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Time : 4 hrs. January 19, 2020

SOLUTIONS
for
35th Indian National Mathematical
Olympiad-2020
Instructions :
1. Calculators (in any form) and protractors are not allowed.
2. Rulers and compasses are allowed.
3. All questions carry equal marks. Maximum marks : 102.
4. Answer all the questions.
5. Answer to each question should start on a new page. Clearly indicate the question number.

1. Let 1 and 2 be two circles of unequal radii, with centres O1 and O2 respectively, in the plane intersecting in two
distinct points A and B . Assume that the centre of each of the circles 1 and 2 is outside the other. The tangent
to 1 at B intersects 2 again in C, different from B, the tangent to 2 at B intersects 1 again in D, different from
B. The bisectors of DAB and CAB meet 1 and 2 again in X and Y, respectively, different from A. Let P and
Q be the circumcenter of triangles ACD and XAY respectively. Prove that PQ is the perpendicular bisector of
the segment O1O2.
Sol. Let O1BD = 
Then O2BC = (O1BO2 – 90º) = (O1BD + 90º) – 90º = 

Also O1BD and O2BC are isosceles, hence

BO1D = BO2C = 180º – 2

SO DAB = CAB = 90º + 

∵ P is the point of intersection of perpendicular bisectors of AD and AC, which means PO1  AD and
PO2  AC

∵ PO1O2 = 90º –  = PO2O1

So PO1O2 is isosceles

Similarly QO1O2 is isosceles

Hence two isosceles triangles PO1O2 and QO1O2 are formed on same base O1O2, then PQ will be the
perpendicular bisector of O1O2.
 35th Indian National Mathematical Olympiad-2020

D 2
1 

A
90° +  (90° + )

O1 O2
 

X Y

2. Suppose P(x) is a polynomial with real coefficients satisfying the condition

P(cos + sin) = P(cos – sin),
for every real . Prove that P(x) can be expressed in the form
P(x) = a0 + a1 (1 – x2)2 + a2(1 – x2)4 + ..... +an(1 – x2)2n.
for some real numbers a0, a1, a2 ...., an and nonnegative integer n.
Sol. P(cos + sin) = P(cos – sin) R


Put  
2
 P(1) = P(–1) = C0
So, x + 1 | P(x) – C0 and x – 1 | P(x) – C0
 (x2 – 1) | P(x) – C0
Consider P(x) – C0 = (x2 – 1) Q(x) ... (1)
Put x = cos + sin and x = cos – sin
sin2.Q(cos + sin) = – sin2.Q(cos – sin) R
 Q(cos + sin) = – Q(cos – sin)
Put  = 0  Q(1) = 0  x – 1 | Q(x)
Put  =   Q(–1) = 0  x + 1 | Q(x)
 (x2 – 1) |Q(x)
Consider q(x) = (x2 – 1) R(x) ... (2)
From (1) and (2),

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 35 th Indian National Mathematical Olympiad-2020
P(x) – C0 = (x2 – 1)2.R(x) ... (3)
Again put x = cos + sin and x = cos – sin
R(cos + sin) = R(cos – sin)
So R(x) satisfies the same condition as P(x) satisfies.
Hence R(x) – d0 = (x2 – 1)2. S(x) ... (4)
And so on.
From (3) and (4),
P(x) – C0 = (x2 – 1)2 (d0 + (x2 – 1)2 .S(x))
 P(x) = C0 + d0(x2 – 1)2 + e0(x2 – 1)4 + ......
3. Let X = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Let S  X be such that any positive integer n can be written as p + q where
the non-negative integers p, q have all their digits in S. Find the smallest possible number of elements in S.
Sol. First of all we should find a suitable set S for single digit integers n.
So n = p + q where n = 0,1, 2, 3, ..., 9
For this 0 and 1 are compulsory elements of S, while 9 would be least important elements of S.
0=0+0
1=1+0
2=1+1
for n = 3 we need either 2 or 3 in S.
Case I: When 2 is present in S
3=2+1
4=2+2
for n = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 we need any two as following (4, 5) or (4, 7).
Case II: When 3 is present in S
3=3+0
4=3+1
for n = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 we need any two as following (4, 5) or (4, 6) or (4, 8) or (4, 9) and so on.
So in both cases we find |S|  5.
If we assume |S| = 4
Let x1, x2, x3, x4  S
Then {x1 + x1, x1 + x2, x1 + x3, x1 + x4, x2 + x2, x2 + x3, x2 + x4, x3+ x3, x3 + x4 and x4 + x4} are the possible ten
sums which must be a permutation of {0, 1, 2 ,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}.
Clearly x1 + x1, x2 + x2, x3 + x3 and x4 + x4 are even.
Some other should also be even.
WLOG let x1 + x2 is even, then remaining five sums must be odd, which is not possible
because if x1  odd  x2  odd
 x3  even (as x2 + x3  odd)
and x4  even (as x2 + x4  odd)
hence x3 + x4 will be even.
So, |S| = 4 is impossible.
Now if n has more than one digit. So we can split all digits of n into two parts using elements of S.
(For example if S = {0, 1, 2, 4, 5} then 8 = 4 + 4 and 6 = 2 + 4 then 868 = 424 + 444)
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4. Let n  3 be an integer and let 1 < a1  a2  a3  ....  an be n real numbers such that a1 + a2 + a3 + ...+ an
= 2n. Prove that
a1a2.......an–1 + a1a2.....an–2 + .......+a1a2 + a1 + 2  a1a1.....an
Sol. Let P(n)  a1a2...an–1 + a1a2...an–2 + ...+ a1a2 + a1 + 2  a1  a2  a3 . ..an here a1 + a2 + a3 + ... + an = 2n and
1  a1  a2  ...  an
So clearly an  2 and a1  2
Now P(2) : a1 + 2  a1a2 where a1 + a2 = 4
 a12 – 3a1 + 2  0
 a1[1, 2] which is true, so P(2) is true
P(3) : from P(2)
a1 + 2  a1a2  a1a3 + 2a3  a1a2a3 (here a3  2)
 a1a2 + a3 + a3  a1a2a3
 a1a2 + a1 + 2  a1a2a3
So P(3) is true
Let P(k) is also true. So
2 + a1 + a1a2 + ... + a1a2a3 ... ak–1  a1a2a3 ...ak
P(k + 1) : In P(k) multiply ak+1 both sides.
2ak+1 + a1ak+1 + a1a2ak+1 + ... + a1a2a3  ak–1ak+1  a1a2a3...ak  ak+1
 ak+1 + ak+1 + a1ak+1 + a1a2ak+1 + ...+a1a2...ak–1  ak+1  a1  a2 ...ak+1
{∵ ak+1  2 and a1  a2  a3  ...  ak+1}
 2 + a1 + a1a2 + a1a2a3 + ...+ a1a2 ...ak–1  ak  a1a2 ... ak+1
So P(k + 1) is also true
Hence P(n) is true for all n  N, n  3
5. Infinitely many equidistant parallel lines are drawn in the plane. A positive integer n  3 is called frameable if it
is possible to draw a regular polygon with n sides all whose vertices lie on these lines and no line contains more
than one vertex of the polygon.
(a) Show that 3, 4, 6 are frameable
(b) Show that any integer n  7 is not frameable
(c) Determine whether 5 is frameable
Sol. If a line segment has both ends on any two given lines, and another equal and parallel segment has one end on
any given line, then its other vertex must lie on any one of the given line. (Statement : 1)
Let a n-sided regular polygon is frameable for n  7.

O
A1 M3

A2 M2

A3 A4 M1
Ai’s lie on the parallel lines. We draw line segments parallel and equal to sides of this polygon from point O (which
lies on any one of these lines), then we will get line segments OM1, OM2, …, OMn of equal lengths whose ends
(i.e. Mi) lie on these parallel lines (from Statement : 1)

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 35 th Indian National Mathematical Olympiad-2020

Now we got a regular polygon M1 M2 M3 … Mn. In this polygon angle subtended by each side on centre is less
than 60° (∵ n  7) hence Mi Mi + 1 < Ai Ai + 1. If we use infinite decent like this, we will get some regular polygon
having side length less than the distance between parallel lines (which is impossible). Hence contradiction.

So the only possible value of n are 3, 4, 5 or 6.

For n = 5

M3
A4 M2
72°
A5 A3 72°
72° M1
O 72°
A1 A2 72°
M5
M4

We formed a polygon M1M2M3M4M5 whose all vertices are on given lines (as discussed earlier).

Let N i be the reflection of M i about O, hence N 1 N 2 N 3 N 4 N 5 is also such polygon, which implies
M1N1M2N2M3N3M4N4M5N5 is a regular decagon whose vertices are on the given lines, which is impossible.

Hence 5 is not frameable.

n = 3, 4 and 6 can easily be observed from the diagram.

n=3
n=4

n=6
6. A stromino is a 3 × 1 rectangle. Show that a 5 × 5 board divided into twenty-five 1 × 1 squares cannot be covered
by 16 strominos such that each stromino covers exactly three unit squares of the board and every unit square
is covered by either one or two strominos. (A stromino can be placed either horizontally or vertically one the board)

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 35th Indian National Mathematical Olympiad-2020

Sol. First we try to fill the squares so that each square is overlapped by one stromino only. Hence we can use 8
strominoes and one square will be left vacant. One of the possible way to do this will be

For the second layer we first try to cover that square which was left vacant. In this way if we use seven
strominoes, there will be no three vacant squares in a row, hence the last stromino will cover any other square
which already has two layers.

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