Problems

Three cyclists travel in one direction along a circular track that is 300 meters long. Each of them moves with a constant speed, with all of their speeds being different. A photographer will be able to make a successful photograph of the cyclists, if all of them are on some part of the track which has a length of \(d\) meters. What is the smallest value of \(d\) for which the photographer will be able to make a successful photograph sooner or later?

We took several positive numbers and constructed the following sequence: \(a_1\) is the sum of the initial numbers, \(a_2\) is the sum of the squares of the original numbers, \(a_3\) is the sum of the cubes of the original numbers, and so on.

a) Could it happen that up to \(a_5\) the sequence decreases (\(a_1> a_2> a_3> a_4> a_5\)), and starting with \(a_5\) – it increases (\(a_5 < a_6 < a_7 <\dots\))?

b) Could it be the other way around: before \(a_5\) the sequence increases, and starting with \(a_5\) – decreases?

A grasshopper can make jumps of 8, 9 and 10 cells in any direction on a strip of \(n\) cells. We will call the natural number \(n\) jumpable if the grasshopper can, starting from some cell, bypass the entire strip, having visited each cell exactly once. Find at least one \(n > 50\) that is not jumpable.

Author: V.A. Popov

On the interval \([0; 1]\) a function \(f\) is given. This function is non-negative at all points, \(f (1) = 1\) and, finally, for any two non-negative numbers \(x_1\) and \(x_2\) whose sum does not exceed 1, the quantity \(f (x_1 + x_2)\) does not exceed the sum of \(f (x_1)\) and \(f (x_2)\).

a) Prove that for any number \(x\) on the interval \([0; 1]\), the inequality \(f (x_2) \leq 2x\) holds.

b) Prove that for any number \(x\) on the interval \([0; 1]\), the \(f (x_2) \leq 1.9x\) must be true?

The triangle \(C_1C_2O\) is given. Within it the bisector \(C_2C_3\) is drawn, then in the triangle \(C_2C_3O\) – bisector \(C_3C_4\) and so on. Prove that the sequence of angles \(\gamma_n = C_{n + 1}C_nO\) tends to a limit, and find this limit if \(C_1OC_2 = \alpha\).

The equations \[ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \tag{1}\] and \[- ax^2 + bx + c \tag{2}\] are given. Prove that if \(x_1\) and \(x_2\) are, respectively, any roots of the equations (1) and (2), then there is a root \(x_3\) of the equation \(\frac 12 ax^2 + bx + c\) such that either \(x_1 \leq x_3 \leq x_2\) or \(x_1 \geq x_3 \geq x_2\).

A table of \(4\times4\) cells is given, in some cells of which a star is placed. Show that you can arrange seven stars so that when you remove any two rows and any two columns of this table, there will always be at least one star in the remaining cells. Prove that if there are fewer than seven stars, you can always remove two rows and two columns so that all the remaining cells are empty.

What is the largest amount of numbers that can be selected from the set 1, 2, ..., 1963 so that the sum of any two numbers is not divisible by their difference?

Does there exist a number \(h\) such that for any natural number \(n\) the number \(\lfloor h \times 2021^n\rfloor\) is not divisible by \(\lfloor h \times 2021^{n-1}\rfloor\)?

Five oaks are planted along two linear park alleys in such a way that there are three oaks along each alley, see picture. Where should we plant the sixth oak so that it will be possible to lay two more linear alleys, along each of which there would also be three oak trees growing?