## Posts

### 2014 IMO SL #C2

Problem : We have $2^m$ sheets of paper, with the number $1$ written on each of them. We perform the following operation. In every step we choose two distinct sheets; if the numbers on the two sheets are $a$ and $b$, then we erase these numbers and write the number $a + b$ on both sheets. Prove that after $m2^{m -1}$ steps, the sum of the numbers on all the sheets is at least $4^m$ .

### 2009 IMO SL #C1

Problem : Consider $2009$ cards, each having one gold side and one black side, lying on parallel on a long table. Initially all cards show their gold sides. Two player, standing by the same long side of the table, play a game with alternating moves. Each move consists of choosing a block of $50$ consecutive cards, the leftmost of which is showing gold, and turning them all over, so those which showed gold now show black and vice versa. The last player who can make a legal move wins. (a) Does the game necessarily end? (b) Does there exist a winning strategy for the starting player?

### 1998 USAMO #3

Problem : Let $a_0,a_1,\cdots ,a_n$ be numbers from the interval $(0,\pi/2)$ such that$\tan (a_0-\frac{\pi}{4})+ \tan (a_1-\frac{\pi}{4})+\cdots +\tan (a_n-\frac{\pi}{4})\geq n-1.$Prove that$\tan a_0\tan a_1 \cdots \tan a_n\geq n^{n+1}.$

### 2022 USEMO #3

Point $P$ lies in the interior of a triangle $ABC$. Lines $AP$, $BP$, and $CP$ meet the opposite sides of triangle $ABC$ at $A$', $B'$, and $C'$ respectively. Let $P_A$ the midpoint of the segment joining the incenters of triangles $BPC'$ and $CPB'$, and define points $P_B$ and $P_C$ analogously. Show that if $AB'+BC'+CA'=AC'+BA'+CB'$then points $P,P_A,P_B,$ and $P_C$ are concyclic.

### 2019 IMO SL #A5

Problem : Let $x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n$ be different real numbers. Prove that $\sum_{1 \leqslant i \leqslant n} \prod_{j \neq i} \frac{1-x_{i} x_{j}}{x_{i}-x_{j}}=\left\{\begin{array}{ll} 0, & \text { if } n \text { is even; } \\ 1, & \text { if } n \text { is odd. } \end{array}\right.$ Solution 1 (induction) : We induct on $n$, and the base case is trivial. Now for any $n > 2,$ define the multivariable rational function$$\sum_{1 \leqslant i \leqslant n} \prod_{j \neq i} \frac{1-x_{i} x_{j}}{x_{i}-x_{j}} = A_n(x_1, \dots x_n)$$and the multivariable polynomial$$B_n(x_1, \dots x_n) = \prod_{i<j}(x_i-x_j)(A_n - (\text{n's remainder mod 2})).$$This polynomial has at most degree $\binom{n}{2} + (n-1).$ But for every $x_i,$ we know $x_i - 1$ and $x_i+1$ divide $B_n$ by the inductive hypothesis, as well as all the terms of the form $x_i-x_j.$ That yields $\binom{n}{2} + 2n$ terms dividing $B_n,$ more than its degree. So $B_n$ is a zero polynomial as desired. $\square$ Solutio

### 2019 ISL #C7

There are 60 empty boxes $B_1,\ldots,B_{60}$ in a row on a table and an unlimited supply of pebbles. Given a positive integer $n$, Alice and Bob play the following game. In the first round, Alice takes $n$ pebbles and distributes them into the 60 boxes as she wishes. Each subsequent round consists of two steps: (a) Bob chooses an integer $k$ with $1\leq k\leq 59$ and splits the boxes into the two groups $B_1,\ldots,B_k$ and $B_{k+1},\ldots,B_{60}$. (b) Alice picks one of these two groups, adds one pebble to each box in that group, and removes one pebble from each box in the other group. Bob wins if, at the end of any round, some box contains no pebbles. Find the smallest $n$ such that Alice can prevent Bob from winning.

### 2019 IMC #3

Problem : Let $f:(-1,1)\to \mathbb{R}$ be a twice differentiable function such that $$2f’(x)+xf''(x)\geqslant 1 \quad \text{ for } x\in (-1,1).$$Prove that $$\int_{-1}^{1}xf(x)dx\geqslant \frac{1}{3}.$$ Solution 1 : The LHS of the original inequality looks like the result of an application of the product rule. Indeed, the derivative of $f'g$ is $g'f'+gf''$. We cannot make $g=x$ and $g'=2$, but we can multiply by $x$ to get $g=x^2, g'=2x$. Now to do this we need to be careful about the sign of $x$. So, suppose that $x > 0$. Then $2xf'(x)+x^2f''(x) \ge x$ and hence $(x^2f')' \ge x$ so that $x^2f'(x) \ge \frac{1}{2} x^2$ and hence $f'(x) \ge \frac{1}{2}$. Similarly, we know that $f'(x)\ge \frac{1}{2}$ for $x < 0$, so we have proved this for all $x$ (for $x=0$ by continuity or by just plugging in $x=0$ into the original inequality). The rest is easy. WLOG, assume that $f(0)=0$ since shifting $f$ by a constant changes

### 2012 IMO SL #G6

Problem:  Let $ABC$ be a triangle with circumcenter $O$ and incenter $I$. The points $D,E$ and $F$ on the sides $BC,CA$ and $AB$ respectively are such that $BD+BF=CA$ and $CD+CE=AB$. The circumcircles of the triangles $BFD$ and $CDE$ intersect at $P \neq D$. Prove that $OP=OI$. Solution 1:  Let circle with radius $OI$ intersect $BI, CI$ at $S, T \ne I$ respectively. Let $H$ be the foot of $S$ to $AB$ and let $BI$ meet $(ABC)$ at $M \ne A.$ It's known that if any circle passing through $S,B$ intersects $BC,BA$ at $D',F'$ respectively then $BD'+BF' = 2BH.$ But$$BH = BS \cdot \cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \angle ABC \right) = IM \cdot \cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \angle ABC \right) = MA \cdot \cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \angle ABC \right) = \frac{1}{2}AC$$so in fact $BFSD$ cyclic, similarly $CDTE$ cyclic. Then$$\angle TPS = 360^\circ - \angle TPD - \angle SPD = \frac{1}{2} \angle ABC + \frac{1}{2} \angle ACB = \angle TIS$$so $P$ lies on $(TIS)$ centered at $O,$ done. $\square$ Soluti

### Occasional Putnam problems

Starting now, I will occasionally post Putnam problems on this blog. However, the main content will still be IMO Problems.  These problems will be under the tag #putnam.

### 2006 IMO #G3

Let $ABCDE$ be a convex pentagon such that $\angle BAC = \angle CAD = \angle DAE\qquad \text{and}\qquad \angle ABC = \angle ACD = \angle ADE.$The diagonals $BD$ and $CE$ meet at $P$. Prove that the line $AP$ bisects the side $CD$.

### Problem request: 2022 AIME II #13

Hi everyone,  I hope you had a great summer!  I was not posting for about a month or so because not many people were viewing the blog in the summer.  I'm going to start to post frequently again, and for now I have a problem request I got a couple days ago.  There is a polynomial $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that$P(x)=\frac{(x^{2310}-1)^6}{(x^{105}-1)(x^{70}-1)(x^{42}-1)(x^{30}-1)}$holds for every $0<x<1.$ Find the coefficient of $x^{2022}$ in $P(x)$.

### 2015 IMO SL #A1

Suppose that a sequence $a_1,a_2,\ldots$ of positive real numbers satisfies$a_{k+1}\geq\frac{ka_k}{a_k^2+(k-1)}$for every positive integer $k$. Prove that $a_1+a_2+\ldots+a_n\geq n$ for every $n\geq2$.