determine all ordered triples (if any) which are $n$-powerful for all $n \ge 1$.
  • Determine all ordered triples (if any) which are 2004-powerful and 2005-powerful, but not 2007-powerful.

Solution

Resources

2005 Canadian MO