Holiday Homework Set

Dec 14
Algebra
1. Suppose that real numbers a1 , a2 , . . . , a100 satisfy:
(a) a1 a2 a100 0;
(b) a1 + a2 100;
(c) a3 + a4 + + a100 100.
Find the maximum value of a21 + a22 + + a2100 , and determine all possible
sequences a1 , a2 , . . . , a100 for which this value is achieved.
2. Prove that there does not exist a function f : R R such that for all x, y R,
x+y
f (x) + f (y)
f(
) + |x y|
2
2
3. Find the value of
X

1in 1jn
j6=i

i
ij

4. Let s(n) denote the sum of digits in the decimal representation of n. Does
there exist a function f : N N such that f (f (n)) = s(n) for all n N?

Combinatorics
1. Let n and k be positive integers such that 12 < nk 23 . Find the least number
m such that if we remove m squares of a n n board, no column or row has
k consecutive squares remaining.
2. For a natural number n, let T (n) be the number of ways we can partition
{1, 2, . . . , n} into two sets with equal sum. Show that if a > b 4 and
T (a) 6= 0 then T (a) > T (b).
3. Some stacks of coins are placed around a circle. The number of coins in each
stack is a multiple of 3. At each step, we perform the following operation:
(a) Split each stack into three equal parts, and send one part each to the
stacks on the left and on the right;
(b) Top up each stack with 1 or 2 coins, if necessary, such that the number
of coins in each stack is a multiple of 3.
Must the number of coins in each stack be eventually constant after finitely
many steps?

Geometry
1. Two circles with centres O1 , O2 respectively meet at A and B. Line CD
intersects O1 at D and touches O2 at C such that O1 is on segment CD.
Also, CA is tangent to O1 at A. E lies on O1 such that AE DC. AF is
perpendicular to and meets DE at F .
Prove that BD bisects the line segment AF .
2. A right-angled triangle ABC, with A = 90 , is inscribed in a circle . Point
E lies on the interior of arc BC (not containing A) with EA > EC. Point
F lies on ray EC with EAC = CAF . Segment BF meets again at D
(other than B). Let O denote the circumcentre of 4DEF . Prove that A, C
and O are colinear.
3. A semicircle with diameter AB has centre O. C is a point on segment OB
and D is a point on the semicircle such that CD AB. A circle is tangent
to the arc BD and the segments CD and AB. If and AB intersect at G,
prove that 4ADG is isosceles.
4. A and B are points on circle O such that the tangents to O at A and B meet
at C. Let M, N be the midpoints of the segments AC, BC, respectively. A
circle passing through C and externally tangent to O meets line M N at P
and Q. Prove that P CQ = CAB.

Number Theory
1. For a natural number k, let p(k) be the smallest prime number which does
not divide k. If p(k) = 2, let q(k) = 1; otherwise, let q(k) be the product of
all primes less than p(k). Consider the sequence x0 = 1,
xn+1 =

xn p(xn )
q(xn )

Determine all natural numbers n such that xn = 111111.

2. Call a positive integer N Jit if N can be written as a product of an even
number of (not necessarily distinct) primes. Consider the polynomial P (x) =
(x + a)(x + b).
(a) Prove that there exist distinct positive integers a and b such that all the
numbers P (1), P (2), . . . , P (26) are Jit.
(b) Prove that if P (n) is Jit for all positive integers n, then a = b.
3. Determine all pairs of nonnegative integers (n, p) such that p is prime, n 2p,
and np1 divides (p 1)n + 1.
4. (a)

i. (Lifting The Exponent Lemma) Let p be an odd prime, and fix integers > 0, 0. Let a, b and n > 0 be integers. We write pa ||m if
pa |m and pa+1 - m.

Prove that any two of the following statements imply the third:
p ||a b;
p ||n;
p+ ||an bn .

(b)

ii. Formulate and prove a similar statement when p = 2.

P
P
i. For a polynomial P (x) = k0 ak xk , define D(P (x)) = k1 kak xk1 .
Prove that
D((x )P (x)) = (x )D(P (x)) + P (x).
ii. (Hensels Lemma) Let p be a prime and n a positive integer. Suppose
that f (x) is a polynomial with integer coefficients. Given an integer
r such that f (r) 0 (mod pn ), and f (x) is not a multiple of (x r)2
(mod pn ). Show that there is an integer s r (mod pn+1 ) such that
f (s) 0 (mod pn+1 ).