Olympiad Problems Arranged by MOHS

Some Olympiad Mathematics Problems
arranged by MOHS Hardness Scale
December 1, 2020
1
Introduction
Evan Chen has introduced a “MOHS hardness scale” for rating the difficulty of
mathematics contest problems in his blog:
https://usamo.wordpress.com/2019/11/26/mohs-hardness-scale/
The scales are from 0M to roughly 50M, with intermediate steps being 5. The
higher the scale, the more difficult the problem is. MOHS has became popular
among AoPS community and you can find numerous discussions on how hard a
problem is and what is its MOHS every now and then.
This collection contains 336 problems on Algebra, Combinatorics, Geometry and
Number Theory of some IMO, USAMO, USA TSTST and USA TST arranged by
their MOHS in increasing order, according to the index available here:
https://web.evanchen.cc/upload/MOHS-hardness.pdf
We use the following AoPS resources for this collection:
IMO Collection, USAMO Collection, USA TSTST, USA TST
The distribution of problems is depicted in the diagram below:
60 56
50 48 47
40
31 31
30 29 29
27
25
20
10 8
3 2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
We hope this collection will have future updates and will be beneficial for math-
ematics contests training purposes.
Rustam Turdibaev and Olimjon Olimov

2
Contents
1 Algebra 4
1.1 0 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 5 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3 10 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4 15 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.5 20 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.6 25 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.7 30 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.8 35 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.9 40 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.10 45 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.11 50 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2 Combinatorics 19
2.1 0 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.2 5 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.3 10 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.4 15 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.5 20 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
2.6 25 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.7 30 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.8 35 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.9 40 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.10 45 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.11 50 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.12 55 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3 Geometry 46
3.1 5 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.2 10 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.3 15 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
3.4 20 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
3.5 25 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.6 30 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.7 35 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.8 40 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3.9 45 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.10 50 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3.11 55 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3
4 Number Theory 63
4.1 0 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4.2 5 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4.3 10 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4.4 15 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4.5 20 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4.6 25 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
4.7 30 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4.8 35 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4.9 40 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
4.10 45 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4.11 50 M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4
1 Algebra
1.1 0M
1. (USAMO 2012 P1) Find all integers n ≥ 3 such that among any n positive
real numbers a1 , a2 , . . . , an with max(a1 , a2 , . . . , an ) ≤ n·min(a1 , a2 , . . . , an ),
there exist three that are the side lengths of an acute triangle.
AoPS discussion thread
1.2 5M
2. (IMO 2000, P2) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers so that abc = 1. Prove
that
1 1 1
a−1+ b−1+ c−1+ ≤ 1.
b c a
3. (IMO 2001, P4) Let n be an odd integer greater than 1 and let c1 , c2 , . . . , cn
be integers. For each permutation a = (a1 , a2 , . . . , an ) of {1, 2, . . . , n}, define
Xn
S(a) = ci ai . Prove that there exist permutations a 6= b of {1, 2, . . . , n}
i=1
such that n! is a divisor of S(a) − S(b).
4. (IMO 2007, P1) Real numbers a1 , a2 , . . ., an are given. For each i, (1 ≤ i ≤
n), define
di = max{aj | 1 ≤ j ≤ i} − min{aj | i ≤ j ≤ n}
and let d = max{di | 1 ≤ i ≤ n}.
(a) Prove that, for any real numbers x1 ≤ x2 ≤ · · · ≤ xn ,
d
max{|xi − ai | | 1 ≤ i ≤ n} ≥ . (∗)
2
(b) Show that there are real numbers x1 ≤ x2 ≤ · · · ≤ xn such that the
equality holds in (*).
5. (IMO 2014, P1) Let a0 < a1 < a2 . . . be an infinite sequence of positive
integers. Prove that there exists a unique integer n ≥ 1 such that
a0 + a1 + a2 + · · · + an
an < ≤ an+1 .
n

5
6. (IMO 2019, P1) Let Z be the set of integers. Determine all functions f :
Z → Z such that, for all integers a and b,
f (2a) + 2f (b) = f (f (a + b)).

7. (USAMO 2002 P2) Let ABC be a triangle such that
2 2 2 2
A B C 6s
cot + 2 cot + 3 cot = ,
2 2 2 7r
where s and r denote its semiperimeter and its inradius, respectively. Prove
that triangle ABC is similar to a triangle T whose side lengths are all positive
integers with no common divisors and determine these integers.
8. (USA TST 2014, P4) Let n be a positive even integer, and let c1 , c2 , . . . , cn−1
be real numbers satisfying
n−1
X
|ci − 1| < 1.
i=1
Prove that
2xn − cn−1 xn−1 + cn−2 xn−2 − · · · − c1 x1 + 2
has no real roots.
1.3 10 M
9. (IMO 2004, P4) Let n ≥ 3 be an integer. Let t1 , t2 , ..., tn be positive real
numbers such that

1 1 1
n2 + 1 > (t1 + t2 + · · · + tn ) + + ··· + .
t1 t2 tn
Show that ti , tj , tk are side lengths of a triangle for all i, j, k with 1 ≤ i <
j < k ≤ n.
10. (IMO 2008, P4) Find all functions f : (0, ∞) 7→ (0, ∞) (so f is a function
from the positive real numbers) such that
(f (w))2 + (f (x))2 w2 + x2
= 2
f (y 2 ) + f (z 2 ) y + z2
6
for all positive real numbers w, x, y, z, satisfying wx = yz.

11. (IMO 2010, P1) Find all function f : R → R such that for all x, y ∈ R the
following equality holds
f (bxc y) = f (x) bf (y)c
where bac is greatest integer not greater than a.
12. (USAMO 2000 P1) Call a real-valued function f very convex if

f (x) + f (y) x+y
≥f + |x − y|
2 2
holds for all real numbers x and y. Prove that no very convex function exists.
13. (USAMO 2000 P2) Let S be the set of all triangles ABC for which

1 1 1 3 6
5 + + − = ,
AP BQ CR min{AP, BQ, CR} r
where r is the inradius and P, Q, R are the points of tangency of the incir-
cle with sides AB, BC, CA, respectively. Prove that all triangles in S are
isosceles and similar to one another.
14. (USAMO 2002 P4) Let R be the set of real numbers. Determine all functions
f : R → R such that
f (x2 − y 2 ) = xf (x) − yf (y)
for all pairs of real numbers x and y.
15. (USAMO 2006 P2) For a given positive integer k find, in terms of k, the
minimum value of N for which there is a set of 2k + 1 distinct positive
integers that has sum greater than N but every subset of size k has sum at
most N2 .
16. (USAMO 2006 P4) Find all positive integers n such that there are k ≥ 2
positive rational numbers a1 , a2 , . . . , ak satisfying a1 + a2 + . . . + ak = a1 ·
a2 · · · ak = n.
7
17. (USAMO 2007 P1) Let n be a positive integer. Define a sequence by setting
a1 = n and, for each k > 1, letting ak be the unique integer in the range
0 ≤ ak ≤ k − 1 for which a1 + a2 + · · · + ak is divisible by k. For instance,
when n = 9 the obtained sequence is 9, 1, 2, 0, 3, 3, 3, . . . . Prove that for any
n the sequence a1 , a2 , . . . eventually becomes constant.
18. (USAMO 2009 P4) For n ≥ 2 let a1 , a2 , . . . an be positive real numbers such
that 2
1 1 1 1
(a1 + a2 + · · · + an ) + + ··· + ≤ n+ .
a1 a2 an 2
Prove that max(a1 , a2 , . . . , an ) ≤ 4 min(a1 , a2 , . . . , an ).
19. (USAMO 2011 P1) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that a2 + b2 +
c2 + (a + b + c)2 ≤ 4. Prove that
ab + 1 bc + 1 ca + 1
2
+ 2
+ ≥ 3.
(a + b) (b + c) (c + a)2

20. (USAMO 2013 P4) Find all real numbers x, y, z ≥ 1 satisfying
√ √ √ √ p √
min( x + xyz, y + xyz, z + xyz) = x − 1 + y − 1 + z − 1.

21. (USAMO 2014 P1) Let a, b, c, d be real numbers such that b − d ≥ 5 and all
zeros x1 , x2 , x3 , and x4 of the polynomial P (x) = x4 + ax3 + bx2 + cx + d are
real. Find the smallest value the product (x21 + 1)(x22 + 1)(x23 + 1)(x24 + 1)
can take.
22. (USAMO
√ 2018 P1) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c =
4 abc. Prove that
3
2(ab + bc + ca) + 4 min(a2 , b2 , c2 ) ≥ a2 + b2 + c2 .

23. (USA TST 2015, P4) Let f : Q → Q be a function such that for any x, y ∈ Q,
the number f (x + y) − f (x) − f (y) is an integer. Decide whether it follows
that there exists a constant c such that f (x) − cx is an integer for every
rational number x.
8

24. (USA TSTST 2015, P1) Let a1 , a2 , . . . , an be a sequence of real numbers,
and let m be a fixed positive integer less than n. We say an index k with
1 ≤ k ≤ n is good if there exists some ` with 1 ≤ ` ≤ m such that
ak + ak+1 + ... + ak+`−1 ≥ 0, where the indices are taken modulo n. Let T
be the set of all good indices. Prove that
P
ak ≥ 0.
k∈T
1.4 15 M
25. (IMO 2002, P5) Find all functions f from the reals to the reals such that
(f (x) + f (z)) (f (y) + f (t)) = f (xy − zt) + f (xt + yz)
for all real x, y, z, t.

26. (IMO 2005, P2) Let a1 , a2 , . . . be a sequence of integers with infinitely many
positive and negative terms. Suppose that for every positive integer n the
numbers a1 , a2 , . . . , an leave n different remainders upon division by n.
Prove that every integer occurs exactly once in the sequence a1 , a2 , . . ..
27. (IMO 2009, P5) Determine all functions f from the set of positive integers to
the set of positive integers such that, for all positive integers a and b, there
exists a non-degenerate triangle with sides of lengths
a, f (b) and f (b + f (a) − 1).
(A triangle is non-degenerate if its vertices are not collinear.)

28. (IMO 2012, P2) Let n ≥ 3 be an integer, and let a2 , a3 , . . . , an be positive
real numbers such that a2 a3 · · · an = 1. Prove that
(1 + a2 )2 (1 + a3 )3 · · · (1 + an )n > nn .

29. (IMO 2012, P4) Find all functions f : Z → Z such that, for all integers a, b, c
that satisfy a + b + c = 0, the following equality holds:
f (a)2 + f (b)2 + f (c)2 = 2f (a)f (b) + 2f (b)f (c) + 2f (c)f (a).

9
(Here Z denotes the set of integers.)

30. (USAMO 2003 P5) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers. Prove that
(2a + b + c)2 (2b + c + a)2 (2c + a + b)2
+ + ≤ 8.
2a2 + (b + c)2 2b2 + (c + a)2 2c2 + (a + b)2

31. (USAMO 2012 P4) Find all functions f : Z+ → Z+ (where Z+ is the set of
positive integers) such that f (n!) = f (n)! for all positive integers n and such
that m − n divides f (m) − f (n) for all distinct positive integers m, n.
32. (USAMO 2019 P1) Let N be the set of positive integers. A function f : N →
N satisfies the equation
n2
f (f (. . . f (n) . . .)) =
| {z } f (f (n))
f (n) times
for all positive integers n. Given this information, determine all possible
values of f (1000).
33. (USA TST 2020, P1) Choose positive integers b1 , b2 , . . . satisfying
b1 b2 b3 b4
1= > > > > ···
12 22 32 42
and let r denote the largest real number satisfying nbn2 ≥ r for all positive
integers n. What are the possible values of r across all possible choices of
the sequence (bn )?
34. (USA TSTST 2014, P4) Let P (x) and Q(x) be arbitrary polynomials with
real coefficients, and let d be the degree of P (x). Assume that P (x) is not
the zero polynomial. Prove that there exist polynomials A(x) and B(x) such
that:
(i) both A and B have degree at most d/2
(ii) at most one of A and B is the zero polynomial.
A(x)+Q(x)B(x)
(iii) P (x) is a polynomial with real coefficients. That is, there is some
polynomial C(x) with real coefficients such that A(x) + Q(x)B(x) =
P (x)C(x).
10
1.5 20 M
35. (IMO 2001, P2) Prove that for all positive real numbers a, b, c,
a b c
√ +√ +√ ≥ 1.
a2 + 8bc b2 + 8ca c2 + 8ab

36. (IMO 2004, P2) Find all polynomials f with real coefficients such that for
all reals a, b, c such that ab + bc + ca = 0 we have the following relations
f (a − b) + f (b − c) + f (c − a) = 2f (a + b + c).

37. (IMO 2008, P2) (a) Prove that
x2 y2 z2
+ + ≥1
(x − 1)2 (y − 1)2 (z − 1)2
for all real numbers x, y, z, each different from 1, and satisfying xyz = 1.
(b) Prove that equality holds above for infinitely many triples of rational
numbers x, y, z, each different from 1, and satisfying xyz = 1.
38. (USAMO 2018 P2) Find all functions f : (0, ∞) → (0, ∞) such that

1 1 1
f x+ +f y+ +f z+ =1
y z x
for all x, y, z > 0 with xyz = 1.
39. (USA TSTST 2019, P1) Find all binary operations ♦ : R>0 × R>0 → R>0
(meaning ♦ takes pairs of positive real numbers to positive real numbers)
such that for any real numbers a, b, c > 0,
• the equation a ♦ (b ♦ c) = (a ♦ b) · c holds; and
• if a ≥ 1 then a ♦ a ≥ 1.
11
1.6 25 M
40. (IMO 2003, P5) Let n be a positive integer and let x1 ≤ x2 ≤ · · · ≤ xn be
real numbers. Prove that
n
!2 n
X 2(n2 − 1) X
|xi − xj | ≤ (xi − xj )2 .
i,j=1
3 i,j=1
Show that the equality holds if and only if x1 , . . . , xn is an arithmetic se-
quence.
41. (IMO 2013, P5) Let Q>0 be the set of all positive rational numbers. Let
f : Q>0 → R be a function satisfying the following three conditions:
(i) for all x, y ∈ Q>0 , we have f (x)f (y) ≥ f (xy);
(ii) for all x, y ∈ Q>0 , we have f (x + y) ≥ f (x) + f (y);
(iii) there exists a rational number a > 1 such that f (a) = a.
Prove that f (x) = x for all x ∈ Q>0 .
42. (IMO 2016, P5) The equation
(x − 1)(x − 2) · · · (x − 2016) = (x − 1)(x − 2) · · · (x − 2016)
is written on the board, with 2016 linear factors on each side. What is the
least possible value of k for which it is possible to erase exactly k of these
4032 linear factors so that at least one factor remains on each side and the
resulting equation has no real solutions?
43. (IMO 2020, P2) The real numbers a, b, c, d are such that a ≥ b ≥ c ≥ d > 0
and a + b + c + d = 1. Prove that
(a + 2b + 3c + 4d)aa bb cc dd < 1

44. (USAMO 2003 P3) Let n 6= 0. For every sequence of integers
A = a0 , a1 , a2 , . . . , an
satisfying 0 ≤ ai ≤ i, for i = 0, . . . , n, define another sequence
t(A) = t(a0 ), t(a1 ), t(a2 ), . . . , t(an )
12
by setting t(ai ) to be the number of terms in the sequence A that precede the
term ai and are different from ai . Show that, starting from any sequence A
as above, fewer than n applications of the transformation t lead to a sequence
B such that t(B) = B.
45. (USAMO 2004 P5) Let a, b, c > 0. Prove that
(a5 − a2 + 3)(b5 − b2 + 3)(c5 − c2 + 3) ≥ (a + b + c)3 .

46. (USAMO 2014 P2) Let Z be the set of integers. Find all functions f : Z → Z
such that
2 f (x)2
xf (2f (y) − x) + y f (2x − f (y)) = + f (yf (y))
x
for all x, y ∈ Z with x 6= 0.
47. (USAMO 2016 P4) Find all functions f : R → R such that for all real
numbers x and y,
(f (x) + xy) · f (x − 3y) + (f (y) + xy) · f (3x − y) = (f (x + y))2 .

48. (USAMO 2019 P6) Find all polynomials P with real coefficients such that
P (x) P (y) P (z)
+ + = P (x − y) + P (y − z) + P (z − x)
yz zx xy
holds for all nonzero real numbers x, y, z satisfying 2xyz = x + y + z.
49. (USA TST 2016, P5) Let n ≥ 4 be an integer. Find all functions W :
{1, . . . , n}2 → R such that for every partition [n] = A ∪ B ∪ C into disjoint
sets, XXX
W (a, b)W (b, c) = |A||B||C|.
a∈A b∈B c∈C

50. (USA TSTST 2014, P3) Find all polynomials P (x) with real coefficients that
satisfy √ p
P (x 2) = P (x + 1 − x2 )
13
for all real x with |x| ≤ 1.

51. (USA TSTST 2016, P1) Let A = A(x, y) and B = B(x, y) be two-variable
polynomials with real coefficients. Suppose that A(x, y)/B(x, y) is a polyno-
mial in x for infinitely many values of y, and a polynomial in y for infinitely
many values of x. Prove that B divides A, meaning there exists a third
polynomial C with real coefficients such that A = B · C.
52. (USA TSTST 2017, P3) Consider solutions to the equation
f (x)
x2 − cx + 1 = ,
g(x)
where f and g are polynomials with nonnegative real coefficients. For each
c > 0, determine the minimum possible degree of f , or show that no such
f, g exist.
1.7 30 M
53. (IMO 2005, P3) Let x, y, z be three positive reals such that xyz ≥ 1. Prove
that
x5 − x2 y5 − y2 z5 − z2
+ + ≥ 0.
x5 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 5 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 5

54. (IMO 2015, P6) The sequence a1 , a2 , . . . of integers satisfies the conditions:
(i) 1 ≤ aj ≤ 2015 for all j ≥ 1, (ii) k + ak 6= ` + a` for all 1 ≤ k < `.
Prove that there exist two positive integers b and N for which
n
X
(aj − b) ≤ 10072

j=m+1
for all integers m and n such that n > m ≥ N .

55. (IMO 2018, P2) Find all integers n ≥ 3 for which there exist real numbers
a1 , a2 , . . . an+2 satisfying an+1 = a1 , an+2 = a2 and
ai ai+1 + 1 = ai+2 ,
14
for i = 1, 2, . . . , n.
56. (USAMO 2001 P3) Let a, b, c ≥ 0 and satisfy
a2 + b2 + c2 + abc = 4.
Show that
0 ≤ ab + bc + ca − abc ≤ 2.

57. (USAMO 2002 P3) Prove that any monic polynomial (a polynomial with
leading coefficient 1) of degree n with real coefficients is the average of two
monic polynomials of degree n with n real roots.
58. (USAMO 2014 P3) Prove that there exists an infinite set of points
. . . , P−3 , P−2 , P−1 , P0 , P1 , P2 , P3 , . . .
in the plane with the following property:

For any three distinct integers a, b, and c, points Pa , Pb , and Pc are
collinear if and only if a + b + c = 2014.
59. (USAMO 2015 P6) Consider 0 < λ < 1, and let A be a multiset of positive
integers. Let An = {a ∈ A : a ≤ n}. Assume that for every n ∈ N, the set
An contains at most nλ numbers. Show that there are infinitely many n ∈ N
for which the sum of the elements in An is at most n(n+1)2 λ. (A multiset is
a set-like collection of elements in which order is ignored, but repetition of
elements is allowed and multiplicity of elements is significant. For example,
multisets {1, 2, 3} and {2, 1, 3} are equivalent, but {1, 1, 2, 3} and {1, 2, 3}
differ.)
60. (USAMO 2017 P6) Find the minimum possible value of
a b c d
+ + +
b3 + 4 c3 + 4 d3 + 4 a3 + 4
given that a, b, c, d are nonnegative real numbers such that a + b + c + d = 4.
15
61. (USA TST 2018, P2) Find all functions f : Z2 → [0, 1] such that for any
integers x and y,
f (x − 1, y) + f (x, y − 1)
f (x, y) = .
2
62. (USA TSTST 2015, P4) Let x, y, and z be real numbers (not necessarily
positive) such that
x4 + y 4 + z 4 + xyz = 4.
√
Show that x ≤ 2 and 2 − x ≥ y+z2 .

63. (USA TSTST 2017, P6) A sequence of positive integers (an )n≥1 is of Fi-
bonacci type if it satisfies the recursive relation an+2 = an+1 + an for all
n ≥ 1. Is it possible to partition the set of positive integers into an infinite
number of Fibonacci type sequences?
64. (USA TSTST 2018, P6) Let S = {1, . . . , 100}, and for every positive integer
n define
Tn = {(a1 , . . . , an ) ∈ S n | a1 + · · · + an ≡ 0 (mod 100)} .
Determine which n have the following property: if we color any 75 elements
of S red, then at least half of the n-tuples in Tn have an even number of
coordinates with red elements.
1.8 35 M
65. (IMO 2001, P6) Let a > b > c > d be positive integers and suppose that
ac + bd = (b + d + a − c)(b + d − a + c).
Prove that ab + cd is not prime.
66. (IMO 2002, P3) Find all pairs of positive integers m, n ≥ 3 for which there
exist infinitely many positive integers a such that
am + a − 1
an + a2 − 1
is itself an integer.
16
67. (IMO 2006, P3) Determine the least real number M such that the inequality
|ab(a2 − b2 ) + bc(b2 − c2 ) + ca(c2 − a2 )| ≤ M (a2 + b2 + c2 )2
holds for all real numbers a, b and c.

68. (IMO 2015, P5) Let R be the set of real numbers. Determine all functions
f : R → R that satisfy the equation
f (x + f (x + y)) + f (xy) = x + f (x + y) + yf (x)
for all real numbers x and y.

1.9 40 M
69. (IMO 2009, Problem P3) Suppose that s1 , s2 , s3 , . . . is a strictly increasing
sequence of positive integers such that the sub-sequences
ss1 , ss2 , ss3 , . . . and ss1 +1 , ss2 +1 , ss3 +1 , . . .
are both arithmetic progressions. Prove that the sequence s1 , s2 , s3 , . . . is

itself an arithmetic progression.
70. (IMO 2010, Problem P3) Find all functions g : N → N such that
(g(m) + n) (g(n) + m)
is a perfect square for all m, n ∈ N.

71. (IMO 2010, Problem P6) Let a1 , a2 , a3 , . . . be a sequence of positive real
numbers, and s be a positive integer, such that
an = max{ak + an−k | 1 ≤ k ≤ n − 1} for all n > s.
Prove there exist positive integers ` ≤ s and N , such that
an = a` + an−` for all n ≥ N.

17
72. (IMO 2011, Problem P3) Let f : R → R be a real-valued function defined

on the set of real numbers that satisfies
f (x + y) ≤ yf (x) + f (f (x))
for all real numbers x and y. Prove that f (x) = 0 for all x ≤ 0.
73. (IMO 2017, Problem P2) Let R be the set of real numbers. Determine all
functions f : R → R such that, for any real numbers x and y,
f (f (x)f (y)) + f (x + y) = f (xy).

74. (USA TST 2017, P3) Let P, Q ∈ R[x] be relatively prime nonconstant poly-
nomials. Show that there can be at most three real numbers λ such that
P + λQ is the square of a polynomial.
1.10 45 M
75. (IMO 2012, P6) Find all positive integers n for which there exist non-negative
integers a1 , a2 , . . . , an such that
1 1 1 1 2 n
+ + · · · + = + + · · · + = 1.
2a1 2a2 2an 3a1 3a2 3an

76. (USAMO 2004 P6) A circle ω is inscribed in a quadrilateral ABCD. Let I
be the center of ω. Suppose that
(AI + DI)2 + (BI + CI)2 = (AB + CD)2 .
Prove that ABCD is an isosceles trapezoid.

77. (USAMO 2020 P3) Let p be an odd prime. An integer x is called a quadratic
non-residue if p does not divide x − t2 for any integer t.
Denote by A the set of all integers a such that 1 ≤ a < p, and both a and
4 − a are quadratic non-residues. Calculate the remainder when the product
of the elements of A is divided by p.
18
78. (USAMO 2020 P6) Let n ≥ 2 be an integer. Let x1 ≥ x2 ≥ · · · ≥ xn and

y1 ≥ y2 ≥ · · · ≥ yn be 2n real numbers such that
0 = x1 + x2 + · · · + xn = y1 + y2 + · · · + yn
and 1 = x21 + x22 + · · · + x2n = y12 + y22 + · · · + yn2 .

Prove that n
X 2
(xi yi − xi yn+i−1 ) ≥ √ .
i=1
n−1
1.11 50 M
79. (IMO 2007, P6) Let n be a positive integer. Consider
S = {(x, y, z) | x, y, z ∈ {0, 1, . . . , n}, x + y + z > 0}
as a set of (n + 1)3 − 1 points in the three-dimensional space. Determine the

smallest possible number of planes, the union of which contains S but does
not include (0, 0, 0).
80. (USAMO 2000 P6) Let a1 , b1 , a2 , b2 , . . . , an , bn be nonnegative real numbers.
Prove that n n
X X
min{ai aj , bi bj } ≤ min{ai bj , aj bi }.
i,j=1 i,j=1

19
2 Combinatorics
2.1 0M
1. (USAMO 2005 P4) Legs L1 , L2 , L3 , L4 of a square table each have length n,
where n is a positive integer. For how many ordered 4-tuples (k1 , k2 , k3 , k4 )
of nonnegative integers can we cut a piece of length ki from the end of leg
Li (i = 1, 2, 3, 4) and still have a stable table?
(The table is stable if it can be placed so that all four of the leg ends touch
the floor. Note that a cut leg of length 0 is permitted.)
2.2 5M
2. (IMO 2002 P1) Let n be a positive integer. Each point (x, y) in the plane,
where x and y are non-negative integers with x + y < n, is colored red or
blue, subject to the following condition: if a point (x, y) is red, then so are
all points (x0 , y 0 ) with x0 ≤ x and y 0 ≤ y. Let A be the number of ways to
choose n blue points with distinct x-coordinates, and let B be the number of
ways to choose n blue points with distinct y-coordinates. Prove that A = B.
3. (IMO 2011, P4) Let n > 0 be an integer. We are given a balance and n
weights of weight 20 , 21 , · · · , 2n−1 . We are to place each of the n weights
on the balance, one after another, in such a way that the right pan is never
heavier than the left pan. At each step we choose one of the weights that
has not yet been placed on the balance, and place it on either the left pan
or the right pan, until all of the weights have been placed.
Determine the number of ways in which this can be done.
4. (USAMO 2002 P1) Let S be a set with 2002 elements, and let N be an
integer with 0 ≤ N ≤ 22002 . Prove that it is possible to color every subset of
S either black or white so that the following conditions hold:
(a) the union of any two white subsets is white;
(b) the union of any two black subsets is black;
(c) there are exactly N white subsets.
20
5. (USAMO 2005 P1) Determine all composite positive integers n for which it
is possible to arrange all divisors of n that are greater than 1 in a circle so
that no two adjacent divisors are relatively prime.
6. (USAMO 2019 P4) Let n be a nonnegative integer. Determine the number
of ways that one can choose (n + 1)2 sets Si,j ⊆ {1, 2, . . . , 2n}, for integers
i, j with 0 ≤ i, j ≤ n, such that:
• for all 0 ≤ i, j ≤ n, the set Si,j has i + j elements; and
• Si,j ⊆ Sk,l whenever 0 ≤ i ≤ k ≤ n and 0 ≤ j ≤ l ≤ n.
2.3 10 M
7. (IMO 2003, P1) Let A be a 101-element subset of the set
S = {1, 2, . . . , 1000000}.
Prove that there exist numbers t1 , t2 , . . . , t100 in S such that the sets
Aj = {x + tj | x ∈ A}, j = 1, 2, . . . , 100
are pairwise disjoint.

8. (USAMO 2002 P5) Let a, b be integers greater than 2. Prove that there exists
a positive integer k and a finite sequence n1 , n2 , . . . , nk of positive integers
such that n1 = a, nk = b, and ni ni+1 is divisible by ni + ni+1 for each i
(1 ≤ i < k).
9. (USAMO 2004 P4) Alice and Bob play a game on a 6 by 6 grid. On his or
her turn, a player chooses a rational number not yet appearing in the grid
and writes it in an empty square of the grid. Alice goes first and then the
players alternate. When all squares have numbers written in them, in each
row, the square with the greatest number in that row is colored black. Alice
wins if she can then draw a line from the top of the grid to the bottom of the
grid that stays in black squares, and Bob wins if she can’t. (If two squares
share a vertex, Alice can draw a line from one to the other that stays in those
two squares.) Find, with proof, a winning strategy for one of the players.
21
10. (USAMO 2005 P5) Let n be an integer greater than 1. Suppose 2n points
are given in the plane, no three of which are collinear. Suppose n of the given
2n points are colored blue and the other n colored red. A line in the plane is
called a balancing line if it passes through one blue and one red point and,
for each side of the line, the number of blue points on that side is equal to
the number of red points on the same side. Prove that there exist at least
two balancing lines.
11. (USAMO 2008 P4) Let P be a convex polygon with n sides, n ≥ 3. Any set
of n − 3 diagonals of P that do not intersect in the interior of the polygon
determine a triangulation of P into n − 2 triangles. If P is regular and
there is a triangulation of P consisting of only isosceles triangles, find all the
possible values of n.
12. (USAMO 2011 P6) Let A be a set with |A| = 225, meaning that A has 225
elements. Suppose further that there are eleven subsets A1 , . . . , A11 of A
such that |Ai | = 45 for 1 ≤ i ≤ 11 and |Ai ∩ Aj | = 9 for 1 ≤ i < j ≤ 11.
Prove that |A1 ∪A2 ∪. . .∪A11 | ≥ 165, and give an example for which equality
holds.
13. (USAMO 2017 P4) Let P1 , P2 , . . . , P2n be 2n distinct points on the unit
circle x2 + y 2 = 1, other than (1, 0). Each point is colored either red or
blue, with exactly n red points and n blue points. Let R1 , R2 , . . . , Rn
be any ordering of the red points. Let B1 be the nearest blue point to R1
traveling counterclockwise around the circle starting from R1 . Then let B2
be the nearest of the remaining blue points to R2 travelling counterclockwise
around the circle from R2 , and so on, until we have labeled all of the blue
points B1 , . . . , Bn . Show that the number of counterclockwise arcs of the
form Ri → Bi that contain the point (1, 0) is independent of the way we
chose the ordering R1 , . . . , Rn of the red points.
14. (USAMO 2018 P4) Let p be a prime, and let a1 , . . . , ap be integers. Show
that there exists an integer k such that the numbers
a1 + k, a2 + 2k, . . . , ap + pk
produce at least 21 p distinct remainders upon division by p.

22
15. (USA TST 2015, P5) A tournament is a directed graph for which every (un-
ordered) pair of vertices has a single directed edge from one vertex to the
other. Let us define a proper directed-edge-coloring to be an assignment of
a color to every (directed) edge, so that for every pair of directed edges −
→
uv
and −→ those two edges are in different colors. Note that it is permissible
vw,
for −
→ and −
uv → to be the same color. The directed-edge-chromatic-number of
uw
a tournament is defined to be the minimum total number of colors that can
be used in order to create a proper directed-edge-coloring. For each n, de-
termine the minimum directed-edge-chromatic-number over all tournaments
on n vertices.
16. (USA TST 2016, P1) Let S = {1, . . . , n}. Given a bijection f : S → S an
orbit of f is a set of the form {x, f (x), f (f (x)), . . . } for some x ∈ S. We
denote by c(f ) the number of distinct orbits of f . For example, if n = 3
and f (1) = 2, f (2) = 1, f (3) = 3, the two orbits are {1, 2} and {3}, hence
c(f ) = 2.
Given k bijections f1 , . . ., fk from S to itself, prove that
c(f1 ) + · · · + c(fk ) ≤ n(k − 1) + c(f )
where f : S → S is the composed function f1 ◦ · · · ◦ fk .

17. (USA TSTST 2014, P1) Let ← denote the left arrow key on a standard
keyboard. If one opens a text editor and types the keys "ab← cd ←← e
←← f", the result is "faecdb". We say that a string B is reachable from a
string A if it is possible to insert some amount of ←’s in A, such that typing
the resulting characters produces B. So, our example shows that "faecdb" is
reachable from "abcdef".
Prove that for any two strings A and B, A is reachable from B if and only
if B is reachable from A.
18. (USA TSTST 2019, P8) Let S be a set of 16 points in the plane, no three
collinear. Let χ(S) denote the number of ways to draw 8 lines with endpoints
in S, such that no two drawn segments intersect, even at endpoints. Find
the smallest possible value of χ(S) across all such S.
23
2.4 15 M
19. (IMO 2000, P4) A magician has one hundred cards numbered 1 to 100. He
puts them into three boxes, a red one, a white one and a blue one, so that
each box contains at least one card. A member of the audience draws two
cards from two different boxes and announces the sum of numbers on those
cards. Given this information, the magician locates the box from which no
card has been drawn.
How many ways are there to put the cards in the three boxes so that the
trick works?
20. (IMO 2008, P5) Let n and k be positive integers with k ≥ n and k − n an
even number. Let 2n lamps labelled 1, 2, ..., 2n be given, each of which can
be either on or off. Initially all the lamps are off. We consider sequences of
steps: at each step one of the lamps is switched (from on to off or from off
to on).
Let N be the number of such sequences consisting of k steps and resulting
in the state where lamps 1 through n are all on, and lamps n + 1 through 2n
are all off.
Let M be number of such sequences consisting of k steps, resulting in the
state where lamps 1 through n are all on, and lamps n + 1 through 2n are
all off, but where none of the lamps n + 1 through 2n is ever switched on.
Determine M.
N

21. (IMO 2014, P2) Let n ≥ 2 be an integer. Consider an n × n chessboard
consisting of n2 unit squares. A configuration of n rooks on this board is
peaceful if every row and every column contains exactly one rook. Find the
greatest positive integer k such that, for each peaceful configuration of n
rooks, there is a k × k square which does not contain a rook on any of its k 2
unit squares.
22. (IMO 2015, P1) We say that a finite set S of points in the plane is balanced
if, for any two different points A and B in S, there is a point C in S such
that AC = BC. We say that S is centre-free if for any three different points
A, B and C in S, there is no points P in S such that P A = P B = P C.
(a) Show that for all integers n ≥ 3, there exists a balanced set consisting of
24
n points.
(b) Determine all integers n ≥ 3 for which there exists a balanced centre-free
set consisting of n points.
23. (IMO 2018, P4) A site is any point (x, y) in the plane such that x and y are
both positive integers less than or equal to 20.
Initially, each of the 400 sites is unoccupied. Amy and Ben take turns placing
stones with Amy going first. On her turn, Amy places a new red stone on
an unoccupied site such that √ the distance between any two sites occupied by
red stones is not equal to 5. On his turn, Ben places a new blue stone on
any unoccupied site. (A site occupied by a blue stone is allowed to be at any
distance from any other occupied site.) They stop as soon as a player cannot
place a stone.
Find the greatest K such that Amy can ensure that she places at least K
red stones, no matter how Ben places his blue stones.
24. (IMO 2019, P5) The Bank of Bath issues coins with an H on one side and a T
on the other. Harry has n of these coins arranged in a line from left to right.
He repeatedly performs the following operation: if there are exactly k > 0
coins showing H, then he turns over the kth coin from the left; otherwise, all
coins show T and he stops. For example, if n = 3 the process starting with
the configuration T HT would be T HT → HHT → HT T → T T T , which
stops after three operations.
(a) Show that, for each initial configuration, Harry stops after a finite number
of operations.
(b) For each initial configuration C, let L(C) be the number of operations
before Harry stops. For example, L(T HT ) = 3 and L(T T T ) = 0. Determine
the average value of L(C) over all 2n possible initial configurations C.
25. (IMO 2020, P4) There is an integer n > 1. There are n2 stations on a slope
of a mountain, all at different altitudes. Each of two cable car companies, A
and B, operates k cable cars; each cable car provides a transfer from one of
the stations to a higher one (with no intermediate stops). The k cable cars
of A have k different starting points and k different finishing points, and a
cable car which starts higher also finishes higher. The same conditions hold
for B. We say that two stations are linked by a company if one can start
25
from the lower station and reach the higher one by using one or more cars of
that company (no other movements between stations are allowed).
Determine the smallest positive integer k for which one can guarantee that
there are two stations that are linked by both companies.
26. (USAMO 2000 P3) A game of solitaire is played with R red cards, W white
cards, and B blue cards. A player plays all the cards one at a time. With
each play he accumulates a penalty. If he plays a blue card, then he is charged
a penalty which is the number of white cards still in his hand. If he plays
a white card, then he is charged a penalty which is twice the number of red
cards still in his hand. If he plays a red card, then he is charged a penalty
which is three times the number of blue cards still in his hand.
Find, as a function of R, W, and B, the minimal total penalty a player can
amass and all the ways in which this minimum can be achieved.
27. (USAMO 2000 P4) Find the smallest positive integer n such that if n squares
of a 1000 × 1000 chessboard are colored, then there will exist three colored
squares whose centers form a right triangle with sides parallel to the edges
of the board.
28. (USAMO 2001 P1) Each of eight boxes contains six balls. Each ball has
been colored with one of n colors, such that no two balls in the same box
are the same color, and no two colors occur together in more than one box.
Determine, with justification, the smallest integer n for which this is possible.
29. (USAMO 2011 P2) An integer is assigned to each vertex of a regular pentagon
so that the sum of the five integers is 2011. A turn of a solitaire game consists
of subtracting an integer m from each of the integers at two neighboring
vertices and adding 2m to the opposite vertex, which is not adjacent to
either of the first two vertices. (The amount m and the vertices chosen can
vary from turn to turn.) The game is won at a certain vertex if, after some
number of turns, that vertex has the number 2011 and the other four vertices
have the number 0. Prove that for any choice of the initial integers, there is
exactly one vertex at which the game can be won.
30. (USAMO 2014 P4) Let k be a positive integer. Two players A and B play
26
a game on an infinite grid of regular hexagons. Initially all the grid cells are
empty. Then the players alternately take turns with A moving first. In his
move, A may choose two adjacent hexagons in the grid which are empty and
place a counter in both of them. In his move, B may choose any counter on
the board and remove it. If at any time there are k consecutive grid cells in
a line all of which contain a counter, A wins. Find the minimum value of k
for which A cannot win in a finite number of moves, or prove that no such
minimum value exists.
31. (USAMO 2015 P4) Steve is piling m ≥ 1 indistinguishable stones on the
squares of an n × n grid. Each square can have an arbitrarily high pile
of stones. After he finished piling his stones in some manner, he can then
perform stone moves, defined as follows. Consider any four grid squares,
which are corners of a rectangle, i.e. in positions (i, k), (i, l), (j, k), (j, l) for
some 1 ≤ i, j, k, l ≤ n, such that i < j and k < l. A stone move consists of
either removing one stone from each of (i, k) and (j, l) and moving them to
(i, l) and (j, k) respectively,j or removing one stone from each of (i, l) and
(j, k) and moving them to (i, k) and (j, l) respectively.
Two ways of piling the stones are equivalent if they can be obtained from
one another by a sequence of stone moves.
How many different non-equivalent ways can Steve pile the stones on the
grid?
32. (USAMO 2016 P1) Let X1 , X2 , . . . , X100 be a sequence of mutually distinct
nonempty subsets of a set S. Any two sets Xi and Xi+1 are disjoint and their
union is not the whole set S, that is, Xi ∩ Xi+1 = ∅ and Xi ∪ Xi+1 6= S, for
all i ∈ {1, . . . , 99}. Find the smallest possible number of elements in S.
33. (USAMO 2016 P6) Integers n and k are given, with n ≥ k ≥ 2. You play
the following game against an evil wizard.
The wizard has 2n cards; for each i = 1, . . . , n, there are two cards labeled i.
Initially, the wizard places all cards face down in a row, in unknown order.
You may repeatedly make moves of the following form: you point to any k of
the cards. The wizard then turns those cards face up. If any two of the cards
match, the game is over and you win. Otherwise, you must look away, while
the wizard arbitrarily permutes the k chosen cards and then turns them back
27
face-down. Then, it is your turn again.

We say this game is winnable if there exist some positive integer m and some
strategy that is guaranteed to win in at most m moves, no matter how the
wizard responds.
For which values of n and k is the game winnable?
34. (USA TST 2017 P1) In a sports league, each team uses a set of at most t
signature colors. A set S of teams is color-identifiable if one can assign each
team in S one of their signature colors, such that no team in S is assigned
any signature color of a different team in S.
For all positive integers n and t, determine the maximum integer g(n, t) such
that: In any sports league with exactly n distinct colors present over all
teams, one can always find a color-identifiable set of size at least g(n, t).
35. (USA TST 2018 P4) Let n be a positive integer and let S ⊆ {0, 1}n be a
set of binary strings of length n. Given an odd number x1 , . . . , x2k+1 ∈ S
of binary strings (not necessarily distinct), their majority is defined as the
binary string y ∈ {0, 1}n for which the ith bit of y is the most common bit
among the ith bits of x1 , . . . , x2k+1 . (For example, if n = 4 the majority of
0000, 0000, 1101, 1100, 0101 is 0100.)
Suppose that for some positive integer k, S has the property Pk that the
majority of any 2k + 1 binary strings in S (possibly with repetition) is also
in S. Prove that S has the same property Pk for all positive integers k.
36. (USA TSTST 2017, P2) Ana and Banana are playing a game. First Ana
picks a word, which is defined to be a nonempty sequence of capital English
letters. (The word does not need to be a valid English word.) Then Banana
picks a nonnegative integer k and challenges Ana to supply a word with
exactly k subsequences which are equal to Ana’s word. Ana wins if she is
able to supply such a word, otherwise she loses.
For example, if Ana picks the word "TST", and Banana chooses k = 4,
then Ana can supply the word "TSTST" which has 4 subsequences which
are equal to Ana’s word.
Which words can Ana pick so that she wins no matter what value of k Banana
chooses?
28
(The subsequences of a string of length n are the 2n strings which are formed
by deleting some of its characters, possibly all or none, while preserving the
order of the remaining characters.)
37. (USA TSTST 2018, P2) In the nation of Onewaynia, certain pairs of cities are
connected by one-way roads. Every road connects exactly two cities (roads
are allowed to cross each other, e.g., via bridges), and each pair of cities has
at most one road between them. Moreover, every city has exactly two roads
leaving it and exactly two roads entering it.
We wish to close half the roads of Onewaynia in such a way that every city
has exactly one road leaving it and exactly one road entering it. Show that
the number of ways to do so is a power of 2 greater than 1 (i.e. of the form
2n for some integer n ≥ 1).
38. (USA TSTST 2019, P4) Consider coins with positive real denominations not
exceeding 1. Find the smallest C > 0 such that the following holds: if we
have any 100 such coins with total value 50, then we can always split them
into two stacks of 50 coins each such that the absolute difference between
the total values of the two stacks is at most C.
2.5 20 M
39. (IMO 2013, P2) A configuration of 4027 points in the plane is called Colom-
bian if it consists of 2013 red points and 2014 blue points, and no three of the
points of the configuration are collinear. By drawing some lines, the plane is
divided into several regions. An arrangement of lines is good for a Colombian
configuration if the following two conditions are satisfied:
i) No line passes through any point of the configuration.
ii) No region contains points of both colors.
Find the least value of k such that for any Colombian configuration of 4027
points, there is a good arrangement of k lines.
40. (USAMO 2010 P2) There are n students standing in a circle, one behind the
other. The students have heights h1 < h2 < · · · < hn . If a student with
height hk is standing directly behind a student with height hk−2 or less, the
29
two students are permitted to switch places. Prove that it is not possible
to make more than 3 such switches before reaching a position in which no
n

further switches are possible.

41. (USAMO 2012 P6) For integer n ≥ 2, let x1 , x2 , . . . , xn be real numbers
satisfying
x1 + x2 + . . . + xn = 0, and x21 + x22 + . . . + x2n = 1.
For each subset A ⊆ {1, 2, . . . , n}, define

X
SA = xi .
i∈A
(If A is the empty set, then SA = 0.)

Prove that for any positive number λ, the number of sets A satisfying SA ≥ λ
is at most 2n−3 /λ2 . For which choices of x1 , x2 , . . . , xn , λ does equality hold?
42. (USAMO 2020 P2) An empty 2020 × 2020 × 2020 cube is given, and a
2020 × 2020 grid of square unit cells is drawn on each of its six faces. A
beam is a 1 × 1 × 2020 rectangular prism. Several beams are placed inside
the cube subject to the following conditions:
• The two 1×1 faces of each beam coincide with unit cells lying on opposite
faces of the cube. (Hence, there are 3 · 20202 possible positions for a
beam.)
• No two beams have intersecting interiors.
• The interiors of each of the four 1 × 2020 faces of each beam touch either
a face of the cube or the interior of the face of another beam.
What is the smallest positive number of beams that can be placed to satisfy
these conditions?
43. (USAMO 2020 P4) Suppose that (a1 , b1 ), (a2 , b2 ), . . . , (a100 , b100 ) are distinct
ordered pairs of nonnegative integers. Let N denote the number of pairs of
integers (i, j) satisfying 1 ≤ i < j ≤ 100 and |ai bj − aj bi | = 1. Determine
the largest possible value of N over all possible choices of the 100 ordered
pairs.
30
44. (USA TST 2020, P4) For a finite simple graph G, we define G0 to be the
graph on the same vertex set as G, where for any two vertices u 6= v, the
pair {u, v} is an edge of G0 if and only if u and v have a common neighbor
in G.
Prove that if G is a finite simple graph which is isomorphic to (G0 )0 , then G
is also isomorphic to G0 .
45. (USA TSTST 2014, P5) Find the maximum number E such that the following
holds: there is an edge-colored graph with 60 vertices and E edges, with
each edge colored either red or blue, such that in that coloring, there is no
monochromatic cycles of length 3 and no monochromatic cycles of length 5.
46. (USA TSTST 2016, P3) Decide whether or not there exists a nonconstant
polynomial Q(x) with integer coefficients with the following property: for
every positive integer n > 2, the numbers
Q(0), Q(1), Q(2), . . . , Q(n − 1)
produce at most 0.499n distinct residues when taken modulo n.

2.6 25 M
47. (IMO 2001, P3) Twenty-one girls and twenty-one boys took part in a math-
ematical competition. It turned out that each contestant solved at most six
problems, and for each pair of a girl and a boy, there was at least one problem
that was solved by both the girl and the boy. Show that there is a problem
that was solved by at least three girls and at least three boys.
48. (IMO 2016, P6) There are n ≥ 2 line segments in the plane such that every
two segments cross and no three segments meet at a point. Geoff has to
choose an endpoint of each segment and place a frog on it facing the other
endpoint. Then he will clap his hands n − 1 times. Every time he claps,each
frog will immediately jump forward to the next intersection point on its
segment. Frogs never change the direction of their jumps. Geoff wishes to
place the frogs in such a way that no two of them will ever occupy the same
intersection point at the same time.
(a) Prove that Geoff can always fulfill his wish if n is odd.
31
(b) Prove that Geoff can never fulfill his wish if n is even.
49. (USAMO 2002 P6) I have an n × n sheet of stamps, from which I’ve been
asked to tear out blocks of three adjacent stamps in a single row or column.
(I can only tear along the perforations separating adjacent stamps, and each
block must come out of the sheet in one piece.) Let b(n) be the smallest
number of blocks I can tear out and make it impossible to tear out any more
blocks. Prove that there are real constants c and d such that
1 2 1
n − cn ≤ b(n) ≤ n2 + dn
7 5
for all n > 0.
50. (USAMO 2007 P4) An animal with n cells is a connected figure consisting
of n equal-sized cells. The figure below shows an 8-cell animal.
A dinosaur is an animal with at least 2007 cells. It is said to be primitive it

its cells cannot be partitioned into two or more dinosaurs. Find with proof
the maximum number of cells in a primitive dinosaur.
Note: Animals are also called polyominoes. They can be defined inductively.
Two cells are adjacent if they share a complete edge. A single cell is an
animal, and given an animal with n cells, one with n + 1 cells is obtained by
adjoining a new cell by making it adjacent to one or more existing cells.
51. (USAMO 2008 P5) Three nonnegative real numbers r1 , r2 , r3 are written on
a blackboard. These numbers have the property that there exist integers a1 ,
a2 , a3 , not all zero, satisfying a1 r1 + a2 r2 + a3 r3 = 0. We are permitted to
perform the following operation: find two numbers x, y on the blackboard
with x ≤ y, then erase y and write y − x in its place. Prove that after a
finite number of such operations, we can end up with at least one 0 on the
blackboard.
32
52. (USAMO 2009 P2) Let n be a positive integer. Determine the size of the
largest subset of {−n, −n + 1, . . . , n − 1, n} which does not contain three
elements a, b, c (not necessarily distinct) satisfying a + b + c = 0.
53. (USAMO 2012 P2) A circle is divided into 432 congruent arcs by 432 points.
The points are colored in four colors such that some 108 points are colored
Red, some 108 points are colored Green, some 108 points are colored Blue,
and the remaining 108 points are colored Yellow. Prove that one can choose
three points of each color in such a way that the four triangles formed by the
chosen points of the same color are congruent.
54. (USAMO 2013 P2) For a positive integer n ≥ 3 plot n equally spaced points
around a circle. Label one of them A, and place a marker at A. One may
move the marker forward in a clockwise direction to either the next point or
the point after that. Hence there are a total of 2n distinct moves available;
two from each point. Let an count the number of ways to advance around the
circle exactly twice, beginning and ending at A, without repeating a move.
Prove that an−1 + an = 2n for all n ≥ 4.
55. (USAMO 2015 P3) Let S = {1, 2, . . . , n}, where n ≥ 1. Each of the 2n
subsets of S is to be colored red or blue. (The subset itself is assigned a color
and not its individual elements.) For any set T ⊆ S, we then write f (T ) for
the number of subsets of T that are blue.
Determine the number of colorings that satisfy the following condition: for
any subsets T1 and T2 of S,
f (T1 )f (T2 ) = f (T1 ∪ T2 )f (T1 ∩ T2 ).

56. (USA TST 2015, P3) A physicist encounters 2015 atoms called usamons.
Each usamon either has one electron or zero electrons, and the physicist
can’t tell the difference. The physicist’s only tool is a diode. The physicist
may connect the diode from any usamon A to any other usamon B. (This
connection is directed.) When she does so, if usamon A has an electron and
usamon B does not, then the electron jumps from A to B. In any other case,
nothing happens. In addition, the physicist cannot tell whether an electron
jumps during any given step. The physicist’s goal is to isolate two usamons
33
that she is sure are currently in the same state. Is there any series of diode
usage that makes this possible?
57. (USA TSTST 2016, P5) n the coordinate plane are finitely many walls; which
are disjoint line segments, none of which are parallel to either axis. A bull-
dozer starts at an arbitrary point and moves in the +x direction. Every time
it hits a wall, it turns at a right angle to its path, away from the wall, and
continues moving. (Thus the bulldozer always moves parallel to the axes.)
Prove that it is impossible for the bulldozer to hit both sides of every wall.
58. (USA TSTST 2018, P7) Let n be a positive integer. A frog starts on the
number line at 0. Suppose it makes a finite sequence of hops, subject to two
conditions:
• The frog visits only points in {1, 2, . . . , 2n − 1}, each at most once.
• The length of each hop is in {20 , 21 , 22 , . . . }. (The hops may be either
direction, left or right.)
Let S be the sum of the (positive) lengths of all hops in the sequence. What
is the maximum possible value of S?
2.7 30 M
59. (IMO 2006, P2) Let P be a regular 2006-gon. A diagonal is called good if
its endpoints divide the boundary of P into two parts, each composed of an
odd number of sides of P . The sides of P are also called good.
Suppose P has been dissected into triangles by 2003 diagonals, no two of
which have a common point in the interior of P . Find the maximum num-
ber of isosceles triangles having two good sides that could appear in such a
configuration.
60. (IMO 2014, P5) For each positive integer n, the Bank of Cape Town issues
coins of denomination n1 . Given a finite collection of such coins (of not
necessarily different denominations) with total value at most most 99 + 12 ,
prove that it is possible to split this collection into 100 or fewer groups, such
that each group has total value at most 1.
34
61. (2016, P2) Find all integers n for which each cell of n × n table can be filled
with one of the letters I, M and O in such a way that: in each row and each
column, one third of the entries are I, one third are M and one third are O;
and in any diagonal, if the number of entries on the diagonal is a multiple of
three, then one third of the entries are I, one third are M and one third are
O. Note. The rows and columns of an n × n table are each labelled 1 to n in
a natural order. Thus each cell corresponds to a pair of positive integer (i, j)
with 1 ≤ i, j ≤ n. For n > 1, the table has 4n − 2 diagonals of two types.
A diagonal of first type consists all cells (i, j) for which i + j is a constant,
and the diagonal of this second type consists all cells (i, j) for which i − j is
constant.
62. (USAMO 2020 P5) A finite set S of points in the coordinate plane is called
overdetermined if |S| ≥ 2 and there exists a nonzero polynomial P (t), with
real coefficients and of degree at most |S| − 2, satisfying P (x) = y for every
point (x, y) ∈ S.
For each integer n ≥ 2, find the largest integer k (in terms of n) such that
there exists a set of n distinct points that is not overdetermined, but has k
overdetermined subsets.
63. (USA TST 2017, P4) You are cheating at a trivia contest. For each question,
you can peek at each of the n > 1 other contestants’ guesses before writing
down your own. For each question, after all guesses are submitted, the emcee
announces the correct answer. A correct guess is worth 0 points. An incorrect
guess is worth −2 points for other contestants, but only −1 point for you,
since you hacked the scoring system. After announcing the correct answer,
the emcee proceeds to read the next question. Show that if you are leading
by 2n−1 points at any time, then you can surely win first place.
64. (USA TST 2019, P5) Let n be a positive integer. Tasty and Stacy are given a
circular necklace with 3n sapphire beads and 3n turquoise beads, such that
no three consecutive beads have the same color. They play a cooperative
game where they alternate turns removing three consecutive beads, subject
to the following conditions:
• Tasty must remove three consecutive beads which are turquoise, sap-
phire, and turquoise, in that order, on each of his turns.
• Stacy must remove three consecutive beads which are sapphire, turquoise,
35
and sapphire, in that order, on each of her turns.

They win if all the beads are removed in 2n turns. Prove that if they can
win with Tasty going first, they can also win with Stacy going first.
2.8 35 M
65. (IMO 2000, P3) Let n ≥ 2 be a positive integer and λ a positive real number.
Initially there are n fleas on a horizontal line, not all at the same point. We
define a move as choosing two fleas at some points A and B, with A to the
left of B, and letting the flea from A jump over the flea from B to the point
C so that BCAB = λ.
Determine all values of λ such that, for any point M on the line and for any
initial position of the n fleas, there exists a sequence of moves that will take
them all to the position right of M .
66. (IMO 2004, P3) Define a "hook" to be a figure made up of six unit squares
as shown below in the picture, or any of the figures obtained by applying
rotations and reflections to this figure.
Determine all m×n rectangles that can be covered without gaps and without
overlaps with hooks such that
- the rectangle is covered without gaps and without overlaps
- no part of a hook covers area outside the rectangle.
67. (IMO 2005, P6) In a mathematical competition, in which 6 problems were
posed to the participants, every two of these problems were solved by more
than 25 of the contestants. Moreover, no contestant solved all the 6 problems.
Show that there are at least 2 contestants who solved exactly 5 problems
each.
68. (IMO 2010, P5) Each of the six boxes B1 , B2 , B3 , B4 , B5 , B6 initially
contains one coin. The following operations are allowed
36
Type 1) Choose a non-empty box Bj , 1 ≤ j ≤ 5, remove one coin from Bj

and add two coins to Bj+1 ;
Type 2) Choose a non-empty box Bk , 1 ≤ k ≤ 4, remove one coin from Bk
and swap the contents (maybe empty) of the boxes Bk+1 and Bk+2 .
Determine if there exists a finite sequence of operations of the allowed types,
such that the five boxes B1 , B2 , B3 , B4 , B5 become empty, while box B6
2010
contains exactly 20102010 coins.
69. (IMO 2014, P6) A set of lines in the plane is in general position if no two are
parallel and no three pass through the same point. A set of lines in general
position cuts the plane into regions, some of which have finite area; we call
these its finite regions. Prove that for all sufficiently large n, in any set of n
√
lines in general position it is possible to colour at least n lines blue in such
a way that none of its finite regions has a completely blue boundary.
√ √
Note: Results with n replaced by c n will be awarded points depending
on the value of the constant c.
70. (IMO 2017, P5) An integer N ≥ 2 is given. A collection of N (N + 1) soccer
players, no two of whom are of the same height, stand in a row. Sir Alex
wants to remove N (N − 1) players from this row leaving a new row of 2N
players in which the following N conditions hold:
(1) no one stands between the two tallest players,
(2) no one stands between the third and fourth tallest players,
..
.
(N ) no one stands between the two shortest players.
Show that this is always possible.
71. (USAMO 2001 P6) Each point in the plane is assigned a real number such
that, for any triangle, the number at the center of its inscribed circle is equal
to the arithmetic mean of the three numbers at its vertices. Prove that all
points in the plane are assigned the same number.
72. (USAMO 2003 P6) At the vertices of a regular hexagon are written six non-
negative integers whose sum is 20032003 . Bert is allowed to make moves of
37
the following form: he may pick a vertex and replace the number written
there by the absolute value of the difference between the numbers written at
the two neighboring vertices. Prove that Bert can make a sequence of moves,
after which the number 0 appears at all six vertices.
73. (USAMO 2004 P3) For what real values of k > 0 is it possible to dissect a
1 × k rectangle into two similar, but noncongruent, polygons?
74. (USAMO 2006 P5) A mathematical frog jumps along the number line. The
frog starts at 1, and jumps according to the following rule: if the frog is at
integer n, then it can jump either to n + 1 or to n + 2mn +1 where 2mn is
the largest power of 2 that is a factor of n. Show that if k ≥ 2 is a positive
integer and i is a nonnegative integer, then the minimum number of jumps
needed to reach 2i k is greater than the minimum number of jumps needed
to reach 2i .
75. (USAMO 2007 P3) Let S be a set containing n2 + n − 1 elements, for some
positive integer n. Suppose that the n-element subsets of S are partitioned
into two classes. Prove that there are at least n pairwise disjoint sets in the
same class.
76. (USAMO 2008 P3) Let n be a positive integer. Denote by Sn the set of
points (x, y) with integer coordinates such that

1
|x| + y + < n.
2
A path is a sequence of distinct points (x1 , y1 ), (x2 , y2 ), . . . , (x` , y` ) in Sn such
that, for i = 2, . . . , `, the distance between (xi , yi ) and (xi−1 , yi−1 ) is 1 (in
other words, the points (xi , yi ) and (xi−1 , yi−1 ) are neighbors in the lattice
of points with integer coordinates). Prove that the points in Sn cannot be
partitioned into fewer than n paths (a partition of Sn into m paths is a set
P of m nonempty paths such that each point in Sn appears in exactly one
of the m paths in P).
77. (USA TST 2014, P3) Let n be an even positive integer, and let G be an
2
n-vertex graph with exactly n4 edges, where there are no loops or multiple
edges (each unordered pair of distinct vertices is joined by either 0 or 1 edge).
38
An unordered pair of distinct vertices {x, y} is said to be amicable if they

have a common neighbor (there is a vertex z such that xz and yz are both
edges). Prove that G has at least 2 2 pairs of vertices which are amicable.
n/2

2.9 40 M
78. (IMO 2017, P3) A hunter and an invisible rabbit play a game in the Euclidean
plane. The rabbit’s starting point, A0 , and the hunter’s starting point, B0
are the same. After n − 1 rounds of the game, the rabbit is at point An−1
and the hunter is at point Bn−1 . In the nth round of the game, three things
occur in order:
• The rabbit moves invisibly to a point An such that the distance between
An−1 and An is exactly 1.
• A tracking device reports a point Pn to the hunter. The only guarantee
provided by the tracking device to the hunter is that the distance between
Pn and An is at most 1.
• The hunter moves visibly to a point Bn such that the distance between
Bn−1 and Bn is exactly 1.
Is it always possible, no matter how the rabbit moves, and no matter what
points are reported by the tracking device, for the hunter to choose her moves
so that after 109 rounds, she can ensure that the distance between her and
the rabbit is at most 100?
79. (IMO 2019, P3) A social network has 2019 users, some pairs of whom are
friends. Whenever user A is friends with user B, user B is also friends with
user A. Events of the following kind may happen repeatedly, one at a time:
Three users A, B, and C such that A is friends with both B and
C, but B and C are not friends, change their friendship statuses
such that B and C are now friends, but A is no longer friends with
B, and no longer friends with C. All other friendship statuses are
unchanged.
Initially, 1010 users have 1009 friends each, and 1009 users have 1010 friends
each. Prove that there exists a sequence of such events after which each user
is friends with at most one other user.
39
80. (IMO 2020, P3) There are 4n pebbles of weights 1, 2, 3, . . . , 4n. Each pebble
is coloured in one of n colours and there are four pebbles of each colour.
Show that we can arrange the pebbles into two piles so that the following
two conditions are both satisfied:
• The total weights of both piles are the same.
• Each pile contains two pebbles of each colour.
81. (USAMO 2008 P6) At a certain mathematical conference, every pair of math-
ematicians are either friends or strangers. At mealtime, every participant eats
in one of two large dining rooms. Each mathematician insists upon eating
in a room which contains an even number of his or her friends. Prove that
the number of ways that the mathematicians may be split between the two
rooms is a power of two (i.e., is of the form 2k for some positive integer k).
82. (USAMO 2017 P2) Let m1 , m2 , . . . , mn be a collection of n positive integers,
not necessarily distinct. For any sequence of integers A = (a1 , . . . , an ) and
any permutation w = w1 , . . . , wn of m1 , . . . , mn , define an A-inversion of
w to be a pair of entries wi , wj with i < j for which one of the following
conditions holds:
• ai ≥ wi > wj
• wj > ai ≥ wi , or
• wi > wj > ai .
Show that, for any two sequences of integers A = (a1 , . . . , an ) and B =
(b1 , . . . , bn ), and for any positive integer k, the number of permutations of
m1 , . . . , mn having exactly k A-inversions is equal to the number of permu-
tations of m1 , . . . , mn having exactly k B-inversions.
2.10 45 M
83. (IMO 2006, P6) Assign to each side b of a convex polygon P the maximum
area of a triangle that has b as a side and is contained in P . Show that the
sum of the areas assigned to the sides of P is at least twice the area of P .
84. (IMO 2009, P6) Let a1 , a2 , . . . , an be distinct positive integers and let M
be a set of n − 1 positive integers not containing s = a1 + a2 + . . . + an .
40
A grasshopper is to jump along the real axis, starting at the point 0 and
making n jumps to the right with lengths a1 , a2 , . . . , an in some order. Prove
that the order can be chosen in such a way that the grasshopper never lands
on any point in M.
85. (IMO 2011, P2) Let S be a finite set of at least two points in the plane.
Assume that no three points of S are collinear. A windmill is a process that
starts with a line ` going through a single point P ∈ S. The line rotates
clockwise about the pivot P until the first time that the line meets some
other point belonging to S. This point, Q, takes over as the new pivot, and
the line now rotates clockwise about Q, until it next meets a point of S. This
process continues indefinitely. Show that we can choose a point P in S and
a line ` going through P such that the resulting windmill uses each point of
S as a pivot infinitely many times.
86. (IMO 2012, P3) The liar’s guessing game is a game played between two
players A and B. The rules of the game depend on two positive integers k
and n which are known to both players.
At the start of the game A chooses integers x and N with 1 ≤ x ≤ N.
Player A keeps x secret, and truthfully tells N to player B. Player B now
tries to obtain information about x by asking player A questions as follows:
each question consists of B specifying an arbitrary set S of positive integers
(possibly one specified in some previous question), and asking A whether x
belongs to S. Player B may ask as many questions as he wishes. After each
question, player A must immediately answer it with yes or no, but is allowed
to lie as many times as she wants; the only restriction is that, among any
k + 1 consecutive answers, at least one answer must be truthful.
After B has asked as many questions as he wants, he must specify a set X
of at most n positive integers. If x belongs to X, then B wins; otherwise, he
loses. Prove that:
1. If n ≥ 2k , then B can guarantee a win.
2. For all sufficiently large k, there exists an integer n ≥ (1.99)k such that
B cannot guarantee a win.
87. (IMO 2013, P6) Let n ≥ 3 be an integer, and consider a circle with n + 1
equally spaced points marked on it. Consider all labellings of these points
41
with the numbers 0, 1, . . . , n such that each label is used exactly once; two
such labellings are considered to be the same if one can be obtained from the
other by a rotation of the circle. A labelling is called beautiful if, for any four
labels a < b < c < d with a + d = b + c, the chord joining the points labelled
a and d does not intersect the chord joining the points labelled b and c.
Let M be the number of beautiful labelings, and let N be the number of
ordered pairs (x, y) of positive integers such that x+y ≤ n and gcd(x, y) = 1.
Prove that
M = N + 1.

88. (IMO 2018, P3) An anti-Pascal triangle is an equilateral triangular array of
numbers such that, except for the numbers in the bottom row, each number
is the absolute value of the difference of the two numbers immediately below
it. For example, the following is an anti-Pascal triangle with four rows which
contains every integer from 1 to 10.
4
2 6
5 7 1
8 3 10 9
Does there exist an anti-Pascal triangle with 2018 rows which contains every
integer from 1 to 1 + 2 + 3 + · · · + 2018?
89. (USAMO 2009 P3) We define a chessboard polygon to be a polygon whose
sides are situated along lines of the form x = a or y = b, where a and b are
integers. These lines divide the interior into unit squares, which are shaded
alternately grey and white so that adjacent squares have different colors.
To tile a chessboard polygon by dominoes is to exactly cover the polygon by
non-overlapping 1×2 rectangles. Finally, a tasteful tiling is one which avoids
the two configurations of dominoes shown on the left below. Two tilings of
a 3 × 4 rectangle are shown; the first one is tasteful, while the second is not,
due to the vertical dominoes in the upper right corner.
42
a) Prove that if a chessboard polygon can be tiled by dominoes, then it can

be done so tastefully.
b) Prove that such a tasteful tiling is unique.
90. (USAMO 2010 P6) A blackboard contains 68 pairs of nonzero integers. Sup-
pose that for each positive integer k at most one of the pairs (k, k) and
(−k, −k) is written on the blackboard. A student erases some of the 136
integers, subject to the condition that no two erased integers may add to 0.
The student then scores one point for each of the 68 pairs in which at least
one integer is erased. Determine, with proof, the largest number N of points
that the student can guarantee to score regardless of which 68 pairs have
been written on the board.
91. (USAMO 2018 P6) Let an be the number of permutations (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn )
of the numbers (1, 2, . . . , n) such that the n ratios xkk for 1 ≤ k ≤ n are all
distinct. Prove that an is odd for all n ≥ 1.
92. (USA TST 2018, P3) At a university dinner, there are 2017 mathematicians
who each order two distinct entrées, with no two mathematicians ordering
the same pair of entrées. The cost of each entrée is equal to the number of
mathematicians who ordered it, and the university pays for each mathemati-
cian’s less expensive entrée (ties broken arbitrarily). Over all possible sets of
orders, what is the maximum total amount the university could have paid?
93. (USA TST 2018, P6) Alice and Bob play a game. First, Alice secretly picks
a finite set S of lattice points in the Cartesian plane. Then, for every line
` in the plane which is horizontal, vertical, or has slope +1 or −1, she tells
Bob the number of points of S that lie on `. Bob wins if he can determine
the set S.
Prove that if Alice picks S to be of the form
S = {(x, y) ∈ Z2 | m ≤ x2 + y 2 ≤ n}
for some positive integers m and n, then Bob can win. (Bob does not know
in advance that S is of this form.)
43
94. (USA TST 2020, P3) Let α ≥ 1 be a real number. Hephaestus and Poseidon
play a turn-based game on an infinite grid of unit squares. Before the game
starts, Poseidon chooses a finite number of cells to be flooded. Hephaestus
is building a levee, which is a subset of unit edges of the grid (called walls)
forming a connected, non-self-intersecting path or loop*.
The game then begins with Hephaestus moving first. On each of Hephaestus’s
turns, he adds one or more walls to the levee, as long as the total length of
the levee is at most αn after his nth turn. On each of Poseidon’s turns, every
cell which is adjacent to an already flooded cell and with no wall between
them becomes flooded as well. Hephaestus wins if the levee forms a closed
loop such that all flooded cells are contained in the interior of the loop —
hence stopping the flood and saving the world. For which α can Hephaestus
guarantee victory in a finite number of turns no matter how Poseidon chooses
the initial cells to flood?
* More formally, there must exist lattice points A0 , A1 , . . . , Ak , pairwise
distinct except possibly A0 = Ak , such that the set of walls is exactly
A0 A1 , A1 A2 , . . . , Ak−1 Ak . Once a wall is built it cannot be destroyed; in
particular, if the levee is a closed loop (i.e. A0 = Ak ) then Hephaestus can-
not add more walls. Since each wall has length 1, the length of the levee is
k.
95. (USA TSTST 2018, P9) Show that there is an absolute constant c < 1 with
the following property: whenever P is a polygon with area 1 in the plane,
one can translate it by a distance of 100
1
in some direction to obtain a polygon
Q, for which the intersection of the interiors of P and Q has total area at
most c.
96. (USA TSTST 2019, P3) On an infinite square grid we place finitely many
cars, which each occupy a single cell and face in one of the four cardinal
directions. Cars may never occupy the same cell. It is given that the cell
immediately in front of each car is empty, and moreover no two cars face
towards each other (no right-facing car is to the left of a left-facing car within
a row, etc.). In a move, one chooses a car and shifts it one cell forward to a
vacant cell. Prove that there exists an infinite sequence of valid moves using
each car infinitely many times.
44
2.11 50 M
97. (IMO 2007, P3) In a mathematical competition some competitors are friends.
Friendship is always mutual. Call a group of competitors a clique if each two
of them are friends. (In particular, any group of fewer than two competitiors
is a clique.) The number of members of a clique is called its size.
Given that, in this competition, the largest size of a clique is even, prove that
the competitors can be arranged into two rooms such that the largest size
of a clique contained in one room is the same as the largest size of a clique
contained in the other room.
98. (IMO 2020, P6) Prove that there exists a positive constant c such that the
following statement is true: Consider an integer n > 1, and a set S of n
points in the plane such that the distance between any two different points
in S is at least 1. It follows that there is a line ` separating S such that the
distance from any point of S to ` is at least cn−1/3 .
(A line ` separates a set of points S if some segment joining two points in S
crosses `.)
Note. Weaker results with cn−1/3 replaced by cn−α may be awarded points
depending on the value of the constant α > 1/3.
99. (USAMO 2013 P3) Let n be a positive integer. There are n(n+1) 2 marks, each
with a black side and a white side, arranged into an equilateral triangle, with
the biggest row containing n marks. Initially, each mark has the black side
up. An operation is to choose a line parallel to the sides of the triangle, and
flipping all the marks on that line. A configuration is called admissible if it
can be obtained from the initial configuration by performing a finite num-
ber of operations. For each admissible configuration C, let f (C) denote the
smallest number of operations required to obtain C from the initial configu-
ration. Find the maximum value of f (C), where C varies over all admissible
configurations.
100. (USAMO 2017 P5) Let Z denote the set of all integers. Find all real numbers
c > 0 such that there exists a labeling of the lattice points (x, y) ∈ Z2 with
positive integers for which:
• only finitely many distinct labels occur, and
45
• for each label i, the distance between any two points labeled i is at least
ci .
101. (USA TST 2019, P3) A snake of length k is an animal which occupies an
ordered k-tuple (s1 , . . . , sk ) of cells in a n × n grid of square unit cells.
These cells must be pairwise distinct, and si and si+1 must share a side
for i = 1, . . . , k − 1. If the snake is currently occupying (s1 , . . . , sk ) and
s is an unoccupied cell sharing a side with s1 , the snake can move to oc-
cupy (s, s1 , . . . , sk−1 ) instead. The snake has turned around if it occupied
(s1 , s2 , . . . , sk ) at the beginning, but after a finite number of moves occupies
(sk , sk−1 , . . . , s1 ) instead.
Determine whether there exists an integer n > 1 such that: one can place
some snake of length 0.9n2 in an n × n grid which can turn around.
2.12 55 M
102. (USA TSTST 2015, P6) A Nim-style game is defined as follows. Two positive
integers k and n are specified, along with a finite set S of k-tuples of integers
(not necessarily positive). At the start of the game, the k-tuple (n, 0, 0, ..., 0)
is written on the blackboard. A legal move consists of erasing the tuple
(a1 , a2 , ..., ak ) which is written on the blackboard and replacing it with (a1 +
b1 , a2 + b2 , ..., ak + bk ), where (b1 , b2 , ..., bk ) is an element of the set S. Two
players take turns making legal moves, and the first to write a negative integer
loses. In the event that neither player is ever forced to write a negative
integer, the game is a draw. Prove that there is a choice of k and S with the
following property: the first player has a winning strategy if n is a power of
2, and otherwise the second player has a winning strategy.
46
3 Geometry
3.1 5M
1. (IMO 2004, P1) Let ABC be an acute-angled triangle with AB 6= AC.
The circle with diameter BC intersects the sides AB and AC at M and N
respectively. Denote by O the midpoint of the side BC. The bisectors of the
angles ∠BAC and ∠M ON intersect at R. Prove that the circumcircles of
the triangles BM R and CN R have a common point lying on the side BC.
2. (IMO 2006, P1) Let ABC be triangle with incenter I. A point P in the
interior of the triangle satisfies
∠P BA + ∠P CA = ∠P BC + ∠P CB.
Show that AP ≥ AI, and that equality holds if and only if P = I.
3. (IMO 2007, P4) In triangle ABC the bisector of angle BCA intersects the
circumcircle again at R, the perpendicular bisector of BC at P , and the
perpendicular bisector of AC at Q. The midpoint of BC is K and the
midpoint of AC is L. Prove that the triangles RP K and RQL have the
same area.
4. (IMO 2012, P1) Given triangle ABC the point J is the centre of the excircle
opposite the vertex A. This excircle is tangent to the side BC at M , and
to the lines AB and AC at K and L, respectively. The lines LM and BJ
meet at F , and the lines KM and CJ meet at G. Let S be the point of
intersection of the lines AF and BC, and let T be the point of intersection
of the lines AG and BC. Prove that M is the midpoint of ST.
(The excircle of ABC opposite the vertex A is the circle that is tangent to
the line segment BC, to the ray AB beyond B, and to the ray AC beyond
C.)
5. (IMO 2014, P4) Let P and Q be on segment BC of an acute triangle ABC
such that ∠P AB = ∠BCA and ∠CAQ = ∠ABC. Let M and N be the
points on AP and AQ, respectively, such that P is the midpoint of AM and
Q is the midpoint of AN . Prove that the intersection of BM and CN is on
the circumference of triangle ABC.
47
6. (USAMO 2001 P4) Let P be a point in the plane of triangle ABC such that
the segments P A, P B, and P C are the sides of an obtuse triangle. Assume
that in this triangle the obtuse angle opposes the side congruent to P A.
Prove that ∠BAC is acute.
7. (USAMO 2003 P4) Let ABC be a triangle. A circle passing through A and
B intersects segments AC and BC at D and E, respectively. Lines AB
and DE intersect at F , while lines BD and CF intersect at M . Prove that
M F = M C if and only if M B · M D = M C 2 .
8. (USAMO 2004 P1) Let ABCD be a quadrilateral circumscribed about a
circle, whose interior and exterior angles are at least 60 degrees. Prove that
1
|AB 3 − AD3 | ≤ |BC 3 − CD3 | ≤ 3|AB 3 − AD3 |.
3
When does equality hold?
9. (USAMO 2010 P1) Let AXY ZB be a convex pentagon inscribed in a semi-
circle of diameter AB. Denote by P , Q, R, S the feet of the perpendiculars
from Y onto lines AX, BX, AZ, BZ, respectively. Prove that the acute
angle formed by lines P Q and RS is half the size of ∠XOZ, where O is the
midpoint of segment AB.
10. (USAMO 2010 P4) Let ABC be a triangle with ∠A = 90◦ . Points D and
E lie on sides AC and AB, respectively, such that ∠ABD = ∠DBC and
∠ACE = ∠ECB. Segments BD and CE meet at I. Determine whether or
not it is possible for segments AB, AC, BI, ID, CI, IE to all have integer
lengths.
11. (USAMO 2020 P1) Let ABC be a fixed acute triangle inscribed in a circle
ω with center O. A variable point X is chosen on minor arc AB of ω, and
segments CX and AB meet at D. Denote by O1 and O2 the circumcenters
of triangles ADX and BDX, respectively. Determine all points X for which
the area of triangle OO1 O2 is minimized.
48
3.2 10 M
12. (IMO 2000, P1) Two circles G1 and G2 intersect at two points M and N .
Let AB be the line tangent to these circles at A and B, respectively, so that
M lies closer to AB than N . Let CD be the line parallel to AB and passing
through the point M , with C on G1 and D on G2 . Lines AC and BD meet
at E; lines AN and CD meet at P ; lines BN and CD meet at Q. Show
that EP = EQ.
13. (IMO 2001, P1) Consider an acute-angled triangle ABC. Let P be the foot
of the altitude of triangle ABC issuing from the vertex A, and let O be the
circumcenter of triangle ABC. Assume that ∠C ≥ ∠B + 30◦ . Prove that
∠A + ∠COP < 90◦ .
14. (IMO 2002, P2) The circle S has center O, and BC is a diameter of S. Let
A be a point of S such that ∠AOB < 120◦ . Let D be the midpoint of the
arc AB which does not contain C. The line through O parallel to DA meets
the line AC at I. The perpendicular bisector of OA meets S at E and at F .
Prove that I is the incentre of the triangle CEF .
15. (IMO 2003, P4) Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral. Let P , Q, R be the
feet of the perpendiculars from D to the lines BC, CA, AB, respectively.
Show that P Q = QR if and only if the bisectors of ∠ABC and ∠ADC are
concurrent with AC.
16. (IMO 2008, P1) Let H be the orthocenter of an acute-angled triangle ABC.
The circle ΓA centered at the midpoint of BC and passing through H inter-
sects the sideline BC at points A1 and A2 . Similarly, define the points B1 ,
B2 , C1 and C2 .
Prove that the six points A1 , A2 , B1 , B2 , C1 and C2 are concyclic.
17. (IMO 2010, P4) Let P be a point interior to triangle ABC (with CA 6= CB).
The lines AP , BP and CP meet again its circumcircle Γ at K, L, respectively
M . The tangent line at C to Γ meets the line AB at S. Show that from
SC = SP follows M K = M L.
49
18. (IMO 2013, P4) Let ABC be an acute triangle with orthocenter H, and let
W be a point on the side BC, lying strictly between B and C. The points
M and N are the feet of the altitudes from B and C, respectively. Denote by
ω1 is the circumcircle of BW N , and let X be the point on ω1 such that W X
is a diameter of ω1 . Analogously, denote by ω2 the circumcircle of triangle
CW M , and let Y be the point such that W Y is a diameter of ω2 . Prove
that X, Y and H are collinear.
19. (IMO 2018, P1) Let Γ be the circumcircle of acute triangle ABC. Points D
and E are on segments AB and AC respectively such that AD = AE. The
perpendicular bisectors of BD and CE intersect minor arcs AB and AC of
Γ at points F and G respectively. Prove that lines DE and F G are either
parallel or they are the same line.
20. (IMO 2020, P1) Consider the convex quadrilateral ABCD. The point P is
in the interior of ABCD. The following ratio equalities hold:
∠P AD : ∠P BA : ∠DP A = 1 : 2 : 3 = ∠CBP : ∠BAP : ∠BP C
Prove that the following three lines meet in a point: the internal bisectors of
angles ∠ADP and ∠P CB and the perpendicular bisector of segment AB.
21. (USAMO 2000 P5) Let A1 A2 A3 be a triangle and let ω1 be a circle in its
plane passing through A1 and A2 . Suppose there exist circles ω2 , ω3 , . . . , ω7
such that for k = 2, 3, . . . , 7, ωk is externally tangent to ωk−1 and passes
through Ak and Ak+1 , where An+3 = An for all n ≥ 1. Prove that ω7 = ω1 .
22. (USAMO 2001 P2) Let ABC be a triangle and let ω be its incircle. Denote by
D1 and E1 the points where ω is tangent to sides BC and AC, respectively.
Denote by D2 and E2 the points on sides BC and AC, respectively, such that
CD2 = BD1 and CE2 = AE1 , and denote by P the point of intersection of
segments AD2 and BE2 . Circle ω intersects segment AD2 at two points, the
closer of which to the vertex A is denoted by Q. Prove that AQ = D2 P .
23. (USAMO 2009 P1) Given circles ω1 and ω2 intersecting at points X and Y ,
let `1 be a line through the center of ω1 intersecting ω2 at points P and Q
and let `2 be a line through the center of ω2 intersecting ω1 at points R and
50
S. Prove that if P, Q, R and S lie on a circle then the center of this circle
lies on line XY .
24. (USA TST 2014, P1) Let ABC be an acute triangle, and let X be a variable
interior point on the minor arc BC of its circumcircle. Let P and Q be the
feet of the perpendiculars from X to lines CA and CB, respectively. Let R
be the intersection of line P Q and the perpendicular from B to AC. Let `
be the line through P parallel to XR. Prove that as X varies along minor
arc BC, the line ` always passes through a fixed point. (Specifically: prove
that there is a point F , determined by triangle ABC, such that no matter
where X is on arc BC, line ` passes through F .)
25. (USA TST 2014, P5) Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral, and let E, F ,
G, and H be the midpoints of AB, BC, CD, and DA respectively. Let W ,
X, Y and Z be the orthocenters of triangles AHE, BEF , CF G and DGH,
respectively. Prove that the quadrilaterals ABCD and W XY Z have the
same area.
26. (USA TSTST 2017, P1) Let ABC be a triangle with circumcircle Γ, circum-
center O, and orthocenter H. Assume that AB 6= AC and that ∠A 6= 90◦ .
Let M and N be the midpoints of sides AB and AC, respectively, and let E
and F be the feet of the altitudes from B and C in 4ABC, respectively. Let
P be the intersection of line M N with the tangent line to Γ at A. Let Q be
the intersection point, other than A, of Γ with the circumcircle of 4AEF .
Let R be the intersection of lines AQ and EF . Prove that P R ⊥ OH.
3.3 15 M
27. (IMO 2001, P5) Let ABC be a triangle with ∠BAC = 60◦ . Let AP bisect
∠BAC and let BQ bisect ∠ABC, with P on BC and Q on AC. If AB +
BP = AQ + QB, what are the angles of the triangle?
28. (IMO 2007, P2) Consider five points A, B, C, D and E such that ABCD is
a parallelogram and BCED is a cyclic quadrilateral. Let ` be a line passing
through A. Suppose that ` intersects the interior of the segment DC at F
and intersects line BC at G. Suppose also that EF = EG = EC. Prove
51
that ` is the bisector of angle DAB.

29. (IMO 2009, P2) Let ABC be a triangle with circumcentre O. The points P
and Q are interior points of the sides CA and AB respectively. Let K, L and
M be the midpoints of the segments BP, CQ and P Q. respectively, and let
Γ be the circle passing through K, L and M . Suppose that the line P Q is
tangent to the circle Γ. Prove that OP = OQ.
30. (IMO 2009, P4) Let ABC be a triangle with AB = AC . The angle bisectors
of ∠CAB and ∠ABC meet the sides BC and CA at D and E , respectively.
Let K be the incentre of triangle ADC. Suppose that ∠BEK = 45◦ . Find
all possible values of ∠CAB .
31. (IMO 2015, P4) Triangle ABC has circumcircle Ω and circumcenter O. A
circle Γ with center A intersects the segment BC at points D and E, such
that B, D, E, and C are all different and lie on line BC in this order. Let
F and G be the points of intersection of Γ and Ω, such that A, F , B, C,
and G lie on Ω in this order. Let K be the second point of intersection of
the circumcircle of triangle BDF and the segment AB. Let L be the second
point of intersection of the circumcircle of triangle CGE and the segment
CA.
Suppose that the lines F K and GL are different and intersect at the point
X. Prove that X lies on the line AO.
32. (IMO 2016, P1) Triangle BCF has a right angle at B. Let A be the point
on line CF such that F A = F B and F lies between A and C. Point D is
chosen so that DA = DC and AC is the bisector of ∠DAB. Point E is
chosen so that EA = ED and AD is the bisector of ∠EAC. Let M be the
midpoint of CF . Let X be the point such that AM XE is a parallelogram.
Prove that BD, F X and M E are concurrent.
33. (IMO 2017, P4) Let R and S be different points on a circle Ω such that RS
is not a diameter. Let ` be the tangent line to Ω at R. Point T is such that
S is the midpoint of the line segment RT . Point J is chosen on the shorter
arc RS of Ω so that the circumcircle Γ of triangle JST intersects ` at two
distinct points. Let A be the common point of Γ and ` that is closer to R.
52
Line AJ meets Ω again at K. Prove that the line KT is tangent to Γ.

34. (USAMO 2006 P6) Let ABCD be a quadrilateral, and let E and F be points
on sides AD and BC, respectively, such that ED
AE
F C . Ray F E meets
= BF
rays BA and CD at S and T , respectively. Prove that the circumcircles of
triangles SAE, SBF , T CF , and T DE pass through a common point.
35. (USAMO 2007 P2) A square grid on the Euclidean plane consists of all points
(m, n), where m and n are integers. Is it possible to cover all grid points by
an infinite family of discs with non-overlapping interiors if each disc in the
family has radius at least 5?
36. (USAMO 2013 P1) In triangle ABC, points P , Q, R lie on sides BC, CA,
AB respectively. Let ωA , ωB , ωC denote the circumcircles of triangles AQR,
BRP , CP Q, respectively. Given the fact that segment AP intersects ωA ,
ωB , ωC again at X, Y , Z, respectively, prove that Y X/XZ = BP/P C.
37. (USAMO 2015 P2) Quadrilateral AP BQ is inscribed in circle ω with ∠P =
∠Q = 90◦ and AP = AQ < BP . Let X be a variable point on segment
P Q. Line AX meets ω again at S (other than A). Point T lies on arc AQB
of ω such that XT is perpendicular to AX. Let M denote the midpoint of
chord ST . As X varies on segment P Q, show that M moves along a circle.
38. (USA TSTST 2014, P2) Consider a convex pentagon circumscribed about
a circle. We name the lines that connect vertices of the pentagon with the
opposite points of tangency with the circle gergonnians.
(a) Prove that if four gergonnians are conncurrent, the all five of them are
concurrent.
(b) Prove that if there is a triple of gergonnians that are concurrent, then
there is another triple of gergonnians that are concurrent.
39. (USA TSTST 2017, P5) Let ABC be a triangle with incenter I. Let D be a
point on side BC and let ωB and ωC be the incircles of 4ABD and 4ACD,
respectively. Suppose that ωB and ωC are tangent to segment BC at points
E and F , respectively. Let P be the intersection of segment AD with the
53
line joining the centers of ωB and ωC . Let X be the intersection point of

lines BI and CP and let Y be the intersection point of lines CI and BP .
Prove that lines EX and F Y meet on the incircle of 4ABC.
3.4 20 M
40. (IMO 2004, P5) In a convex quadrilateral ABCD, the diagonal BD bisects
neither the angle ABC nor the angle CDA. The point P lies inside ABCD
and satisfies
∠P BC = ∠DBA and ∠P DC = ∠BDA.
Prove that ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral if and only if AP = CP .

41. (IMO 2005, P1) Six points are chosen on the sides of an equilateral triangle
ABC: A1 , A2 on BC, B1 , B2 on CA and C1 , C2 on AB, such that they are
the vertices of a convex hexagon A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 with equal side lengths.
Prove that the lines A1 B2 , B1 C2 and C1 A2 are concurrent.
42. (IMO 2010, P2) Given a triangle ABC, with I as its incenter and Γ as its
circumcircle, AI intersects Γ again at D. Let E be a point on the arc BDC,
1
and F a point on the segment BC, such that ∠BAF = ∠CAE < ∠BAC.
2
If G is the midpoint of IF , prove that the meeting point of the lines EI and
DG lies on Γ.
43. (USAMO 2005 P3) Let ABC be an acute-angled triangle, and let P and
Q be two points on its side BC. Construct a point C1 in such a way that
the convex quadrilateral AP BC1 is cyclic, QC1 k CA, and C1 and Q lie
on opposite sides of line AB. Construct a point B1 in such a way that the
convex quadrilateral AP CB1 is cyclic, QB1 k BA, and B1 and Q lie on
opposite sides of line AC. Prove that the points B1 , C1 , P , and Q lie on a
circle.
44. (USAMO 2011 P5) Let P be a given point inside quadrilateral ABCD.
Points Q1 and Q2 are located within ABCD such that
∠Q1 BC = ∠ABP, ∠Q1 CB = ∠DCP ,
54
∠Q2 AD = ∠BAP, ∠Q2 DA = ∠CDP .

Prove that Q1 Q2 k AB if and only if Q1 Q2 k CD.
45. (USA TST 2015, P1) Let ABC be a non-isosceles triangle with incenter I
whose incircle is tangent to BC, CA, AB at D, E, F , respectively. Denote
by M the midpoint of BC. Let Q be a point on the incircle such that
∠AQD = 90◦ . Let P be the point inside the triangle on line AI for which
M D = M P . Prove that either ∠P QE = 90◦ or ∠P QF = 90◦ .
46. (USA TST 2016, P2) Let ABC be a scalene triangle with circumcircle Ω,
and suppose the incircle of ABC touches BC at D. The angle bisector of
∠A meets BC and Ω at E and F . The circumcircle of 4DEF intersects the
A-excircle at S1 , S2 , and Ω at T 6= F . Prove that line AT passes through
either S1 or S2 .
47. (USA TST 2019, P1) Let ABC be a triangle and let M and N denote the
midpoints of AB and AC, respectively. Let X be a point such that AX
is tangent to the circumcircle of triangle ABC. Denote by ωB the circle
through M and B tangent to M X, and by ωC the circle through N and C
tangent to N X. Show that ωB and ωC intersect on line BC.
48. (USA TSTST 2015, P2) Let ABC be a scalene triangle. Let Ka , La and
Ma be the respective intersections with BC of the internal angle bisector,
external angle bisector, and the median from A. The circumcircle of AKa La
intersects AMa a second time at point Xa different from A. Define Xb and Xc
analogously. Prove that the circumcenter of Xa Xb Xc lies on the Euler line of
ABC. (The Euler line of ABC is the line passing through the circumcenter,
centroid, and orthocenter of ABC.)
49. (USA TSTST 2018, P5) Let ABC be an acute triangle with circumcircle
ω, and let H be the foot of the altitude from A to BC. Let P and Q be
the points on ω with P A = P H and QA = QH. The tangent to ω at P
intersects lines AC and AB at E1 and F1 respectively; the tangent to ω at
Q intersects lines AC and AB at E2 and F2 respectively. Show that the
circumcircles of 4AE1 F1 and 4AE2 F2 are congruent, and the line through
their centers is parallel to the tangent to ω at A.
55

50. (USA TSTST 2019, P2) Let ABC be an acute triangle with circumcircle Ω
and orthocenter H. Points D and E lie on segments AB and AC respectively,
such that AD = AE. The lines through B and C parallel to DE intersect
Ω again at P and Q, respectively. Denote by ω the circumcircle of 4ADE.
• Show that lines P E and QD meet on ω.
• Prove that if ω passes through H, then lines P D and QE meet on ω as
well.
3.5 25 M
51. (IMO 2005, P5) Let ABCD be a fixed convex quadrilateral with BC = DA
and BC not parallel with DA. Let two variable points E and F lie of the
sides BC and DA, respectively and satisfy BE = DF . The lines AC and
BD meet at P , the lines BD and EF meet at Q, the lines EF and AC meet
at R.
Prove that the circumcircles of the triangles P QR, as E and F vary, have a
common point other than P .
52. (IMO 2012, P5) Let ABC be a triangle with ∠BCA = 90◦ , and let D be
the foot of the altitude from C. Let X be a point in the interior of the
segment CD. Let K be the point on the segment AX such that BK = BC.
Similarly, let L be the point on the segment BX such that AL = AC. Let
M be the point of intersection of AL and BK.
Show that M K = M L.
53. (IMO 2015, P3) Let ABC be an acute triangle with AB > AC. Let Γ be its
circumcircle, H its orthocenter, and F the foot of the altitude from A. Let
M be the midpoint of BC. Let Q be the point on Γ such that ∠HQA = 90◦
and let K be the point on Γ such that ∠HKQ = 90◦ . Assume that the
points A, B, C, K and Q are all different and lie on Γ in this order.
Prove that the circumcircles of triangles KQH and F KM are tangent to
each other.
56
54. (IMO 2019, P2) In triangle ABC, point A1 lies on side BC and point B1 lies
on side AC. Let P and Q be points on segments AA1 and BB1 , respectively,
such that P Q is parallel to AB. Let P1 be a point on line P B1 , such that
B1 lies strictly between P and P1 , and ∠P P1 C = ∠BAC. Similarly, let Q1
be the point on line QA1 , such that A1 lies strictly between Q and Q1 , and
∠CQ1 Q = ∠CBA.
Prove that points P, Q, P1 , and Q1 are concyclic.
55. (USAMO 2003 P2) A convex polygon P in the plane is dissected into smaller
convex polygons by drawing all of its diagonals. The lengths of all sides and
all diagonals of the polygon P are rational numbers. Prove that the lengths
of all sides of all polygons in the dissection are also rational numbers.
56. (USAMO 2008 P2) Let ABC be an acute, scalene triangle, and let M , N , and
P be the midpoints of BC, CA, and AB, respectively. Let the perpendicular
bisectors of AB and AC intersect ray AM in points D and E respectively,
and let lines BD and CE intersect in point F , inside of triangle ABC. Prove
that points A, N , F , and P all lie on one circle.
57. (USAMO 2009 P5) Trapezoid ABCD, with AB||CD, is inscribed in circle
ω and point G lies inside triangle BCD. Rays AG and BG meet ω again at
points P and Q, respectively. Let the line through G parallel to AB intersects
BD and BC at points R and S, respectively. Prove that quadrilateral P QRS
is cyclic if and only if BG bisects ∠CBD.
58. (USAMO 2012 P5) Let P be a point in the plane of 4ABC, and γ a line
passing through P . Let A0 , B 0 , C 0 be the points where the reflections of
lines P A, P B, P C with respect to γ intersect lines BC, AC, AB respectively.
Prove that A0 , B 0 , C 0 are collinear.
59. (USAMO 2013 P6) Let ABC be a triangle. Find all points P on segment
BC satisfying the following property: If X and Y are the intersections of line
P A with the common external tangent lines of the circumcircles of triangles
P AB and P AC, then
2
PA PB · PC
+ = 1.
XY AB · AC
57

60. (USAMO 2014 P5) Let ABC be a triangle with orthocenter H and let P be
the second intersection of the circumcircle of triangle AHC with the internal
bisector of the angle ∠BAC. Let X be the circumcenter of triangle AP B
and Y the orthocenter of triangle AP C. Prove that the length of segment
XY is equal to the circumradius of triangle ABC.
61. (USAMO 2018 P5) In convex cyclic quadrilateral ABCD, we know that lines
AC and BD intersect at E, lines AB and CD intersect at F , and lines BC
and DA intersect at G. Suppose that the circumcircle of 4ABE intersects
line CB at B and P , and the circumcircle of 4ADE intersects line CD at
D and Q, where C, B, P, G and C, Q, D, F are collinear in that order. Prove
that if lines F P and GQ intersect at M , then ∠M AC = 90◦ .
62. (USAMO 2019 P2) Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral satisfying AD2 +
BC 2 = AB 2 . The diagonals of ABCD intersect at E. Let P be a point on
side AB satisfying ∠AP D = ∠BP C. Show that line P E bisects CD.
63. (USA TST 2017, P2) Let ABC be an acute scalene triangle with circumcenter
O, and let T be on line BC such that ∠T AO = 90◦ . The circle with diameter
AT intersects the circumcircle of 4BOC at two points A1 and A2 , where
OA1 < OA2 . Points B1 , B2 , C1 , C2 are defined analogously.
• Prove that AA1 , BB1 , CC1 are concurrent.
• Prove that AA2 , BB2 , CC2 are concurrent on the Euler line of triangle
ABC.
64. (USA TSTST 2019, P5) Let ABC be an acute triangle with orthocenter H
and circumcircle Γ. A line through H intersects segments AB and AC at
E and F , respectively. Let K be the circumcenter of 4AEF , and suppose
line AK intersects Γ again at a point D. Prove that line HK and the line
through D perpendicular to BC meet on Γ.
58
3.6 30 M
65. (USA TST 2017, P5) Let ABC be a triangle with altitude AE. The A-
excircle touches BC at D, and intersects the circumcircle at two points F
and G. Prove that one can select points V and N on lines DG and DF such
that quadrilateral EV AN is a rhombus.
66. (USA TST 2018, P5) Let ABCD be a convex cyclic quadrilateral which is
not a kite, but whose diagonals are perpendicular and meet at H. Denote
by M and N the midpoints of BC and CD. Rays M H and N H meet AD
and AB at S and T , respectively. Prove that there exists a point E, lying
outside quadrilateral ABCD, such that
• ray EH bisects both angles ∠BES, ∠T ED, and
• ∠BEN = ∠M ED.
67. (USA TSTST 2016, P2) Let ABC be a scalene triangle with orthocenter H
and circumcenter O. Denote by M , N the midpoints of AH, BC. Suppose
the circle γ with diameter AH meets the circumcircle of ABC at G 6= A,
and meets line AN at a point Q 6= A. The tangent to γ at G meets line
OM at P . Show that the circumcircles of 4GN Q and 4M BC intersect at
a point T on P N .
68. (USA TSTST 2018, P3) Let ABC be an acute triangle with incenter I,
circumcenter O, and circumcircle Γ. Let M be the midpoint of AB. Ray
AI meets BC at D. Denote by ω and γ the circumcircles of 4BIC and
4BAD, respectively. Line M O meets ω at X and Y , while line CO meets
ω at C and Q. Assume that Q lies inside 4ABC and ∠AQM = ∠ACB.
Consider the tangents to ω at X and Y and the tangents to γ at A and D.
Given that ∠BAC 6= 60◦ , prove that these four lines are concurrent on Γ.
3.7 35 M
69. (IMO 2000, P6) Let AH1 , BH2 , CH3 be the altitudes of an acute angled
triangle ABC. Its incircle touches the sides BC, AC and AB at T1 , T2 and
T3 respectively. Consider the symmetric images of the lines H1 H2 , H2 H3 and
59
H3 H1 with respect to the lines T1 T2 , T2 T3 and T3 T1 . Prove that these images

form a triangle whose vertices lie on the incircle of ABC.
70. (IMO 2013, P3) Let ABC be an acute triangle with orthocenter H, and let
W be a point on the side BC, lying strictly between B and C. The points
M and N are the feet of the altitudes from B and C, respectively. Denote by
ω1 is the circumcircle of BW N , and let X be the point on ω1 such that W X
is a diameter of ω1 . Analogously, denote by ω2 the circumcircle of triangle
CW M , and let Y be the point such that W Y is a diameter of ω2 . Prove
that X, Y and H are collinear.
71. (IMO 2019, P6) Let I be the incentre of acute triangle ABC with AB 6= AC.
The incircle ω of ABC is tangent to sides BC, CA, and AB at D, E, and F ,
respectively. The line through D perpendicular to EF meets ω at R. Line
AR meets ω again at P . The circumcircles of triangle P CE and P BF meet
again at Q.
Prove that lines DI and P Q meet on the line through A perpendicular to
AI.
72. (USAMO 2007 P6) Let ABC be an acute triangle with ω, S, and R being its
incircle, circumcircle, and circumradius, respectively. Circle ωA is tangent in-
ternally to S at A and tangent externally to ω. Circle SA is tangent internally
to S at A and tangent internally to ω. Let PA and QA denote the centers of
ωA and SA , respectively. Define points PB , QB , PC , QC analogously. Prove
that
8PA QA · PB QB · PC QC ≤ R3 ,

73. (USAMO 2017 P3) Let ABC be a scalene triangle with circumcircle Ω and
incenter I. Ray AI meets BC at D and meets Ω again at M ; the circle with
diameter DM cuts Ω again at K. Lines M K and BC meet at S, and N is
the midpoint of IS. The circumcircles of 4KID and 4M AN intersect at
points L1 and L2 . Prove that Ω passes through the midpoint of either IL1
or IL2 .
74. (USA TST 2015, P6) Let ABC be a non-equilateral triangle and let Ma ,
Mb , Mc be the midpoints of the sides BC, CA, AB, respectively. Let S be
60
a point lying on the Euler line. Denote by X, Y , Z the second intersections

of Ma S, Mb S, Mc S with the nine-point circle. Prove that AX, BY , CZ are
concurrent.
75. (USA TST 2020, P2) Two circles Γ1 and Γ2 have common external tangents
`1 and `2 meeting at T . Suppose `1 touches Γ1 at A and `2 touches Γ2 at
B. A circle Ω through A and B intersects Γ1 again at C and Γ2 again at D,
such that quadrilateral ABCD is convex.
Suppose lines AC and BD meet at point X, while lines AD and BC meet
at point Y . Show that T , X, Y are collinear.
3.8 40 M
76. (IMO 2003, P3) Each pair of opposite sides of a convex hexagon has √ the
3
following property: the distance between their midpoints is equal to
2
times the sum of their lengths. Prove that all the angles of the hexagon are
equal.
77. (IMO 2008, P6) Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral with BA 6= BC.
Denote the incircles of triangles ABC and ADC by ω1 and ω2 respectively.
Suppose that there exists a circle ω tangent to ray BA beyond A and to the
ray BC beyond C, which is also tangent to the lines AD and CD. Prove
that the common external tangents to ω1 and ω2 intersect on ω.
78. (IMO 2014, P3) Convex quadrilateral ABCD has ∠ABC = ∠CDA = 90◦ .
Point H is the foot of the perpendicular from A to BD. Points S and T lie
on sides AB and AD, respectively, such that H lies inside triangle SCT and
∠CHS − ∠CSB = 90◦ , ∠T HC − ∠DT C = 90◦ .
Prove that line BD is tangent to the circumcircle of triangle T SH.

79. (USAMO 2011 P3) In hexagon ABCDEF , which is nonconvex but not self-
intersecting, no pair of opposite sides are parallel. The internal angles satisfy
∠A = 3∠D, ∠C = 3∠F , and ∠E = 3∠B. Furthermore AB = DE,
61
BC = EF , and CD = F A. Prove that diagonals AD, BE, and CF are

concurrent.
80. (USA TST 2016, P6) Let ABC be an acute scalene triangle and let P be a
point in its interior. Let A1 , B1 , C1 be projections of P onto triangle sides
BC, CA, AB, respectively. Find the locus of points P such that AA1 , BB1 ,
CC1 are concurrent and ∠P AB + ∠P BC + ∠P CA = 90◦ .
81. (USA TST 2019, P6) Let ABC be a triangle with incenter I, and let D be a
point on line BC satisfying ∠AID = 90◦ . Let the excircle of triangle ABC
opposite the vertex A be tangent to BC at A1 . Define points B1 on CA and
C1 on AB analogously, using the excircles opposite B and C, respectively.
Prove that if quadrilateral AB1 A1 C1 is cyclic, then AD is tangent to the
circumcircle of 4DB1 C1 .
82. (USA TSTST 2019, P9) Let ABC be a triangle with incenter I. Points
K and L are chosen on segment BC such that the incircles of 4ABK and
4ABL are tangent at P , and the incircles of 4ACK and 4ACL are tangent
at Q. Prove that IP = IQ.
3.9 45 M
83. (IMO 2002, P6) Let n ≥ 3 be a positive integer. Let C1 , C2 , C3 , . . . , Cn be
unit circles in the plane, with centres O1 , O2 , O3 , . . . , On respectively. If no
line meets more than two of the circles, prove that
X 1 (n − 1)π
≤ .
1≤i<j≤n
Oi O j 4

84. (IMO 2011, P6) Let ABC be an acute triangle with circumcircle Γ. Let ` be
a tangent line to Γ, and let `a , `b and `c be the lines obtained by reflecting
` in the lines BC, CA and AB, respectively. Show that the circumcircle of
the triangle determined by the lines `a , `b and `c is tangent to the circle Γ.
62
85. (IMO 2018, P6) A convex quadrilateral ABCD satisfies AB·CD = BC ·DA.
Point X lies inside ABCD so that
∠XAB = ∠XCD and ∠XBC = ∠XDA.
Prove that ∠BXA + ∠DXC = 180◦ .

86. (USAMO 2016 P3) Let 4ABC be an acute triangle, and let IB , IC , and O
denote its B-excenter, C-excenter, and circumcenter, respectively. Points E
and Y are selected on AC such that ∠ABY = ∠CBY and BE ⊥ AC.
Similarly, points F and Z are selected on AB such that ∠ACZ = ∠BCZ
and CF ⊥ AB.
←−→ ←−→
Lines IB F and IC E meet at P . Prove that P O and Y Z are perpendicular.
87. (USAMO 2016 P5) An equilateral pentagon AM N P Q is inscribed in triangle
ABC such that M ∈ AB, Q ∈ AC, and N, P ∈ BC. Let S be the
←−→ ←→
intersection of M N and P Q. Denote by ` the angle bisector of ∠M SQ.
Prove that OI is parallel to `, where O is the circumcenter of triangle ABC,
and I is the incenter of triangle ABC.
88. (USA TSTST 2016, P6) Let ABC be a triangle with incenter I, and whose
incircle is tangent to BC, CA, AB at D, E, F , respectively. Let K be the
foot of the altitude from D to EF . Suppose that the circumcircle of 4AIB
meets the incircle at two distinct points C1 and C2 , while the circumcircle of
4AIC meets the incircle at two distinct points B1 and B2 . Prove that the
radical axis of the circumcircles of 4BB1 B2 and 4CC1 C2 passes through
the midpoint M of DK. AoPS discussion thread
3.10 50 M
3.11 55 M
89. (USA TST 2020, P6) Let P1 P2 · · · P100 be a cyclic 100-gon and let Pi = Pi+100
for all i. Define Qi as the intersection of diagonals Pi−2 Pi+1 and Pi−1 Pi+2 for
all integers i.
Suppose there exists a point P satisfying P Pi ⊥ Pi−1 Pi+1 for all integers i.
Prove that the points Q1 , Q2 , . . . , Q100 are concyclic.
63
4 Number Theory
4.1 0M
1. (USAMO 2003 P1) Prove that for every positive integer n there exists an
n-digit number divisible by 5n all of whose digits are odd.
4.2 5M
2. (IMO 2002, P4) Let n ≥ 2 be a positive integer, with divisors
1 = d1 < d2 < . . . < dk = n.
Prove that d1 d2 + d2 d3 + . . . + dk−1 dk is always less than n2 , and determine
when it is a divisor of n2 .
3. (IMO 2009, P1) Let n be a positive integer and let a1 , a2 , a3 , . . . , ak (k ≥ 2)
be distinct integers in the set 1, 2, . . . , n such that n divides ai (ai+1 − 1) for
i = 1, 2, . . . , k − 1. Prove that n does not divide ak (a1 − 1).
4. (IMO 2013, P1) Assume that k and n are two positive integers. Prove that
there exist positive integers m1 , . . . , mk such that
2k − 1

1 1
1+ = 1+ ··· 1 + .
n m1 mk

5. (IMO 2017, P1) For each integer a0 > 1, define the sequence a0 , a1 , a2 , . . .
for n ≥ 0 as (√ √
an if an is an integer,
an+1 =
an + 3 otherwise.
Determine all values of a0 such that there exists a number A such that an = A
for infinitely many values of n.
6. (USAMO 2006 P1) Let p be a prime number and let s be an integer with
0 < s < p. Prove that there exist integers m and n with 0 < m < n < p and

sm sn s
< <
p p p
64
if and only if s is not a divisor of p − 1.

Note: For x a real number, let bxc denote the greatest integer less than or
equal to x, and let {x} = x − bxc denote the fractional part of x.
7. (USAMO 2011 P4) Consider the assertion that for each positive integer n ≥
n
2, the remainder upon dividing 22 by 2n − 1 is a power of 4. Either prove
the assertion or find (with proof) a counterexample.
8. (USAMO 2014 P1) Let a, b, c, d be real numbers such that b − d ≥ 5 and all
zeros x1 , x2 , x3 , and x4 of the polynomial P (x) = x4 + ax3 + bx2 + cx + d are
real. Find the smallest value the product (x21 + 1)(x22 + 1)(x23 + 1)(x24 + 1)
can take.
9. (USA TSTST 2017, P4) Find all nonnegative integer solutions to
2a + 3b + 5c = n!.
4.3 10 M
10. (IMO 2005, P4) Determine all positive integers relatively prime to all the
terms of the infinite sequence
an = 2n + 3n + 6n − 1, n ≥ 1.

11. (IMO 2006, P4) Determine all pairs (x, y) of integers such that
1 + 2x + 22x+1 = y 2 .

12. (IMO 2011, P1) Given any set A = {a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 } of four distinct positive
integers, we denote the sum a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 by sA . Let nA denote the
number of pairs (i, j) with 1 ≤ i < j ≤ 4 for which ai + aj divides sA . Find
all sets A of four distinct positive integers which achieve the largest possible
value of nA .
65
13. (IMO 2016, P4) A set of postive integers is called fragrant if it contains at
least two elements and each of its elements has a prime factor in common
with at least one of the other elements. Let P (n) = n2 + n + 1. What is the
least possible positive integer value of b such that there exists a non-negative
integer a for which the set
{P (a + 1), P (a + 2), . . . , P (a + b)}
is fragrant?
14. (IMO 2019, P4) Find all pairs (k, n) of positive integers such that
k! = (2n − 1)(2n − 2)(2n − 4) · · · (2n − 2n−1 ).

15. (USAMO 2005 P2) Prove that the system
x6 + x3 + x3 y + y = 147157
x3 + x3 y + y 2 + y + z 9 = 157147
has no solutions in integers x, y, and z.
16. (USAMO 2008 P1) Prove that for each positive integer n, there are pairwise
relatively prime integers k0 , k1 , . . . , kn , all strictly greater than 1, such that
k0 k1 . . . kn − 1 is the product of two consecutive integers.
√
17. (USA
√ TST 2016, P4) Let 3 = 1.b1 b2 b3 . . .(2) be the binary representation
of 3. Prove that for any positive integer n, at least one of the digits bn ,
bn+1 , . . . , b2n equals 1.
18. (USA TST 2019, P4) We say that a function f : Z≥0 × Z≥0 → Z is great if
for any nonnegative integers m and n,
f (m + 1, n + 1)f (m, n) − f (m + 1, n)f (m, n + 1) = 1.
If A = (a0 , a1 , . . . ) and B = (b0 , b1 , . . . ) are two sequences of integers, we
write A ∼ B if there exists a great function f satisfying f (n, 0) = an and
f (0, n) = bn for every nonnegative integer n (in particular, a0 = b0 ).
Prove that if A, B, C, and D are four sequences of integers satisfying A ∼ B,
B ∼ C, and C ∼ D, then D ∼ A.
66
19. (USA TSTST 2015, P5) Let ϕ(n) denote the number of positive integers
less than n that are relatively prime to n. Prove that there exists a positive
integer m for which the equation ϕ(n) = m has at least 2015 solutions in n.
20. (USA TSTST 2018, P1) As usual, let Z[x] denote the set of single-variable
polynomials in x with integer coefficients. Find all functions θ : Z[x] → Z
such that for any polynomials p, q ∈ Z[x],
• θ(p + 1) = θ(p) + 1, and
• if θ(p) 6= 0 then θ(p) divides θ(p · q).
21. (USA TSTST 2018, P4) For an integer n > 0, denote by F(n) the set of
integers m > 0 for which the polynomial p(x) = x2 + mx + n has an integer
root.
(1) Let S denote the set of integers n > 0 for which F(n) contains two
consecutive integers. Show that S is infinite but
X1
≤ 1.
n
n∈S
(2) Prove that there are infinitely many positive integers n such that F(n)
contains three consecutive integers.
22. (USA TSTST 2019, P7) Let f : Z → {1, 2, . . . , 10100 } be a function satisfying
gcd(f (x), f (y)) = gcd(f (x), x − y)
for all integers x and y. Show that there exist positive integers m and n such
that f (x) = gcd(m + x, n) for all integers x.
4.4 15 M
23. (IMO 2011, P5) Let f be a function from the set of integers to the set of
positive integers. Suppose that, for any two integers m and n, the difference
f (m) − f (n) is divisible by f (m − n). Prove that, for all integers m and n
with f (m) ≤ f (n), the number f (n) is divisible by f (m).
67
24. (USAMO 2010 P5) Let q = 3p−5

2 where p is an odd prime, and let
1 1 1
Sq = + + ··· +
2·3·4 5·6·7 q(q + 1)(q + 2)
Prove that if p1 − 2Sq = m
n for integers m and n, then m − n is divisible by p.
25. (USAMO 2015 P1) Solve in integers the equation
3
x + y
x2 + xy + y 2 = +1 .
3

26. (USAMO 2016 P2) Prove that for any positive integer k,
k−1
2
Y j!
(k )! ·
j=0
(j + k)!
is an integer.
27. (USAMO 2019 P5) Two rational numbers m n and m are written on a black-
n
board, where m and n are relatively prime positive integers. At any point,
Evan may pick two of the numbers x and y written on the board and write
either their arithmetic mean x+y
2 or their harmonic mean x+y on the board
2xy
as well. Find all pairs (m, n) such that Evan can write 1 on the board in
finitely many steps.
4.5 20 M
28. (IMO 2000 Problem 5) Does there exist a positive integer n such that n has
exactly 2000 prime divisors and n divides 2n + 1?
29. (IMO 2018, P5) Let a1 , a2 , . . . be an infinite sequence of positive integers.
Suppose that there is an integer N > 1 such that, for each n ≥ N , the
number
a1 a2 an−1 an
+ + ··· + +
a2 a3 an a1
is an integer. Prove that there is a positive integer M such that am = am+1
for all m ≥ M .
68
30. (IMO 2020, P5) A deck of n > 1 cards is given. A positive integer is written
on each card. The deck has the property that the arithmetic mean of the
numbers on each pair of cards is also the geometric mean of the numbers on
some collection of one or more cards. For which n does it follow that the
numbers on the cards are all equal?
31. (USAMO 2004 P2) Suppose a1 , . . . , an are integers whose greatest common
divisor is 1. Let S be a set of integers with the following properties:
(a) For i = 1, . . . , n, ai ∈ S.
(b) For i, j = 1, . . . , n (not necessarily distinct), ai − aj ∈ S.
(c) For any integers x, y ∈ S, if x + y ∈ S, then x − y ∈ S.
Prove that S must be equal to the set of all integers.
32. (USA TSTST 2018, P8) For which positive integers b > 2 do there exist
infinitely many positive integers n such that n2 divides bn + 1?
4.6 25 M
33. (IMO 2007, P5) Let a and b be positive integers. Show that if 4ab − 1 divides
(4a2 − 1)2 , then a = b.
34. (USAMO 2001 P5) Let S be a set of integers (not necessarily positive) such
that
(a) there exist a, b ∈ S with gcd(a, b) = gcd(a − 2, b − 2) = 1; (b) if x and
y are elements of S (possibly equal), then x2 − y also belongs to S.
Prove that S is the set of all integers.
35. (USAMO 2007 P5) Prove that for every nonnegative integer n, the number
n
77 + 1 is the product of at least 2n + 3 (not necessarily distinct) primes.
36. (USAMO 2009 P6) Let s1 , s2 , s3 , . . . be an infinite, nonconstant sequence of
rational numbers, meaning it is not the case that s1 = s2 = s3 = . . . . Suppose
that t1 , t2 , t3 , . . . is also an infinite, nonconstant sequence of rational numbers
69
with the property that (si − sj )(ti − tj ) is an integer for all i and j. Prove
that there exists a rational number r such that (si − sj )r and (ti − tj )/r are
integers for all i and j.
37. (USA TST 2015, P2) Prove that for every n ∈ N, there exists a set S of n
positive integers such that for any two distinct a, b ∈ S, a − b divides a and
b but none of the other elements of S.
38. (USA TST 2018, P1) Let n ≥ 2 be a positive integer, and let σ(n) denote the
sum of the positive divisors of n. Prove that the nth smallest positive integer
relatively prime to n is at least σ(n), and determine for which n equality
holds.
39. (USA TST 2020, P5) Find all integers n ≥ 2 for which there exists an integer
m and a polynomial P (x) with integer coefficients satisfying the following
three conditions:
• m > 1 and gcd(m, n) = 1;
• the numbers P (0), P 2 (0), . . ., P m−1 (0) are not divisible by n; and
• P m (0) is divisible by n. Here P k means P applied k times, so P 1 (0) =
P (0), P 2 (0) = P (P (0)), etc.
40. (USA TSTST 2014, P6) Suppose we have distinct positive integers a, b, c, d,
and an odd prime p not dividing any of them, and an integer M such that if
one considers the infinite sequence
ca − db
ca2 − db2
ca3 − db3
ca4 − db4
..
.
and looks at the highest power of p that divides each of them, these powers
are not all zero, and are all at most M .
Prove that there exists some T (which may depend on a, b, c, d, p, M ) such
that whenever p divides an element of this sequence, the maximum power of
p that divides that element is exactly pT . AoPS discussion thread
70
4.7 30 M
41. (IMO 2006, P5) Let P (x) be a polynomial of degree n > 1 with integer
coefficients and let k be a positive integer. Consider the polynomial Q(x) =
P (P (. . . P (P (x)) . . .)), where P occurs k times. Prove that there are at most
n integers t such that Q(t) = t.
42. (IMO 2008, P3) Prove that there are infinitely many
√ positive integers n such
that n2 + 1 has a prime divisor greater than 2n + 2n
43. (IMO 2015, P2) Find all positive integers (a, b, c) such that
ab − c, bc − a, ca − b
are all powers of 2.

44. (USAMO 2013 P5) Given positive integers m and n, prove that there is a
positive integer c such that the numbers cm and cn have the same number
of occurrences of each non-zero digit when written in base ten.
45. (USAMO 2015 P5) Let a, b, c, d, e be distinct positive integers such that
a4 + b4 = c4 + d4 = e5 . Show that ac + bd is a composite number.
46. (USA TST 2014, P6) For a prime p, a subset S of residues modulo p is called
a sum-free multiplicative subgroup of Fp if
• there is a nonzero residue α modulo p such that S = 1, α1 , α2 , . . . (all

considered mod p), and

• there are no a, b, c ∈ S (not necessarily distinct) such that a + b ≡ c
(mod p).
Prove that for every integer N , there is a prime p and a sum-free multiplica-
tive subgroup S of Fp such that |S| ≥ N .
47. (USA TST 2016, P3) Let p be a prime number. Let Fp denote the integers
modulo p, and let Fp [x] be the set of polynomials with coefficients in Fp .
71
Define Ψ : Fp [x] → Fp [x] by

n
! n
i
X X
i
Ψ ai x = ai xp .
i=0 i=0
Prove that for nonzero polynomials F, G ∈ Fp [x],

Ψ(gcd(F, G)) = gcd(Ψ(F ), Ψ(G)).
Here, a polynomial Q divides P if there exists R ∈ Fp [x] such that P (x) −
Q(x)R(x) is the polynomial with all coefficients 0 (with all addition and mul-
tiplication in the coefficients taken modulo p), and the gcd of two polynomials
is the highest degree polynomial with leading coefficient 1 which divides both
of them. A non-zero polynomial is a polynomial with not all coefficients 0.
As an example of multiplication, (x + 1)(x + 2)(x + 3) = x3 + x2 + x + 1 in
F5 [x].
4.8 35 M
48. (IMO 2003, P2) Determine all pairs of positive integers (a, b) such that
a2
2ab2 − b3 + 1
is a positive integer.
49. (IMO 2003, P6) Let p be a prime number. Prove that there exists a prime
number q such that for every integer n, the number np − p is not divisible
by q.
50. (IMO 2004, P6) We call a positive integer alternating if every two consecutive
digits in its decimal representation are of different parity.
Find all positive integers n such that n has a multiple which is alternating.
51. (USAMO 2005 P6) For m a positive integer, let s(m) be the sum of the digits
of m. For n ≥ 2, let f (n) be the minimal
! k for which there exists a set S of n
X
positive integers such that s x = k for any nonempty subset X ⊂ S.
x∈X
Prove that there are constants 0 < C1 < C2 with
C1 log10 n ≤ f (n) ≤ C2 log10 n.
72

52. (USAMO 2006 P3) For integral m, let p(m) be the greatest prime divisor of
m. By convention, we set p(±1) = 1 and p(0) = ∞. Find all polynomials f
with integer coefficients such that the sequence
{p f n2 − 2n}n≥0

is bounded above. (In particular, this requires f n2 6= 0 for n ≥ 0.)


53. (USAMO 2012 P3) Determine which integers n > 1 have the property that
there exists an infinite sequence a1 , a2 , a3 , . . . of nonzero integers such that
the equality
ak + 2a2k + . . . + nank = 0
holds for every positive integer k.
54. (USA TST 2017, P6) Prove that there are infinitely many triples (a, b, p) of
positive integers with p prime, a < p, and b < p, such that (a + b)p − ap − bp
is a multiple of p3 .
4.9 40 M
55. (IMO 2016, P3) Let P = A1 A2 · · · Ak be a convex polygon in the plane. The
vertices A1 , A2 , . . . , Ak have integral coordinates and lie on a circle. Let S
be the area of P . An odd positive integer n is given such that the squares of
the side lengths of P are integers divisible by n. Prove that 2S is an integer
divisible by n
56. (IMO 2017, P6) An ordered pair (x, y) of integers is a primitive point if the
greatest common divisor of x and y is 1. Given a finite set S of primitive
points, prove that there exist a positive integer n and integers a0 , a1 , . . . , an
such that, for each (x, y) in S, we have:
a0 xn + a1 xn−1 y + a2 xn−2 y 2 + · · · + an−1 xy n−1 + an y n = 1.

57. (USAMO 2014 P6) Prove that there is a constant c > 0 with the following
property: If a, b, n are positive integers such that gcd(a + i, b + j) > 1 for all
73
i, j ∈ {0, 1, . . . n}, then

n
min{a, b} > cn · n 2 .

58. (USAMO 2019 P3) Let K be the set of all positive integers that do not
contain the digit 7 in their base-10 representation. Find all polynomials f
with nonnegative integer coefficients such that f (n) ∈ K whenever n ∈ K.
59. (USAMO 2020 P3) Let p be an odd prime. An integer x is called a quadratic
non-residue if p does not divide x − t2 for any integer t.
Denote by A the set of all integers a such that 1 ≤ a < p, and both a and
4 − a are quadratic non-residues. Calculate the remainder when the product
of the elements of A is divided by p.
60. (USA TST 2014, P2) Let a1 , a2 , a3 , . . . be a sequence of integers, with the
property that every consecutive group of ai ’s averages to a perfect square.
More precisely, for every positive integers n and k, the quantity
an + an+1 + · · · + an+k−1
k
is always the square of an integer. Prove that the sequence must be constant
(all ai are equal to the same perfect square).
61. (USA TST 2019, P2) Let Z/nZ denote the set of integers considered modulo
n (hence Z/nZ has n elements). Find all positive integers n for which there
exists a bijective function g : Z/nZ → Z/nZ, such that the 101 functions
g(x), g(x) + x, g(x) + 2x, ..., g(x) + 100x
are all bijections on Z/nZ.

62. (USA TSTST 2015, P3) Let P be the set of all primes, and let M be a
non-empty subset of P . Suppose that for any non-empty subset p1 , p2 , ..., pk
of M , all prime factors of p1 p2 ...pk + 1 are also in M . Prove that M = P .
63. (USA TSTST 2016, P3) Decide whether or not there exists a nonconstant
polynomial Q(x) with integer coefficients with the following property: for
74
every positive integer n > 2, the numbers
Q(0), Q(1), Q(2), . . . , Q(n − 1)
produce at most 0.499n distinct residues when taken modulo n.

4.10 45 M
64. (USAMO 2018 P3) For a given integer n ≥ 2, let {a1 , a2 , . . . , am } be the set
of positive integers less than n that are relatively prime to n. Prove that if
every prime that divides m also divides n, then ak1 + ak2 + · · · + akm is divisible
by m for every positive integer k.
4.11 50 M
65. (USA TSTST 2019, P6) Suppose P is a polynomial with integer coefficients
such that for every positive integer n, the sum of the decimal digits of |P (n)|
is not a Fibonacci number. Must P be constant? (A Fibonacci number is
an element of the sequence F0 , F1 , . . . defined recursively by F0 = 0, F1 = 1,
and Fk+2 = Fk+1 + Fk for k ≥ 0.)

Olympiad Problems Arranged by MOHS

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Olympiad Problems Arranged by MOHS

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Some Olympiad Mathematics Problems

arranged by MOHS Hardness Scale

Rustam Turdibaev and Olimjon Olimov

AoPS discussion thread

f (2a) + 2f (b) = f (f (a + b)).

AoPS discussion thread

for all positive real numbers w, x, y, z, satisfying wx = yz.

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

2(ab + bc + ca) + 4 min(a2 , b2 , c2 ) ≥ a2 + b2 + c2 .

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

(f (x) + f (z)) (f (y) + f (t)) = f (xy − zt) + f (xt + yz)

for all real x, y, z, t.

a, f (b) and f (b + f (a) − 1).

(A triangle is non-degenerate if its vertices are not collinear.)

AoPS discussion thread

f (a)2 + f (b)2 + f (c)2 = 2f (a)f (b) + 2f (b)f (c) + 2f (c)f (a).

(Here Z denotes the set of integers.)

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

(a5 − a2 + 3)(b5 − b2 + 3)(c5 − c2 + 3) ≥ (a + b + c)3 .

AoPS discussion thread

(f (x) + xy) · f (x − 3y) + (f (y) + xy) · f (3x − y) = (f (x + y))2 .

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

for all real x with |x| ≤ 1.

AoPS discussion thread

for all integers m and n such that n > m ≥ N .

AoPS discussion thread

. . . , P−3 , P−2 , P−1 , P0 , P1 , P2 , P3 , . . .

in the plane with the following property:

AoPS discussion thread

|ab(a2 − b2 ) + bc(b2 − c2 ) + ca(c2 − a2 )| ≤ M (a2 + b2 + c2 )2

holds for all real numbers a, b and c.

f (x + f (x + y)) + f (xy) = x + f (x + y) + yf (x)

for all real numbers x and y.

ss1 , ss2 , ss3 , . . . and ss1 +1 , ss2 +1 , ss3 +1 , . . .

are both arithmetic progressions. Prove that the sequence s1 , s2 , s3 , . . . is

is a perfect square for all m, n ∈ N.

an = max{ak + an−k | 1 ≤ k ≤ n − 1} for all n > s.

Prove there exist positive integers ` ≤ s and N , such that

an = a` + an−` for all n ≥ N.

AoPS discussion thread

72. (IMO 2011, Problem P3) Let f : R → R be a real-valued function defined

f (f (x)f (y)) + f (x + y) = f (xy).

AoPS discussion thread

AoPS discussion thread

(AI + DI)2 + (BI + CI)2 = (AB + CD)2 .

Prove that ABCD is an isosceles trapezoid.

78. (USAMO 2020 P6) Let n ≥ 2 be an integer. Let x1 ≥ x2 ≥ · · · ≥ xn and

and 1 = x21 + x22 + · · · + x2n = y12 + y22 + · · · + yn2 .

AoPS discussion thread

S = {(x, y, z) | x, y, z ∈ {0, 1, . . . , n}, x + y + z > 0}

as a set of (n + 1)3 − 1 points in the three-dimensional space. Determine the