CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions

Christmas Math Competitions

Albert Wang, Ankan Bhattacharya, Eric Shen, Espen Slettnes,
Justin Lee, Nathan Xiong, Raymond Feng, Sean Li, Tovi Wen

March 4–19, 2022

§1 Problem statements and authors, Day 1

A. (Raymond Feng) Let ⌈x⌉ denote the least integer greater than or equal to x. Do there
exist distinct real numbers a and b such that
• a and b are greater than 1,
• neither a nor b is an integer, and
• ⌈an ⌉ · ⌈bn ⌉ is a perfect square for all positive integers n?

B. (Tovi Wen) Let ABC be an acute triangle with orthocenter H. Let M be the midpoint of
BC and D be the foot from A to BC. Let P be the point such that convex quadrilateral
HM P D is a parallelogram, and let the circle with center P passing through points B and
C intersect lines AB and AC again at points X and Y , respectively. Prove that points
D, X, Y are collinear.

C. (Espen Slettnes) Let a1 < a2 < · · · < an be positive integers such that the set of
positive integers can be partitioned into an infinite number of sets, each of the form
{a1 k, a2 k, . . . , an k} for some positive integer k.
Prove that the set of positive rational numbers can be partitioned into an infinite number
of sets, each of the form {a1 k, a2 k, . . . , an k} for some positive rational number k.

D. (Eric Shen, Raymond Feng) Find all functions f : Z → Z such that

f (f (x)f (y)) = f (xf (y)) + f (y)

for all integers x and y.

E. (Eric Shen, Espen Slettnes, Justin Lee, Raymond Feng, Sean Li) Let a1 < a2 < · · · < an be
positive integers such that the set of positive integers can be partitioned into an infinite
number of sets, each of the form {a1 k, a2 k, . . . , an k} for some positive integer k. Prove
that ai | an for all 1 ≤ i ≤ n.

§2 Problem statements and authors, Day 2

F. (Espen Slettnes, Justin Lee) Let m and n be positive integers with m ≥ 2. For distinct
integers x and y, let D(x, y) be the unique integer d satisfying md | x − y but md+1 ∤ x − y.
Given a set of integers S, suppose there are at most n different values of D(x, y) among
all choices of distinct elements x and y of S. What is the maximum possible size of S?

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

G. (Nathan Xiong) Find all functions f : R → R such that for all real numbers x and y,

f (f (xy) + y) = (x + 1)f (y).

H. (Albert Wang) An airport has a collection of gates arranged in an 102022 × 102022 grid,
labeled 1, 2, 3, . . . , 104044 in some order. A traveler has forgotten her gate, and an
employee unhelpfully tells her that her gate is the unique gate with the property that its
label is less than all neighboring gates (horizontally or vertically). Slightly sympathetic,
the employee allows the traveler to ask a number of questions, in which she asks for the
label of a particular gate and the employee answers truthfully. (The traveler knows the
layout of the airport but not the labels of each gate.)
Prove that the traveler may locate her gate by asking at most 102023 questions, regardless
of the gates’ labelings.

I. (Eric Shen, Raymond Feng) Prove or disprove the following assertion: for each positive
integer k, we have

gcd (2k − 1)2k−1 + (2k + 1)2k+1 , (2k − 1)2k+1 + (2k + 1)2k−1 = 4k 2 .

J. (Ankan Bhattacharya) Let A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 be a convex pentagon satisfying Ai−1 Ai+1 ∥

Ai−2 Ai+2 for all i, where all indices are considered modulo 5. Prove that there exist
points B1 , B2 , B3 , B4 , B5 in the plane such that
• Bi , Ai−2 , Ai+2 are collinear for all i,
• the five lengths Ai Bi are equal, and
• the five lines Ai Bi are concurrent.

§3 Test schema
3rd Christmas American Math Olympiad: BDE HIJ
5th Christmas Junior Math Olympiad: ABC FGI

The solutions begin on the next page.

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

§4 Solution A (CJMO 2022/1), Raymond Feng

Let ⌈x⌉ denote the least integer greater than or equal to x. Do there exist distinct real numbers a and b
such that
• a and b are greater than 1,
• neither a nor b is an integer, and
• ⌈an ⌉ · ⌈bn ⌉ is a perfect square for all positive integers n?

Yes: √ √ √
⌈(20 + 8 6)n ⌉ (20 + 8 6)n + (20 − 8 6)n
√ = √ √ = 4n .
⌈(5 + 2 6)n ⌉ (5 + 2 6)n + (5 − 2 6)n

§5 Solution B (CAMO 2022/1, CJMO 2022/2), Tovi Wen

Let ABC be an acute triangle with orthocenter H. Let M be the midpoint of BC and D be the foot
from A to BC. Let P be the point such that convex quadrilateral HM P D is a parallelogram, and let
the circle with center P passing through points B and C intersect lines AB and AC again at points X
and Y , respectively. Prove that points D, X, Y are collinear.

Let HA be the reflection of H over BC (which lies on the circumcircle) and let A′ be the
antipode of A, so P is the midpoint of HA A′ .

Claim. ∠AXHA = ∠AY HA = 90◦ .

Proof. Note ∠ABA′ = 90◦ and the perpendicular from P to AB bisects BX, so BXHA A′ is a
trapezoid with ∠BXHA = 90◦ .

Hence it follows that X, D, Y lie on the Simson line from HA to △ABC.

§6 Solution C (CJMO 2022/3), Espen Slettnes

Let a1 < a2 < · · · < an be positive integers such that the set of positive integers can be partitioned into
an infinite number of sets, each of the form {a1 k, a2 k, . . . , an k} for some positive integer k.
Prove that the set of positive rational numbers can be partitioned into an infinite number of sets, each
of the form {a1 k, a2 k, . . . , an k} for some positive rational number k.

We restate the problem combinatorially. Let p1 , . . . , pd be the primes dividing a1 a2 · · · an ,

and consider the map
Q>0 → Zd by q 7→ (νp1 (q), . . . , νpd (q)).
Via the above map, one may check that the problem is equivalent to the following:

Let S be a finite set that can tile Zd≥0 via translations. Then S can also tile Zd via
translations.

Let a blob of size n be a disjoint collection of translations of S that fully cover an n×n×· · ·×n
hypercube, and so that each translation of S intersects the hypercube. Say a blob is balanced if in
our tiling of Zd≥0 , there are infinitely many instances of it centered on the line x1 = x2 = · · · = xn .
We construct a sequence of balanced blobs ∅ = B0 , B1 , B2 , . . . of increasing size.

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

For each k ≥ 1, if Bk has size n, consider all blobs of size n + 2 centered at some instance of
Bk . There are finitely many such noncongruent blobs, but infinitely many that occur in Zd≥0 .
By infinite Pigeonhole, one of these blobs Bk+1 appears infinitely often in Zd≥0 .
Now a tiling of Zn is given by [
B= Bk
k≥1

where the Bk are centered at a fixed point.

Remark. The axiom of choice is not needed in this proof to select the Bk since we may select them
deterministically.

§7 Solution D (CAMO 2022/2), Eric Shen and Raymond Feng

Find all functions f : Z → Z such that

f (f (x)f (y)) = f (xf (y)) + f (y)

for all integers x and y.

The answers are

(
x+1 if x ≥ 0
f ≡0, f (x) = −|x| − 1 and f (x) = for any c ≥ 0,
−xc + x + 1 if x < 0

which work. Now we show these are the only solutions.

Let P (x, y) denote assertion. By P (x, 0) and P (0, x), we obtain f (x) = f (xf (0)) and subse-
quently f (f (x)) = f (x) + f (0) for all x. In particular, if f (0) = a, then f (n) = f (na) = (n + 1)a
for all n ≥ 0.
Then 2a = f (1) = f (a2 ) = a(a2 + 1), so a ∈ {0, −1, 1}.

• If a = 0, we trivially have f (x) = f (0) = 0 for all x.

• If a = −1, then f (n) = f (−n) = −(n + 1) for all n ≥ 0, as desired.

• If a = 1, then f (n) = n + 1 for all n ≥ 0.

In particular, f (y) = y + 1 for all y in the range of f . It follows that f (y) = y + 1 for
all y unless the range of f has a minimal element m. By P (1, x), we know f (2f (x)) =
f (f (x)) + f (x) = 2f (x) + 1, so f (2y) = 2y + 1 for all y in the range of f . If m ≤ −2,
then 2m + 1 < m is also in the range of f , contradiction. If m = −1, then f (−2) = −1,
so P (2, −2) gives f (−3) = −2, contradiction. It follows that m ≥ 0, so f (x) ≥ 0 for all x.
Now the functional equation rewrites as f (x)f (y) + 1 = f (xf (y)) + f (y). In particular,
if f (−1) = c ≥ 0, then for x ≥ 0, P (−1, x) gives c(x + 1) + 1 = f (−x − 1) + x + 1, so
f (−x − 1) = cx + x − c, readily giving f (x) = −xc + x + 1 for x < 0.

Remark (Authorship). “Why can’t we just write down an FE?” –Raymond, right before writing
down this FE.

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

§8 Solution E (CAMO 2022/3), Eric Shen, Espen Slettnes, Justin

Lee, Raymond Feng, and Sean Li
Let a1 < a2 < · · · < an be positive integers such that the set of positive integers can be partitioned into
an infinite number of sets, each of the form {a1 k, a2 k, . . . , an k} for some positive integer k. Prove that
ai | an for all 1 ≤ i ≤ n.

We prove the stronger result that a1 an = a2 an−1 = a3 an−2 = · · · . (Obviously a1 = 1.)

Setup Let p1 , . . . , pd be the primes dividing a1 , . . . , an , and let T be the set of all k by
which S tiles the multiplicative span of p1 , . . . , pd . Note that
! !
X νp (s) νp (s) X νp (k) ν p (k) 1 1
x1 1 · · · xd d · x1 1 · · · xd d = ··· ,
1 − x1 1 − xd
s∈S k∈T
| {z } | {z }
S(x1 ,...,xd ) T (x1 ,...,xd )

where S(x1 , . . . , xd ) is a polynomial and T (x1 , . . . , xd ) is a formal power series, both with all
coefficients 0 or 1.
Also let N ≫ deg S, and let
 2 d−1

S(x)
e := S x, xN , xN , . . . , xN .

Magic Note that at any point (x1 , . . . , xd ) with |xi | < 1 for all i, T (x1 , . . . , xd ) converges,
so S(x1 , . . . , xd ) ̸= 0. Hence Se does not have any roots with magnitude less than 1.
Since Se has constant term 1, the product of its roots has magnitude 1, so all the roots of Se
have magnitude 1. It follows that Se is palindromic, implying the desired.

§9 Solution F (CJMO 2022/4), Espen Slettnes and Justin Lee

Let m and n be positive integers with m ≥ 2. For distinct integers x and y, let D(x, y) be the unique
integer d satisfying md | x − y but md+1 ∤ x − y.
Given a set of integers S, suppose there are at most n different values of D(x, y) among all choices of
distinct elements x and y of S. What is the maximum possible size of S?

The answer is mn , achieved by S = {1, 2, . . . , mn }.

The proof of the upper bound is by induction on n. We can assume that the elements of S
are not all equal modulo m, else shift them to 0 mod m and scale them down.
Then let Si = {s ∈ S | s ≡ i (mod m)}. Each Si has at most n−1 scales in Si , so |Si | ≤ mn−1
for all i. It follows that
n−1
X
|S| = |Si | ≤ mn ,
i=0

as desired.
Remark. If m is prime, it is true that a set S of size mn can tile Z via translations if and
only if there are exactly n scales. See https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/
0022314X77900543.

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§10 Solution G (CJMO 2022/5), Nathan Xiong

Find all functions f : R → R such that for all real numbers x and y,

f (f (xy) + y) = (x + 1)f (y).

The answers are f ≡ 0 and f (x) ≡ x.

Suppose f is not always zero. By fixing y so that f (y) ̸= 0 and varying x, we find that f is
surjective.
Consider y so that f (y) = 0, so f (f (xy) + y) for all x. Since f is surjective, if y ̸= 0 then
f (xy)+y attains all real numbers, implying f ≡ 0, contradiction. Thus the only y with f (y) = 0
is zero.
By substituting x = −1, we have f (f (−y) + y) = 0, implying f (−y) + y = 0 for all y, which
is sufficient.

§11 Solution H (CAMO 2022/4), Albert Wang

An airport has a collection of gates arranged in an 102022 × 102022 grid, labeled 1, 2, 3, . . . , 104044 in
some order. A traveler has forgotten her gate, and an employee unhelpfully tells her that her gate is the
unique gate with the property that its label is less than all neighboring gates (horizontally or vertically).
Slightly sympathetic, the employee allows the traveler to ask a number of questions, in which she asks
for the label of a particular gate and the employee answers truthfully. (The traveler knows the layout of
the airport but not the labels of each gate.)
Prove that the traveler may locate her gate by asking at most 102023 questions, regardless of the gates’
labelings.

Of course the traveler’s gate is gate 1. We show the following by strong induction on N :

Consider an N × N grid of gates. Suppose for some k,

• the grid contains the gates labeled 1, 2, . . . , k;
• the traveler know the location of gate k; and
• for each 2 ≤ i ≤ k, gate i has a neighbor with label smaller than i.
Then the traveler can locate her gate in at most 5N queries.

It is clear this is sufficient to solve the problem, since the traveler can query an arbitrary gate
k, which satisfies the imposed condition.
The  case N = 1 is clear.
base
 N −1  N −1 Now in an N × N grid, select a middle row, for which there
are 2 rows above and 2 rows below it, and similarly select a middle column. Let the
middle row and middle column divide the grid into four quadrants.
Query the 2N − 1 gates along the middle row and the middle column. Identify the gate of
smallest label g among these 2N − 1 gates.
If g > k, then note that for each 1 ≤ i ≤ k, one may find a path from gate i to gate 1 by
moving to a neighboring gate of smaller label until arriving at gate 1. By definition, no such
path intersects the middle row or column,  Nso  N 1, 2, . . . , k all lie in the same quadrant as
 gates
k. This quadrant may be bounded in a 2 × 2 square  that contains gates 1, 2, . . . , k, so
by the inductive hypothesis we may locate gate 1 in ≤ 5 N2 queries, for a total of

≤ (2N − 1) + 5 N2 ≤ 5N.
 

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

Otherwise if g ≤ k, then query the two grids adjacent to g that have not yet been queried.
Then since g ≤ k, one of these has a label ĝ with ĝ < g. Analogously, we may show that gates
1, 2, . . . , ĝ all lie in the same quadrant as ĝ, so by the inductive hypothesis we may locate gate
1 in
≤ (2N − 1) + 2 + 5 N2 ≤ 5N
 

queries. This completes the induction.

§12 Solution I (CAMO 2022/5, CJMO 2022/6), Eric Shen and

Raymond Feng
Prove or disprove the following assertion: for each positive integer k, we have

gcd (2k − 1)2k−1 + (2k + 1)2k+1 , (2k − 1)2k+1 + (2k + 1)2k−1 = 4k 2 .

The assertion is false, with minimal counterexample

gcd 2727 + 2929 , 2729 + 2927 = 282 · 17.

Below, we will present a method of finding such a counterexample.

Remark. Of course, it is easy to show that 4k 2 always divides the gcd.

Let n = 2k for convenience. Note that if we find a, b even, and p ∤ a so that

(a − 1)b−1 + (a + 1)b+1 ≡ (a − 1)b+1 + (a + 1)b−1 ≡ 0 (mod p),

then taking n ≡ a (mod p) and n ≡ b (mod p − 1) should produce a gcd divisible by p.

We should have (a − 1)b−1 ≡ −(a + 1)b+1 (mod p) and (a − 1)b+1 ≡ −(a + 1)b−1 (mod p).
Dividing, we have (a − 1)2 (a + 1)2 ≡ 1 (mod p), i.e. a2 ≡ {0, 2} (mod p). Naturally we take
a2 ≡ 2 (mod p), so necessarily p ≡ ±1 (mod 8).
Note additionally that

(a − 1)2b + 1
0 ≡ (a − 1)b+1 + (a − 1)−(b−1) ≡ (mod p),
(a − 1)b−1

so p divides the sum of two squares and hence p ≡ 1 (mod 8).

We take p = 17 and the corresponding a = 6.

Remark. Taking the other square root of 2, a = 11, generates n = 28, but we take the more
natural square root for demonstration purposes.

Therefore we seek b such that 5b−1 ≡ −7b+1 (the other equation is implied); i.e. (5/7)b ≡
−35 ≡ −1 (mod 17). It is not hard to check that (5/7)4 ≡ 84 ≡ −1 (mod 17), so b = 4 is
valid.
Remark. We require a bit of luck to ensure that b is even. Conveniently, b is almost always even
(see below remark). In fact, choosing p a Fermat prime ensures b is even.

Solving n ≡ 6 (mod 17) and n ≡ 4 (mod 16) gives the solution n = 244.

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

Remark. For odd n, we often have

gcd (n − 1)n−1 + (n + 1)n+1 , (n − 1)n+1 + (n + 1)n−1 = 2n−1 ,

with the smallest counterexample being

gcd 18861886 + 18881888 , 18861888 + 18881886 = 21886 · 137.

The rarity of such n can be attributed to the necessity of ( a−1 b

a+1 ) ≡ −1 (mod p) where b is odd.

§13 Solution J (CAMO 2022/6), Ankan Bhattacharya

Let A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 be a convex pentagon satisfying Ai−1 Ai+1 ∥ Ai−2 Ai+2 for all i, where all indices are
considered modulo 5. Prove that there exist points B1 , B2 , B3 , B4 , B5 in the plane such that
• Bi , Ai−2 , Ai+2 are collinear for all i,
• the five lengths Ai Bi are equal, and
• the five lines Ai Bi are concurrent.

An affine transformation sends A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 to a regular pentagon, so let A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 have

circumellipse E , and let P , Q be the foci of E . I claim both P , Q are valid concurrence points.
In what follows, Bi = Ai P ∩ Ai−2 Ai+2 . We will show A2 B2 = A5 B5 , and the length condition
will follow by symmetry.
T

A1

U
Q A5
A2

P B2
A3 A4

B5

Let S = A2 A3 ∩ A4 A5 and let T = A2 A2 ∩ A5 A5 . Since an affine transform takes E to a circle

and A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 to a reguilar pentagon, we have T A2 ∥ A4 A5 and T A5 ∥ A2 A3 , so T A2 SA5
is a parallelogram.

Claim. P T bisects ∠A2 P A5 .

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CAMO/CJMO 2022 Solutions Eric Shen (March 4–19, 2022)

Proof. Let U , V be the reflections of Q across T A2 , T A5 . We have

P U = P A2 + A2 Q = P A5 + A5 Q = P V

by existence of E , and furthermore T U = T Q = T V , so the claim follows.

By the claim, the distances from T to A2 B2 and A5 B5 are equal. But since T A2 ∥ A5 B2 and
T A5 ∥ A2 B5 , we have

Area(△T A2 B2 ) = Area(△T A2 A5 ) = Area(△T A5 B5 ).

Hence A2 B2 = A5 B5 , as desired.