Problems

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Found: 1122

Find the largest value of the expression \(a + b + c + d - ab - bc - cd - da\), if each of the numbers \(a\), \(b\), \(c\) and \(d\) belongs to the interval \([0, 1]\).

Hannah placed 101 counters in a row which had values of 1, 2 and 3 points. It turned out that there was at least one counter between every two one point counters, at least two counters lie between every two two point counters, and at least three counters lie between every two three point counters. How many three point counters could Hannah have?

A polynomial of degree \(n > 1\) has \(n\) distinct roots \(x_1, x_2, \dots , x_n\). Its derivative has the roots \(y_1, y_2, \dots , y_{n-1}\). Prove the inequality \[\frac{x_1^2 + \dots + x_n^2}{n}> \frac{y_1^2 + \dots + y_n^2}{n}.\]

We are given 111 different natural numbers that do not exceed 500. Could it be that for each of these numbers, its last digit coincides with the last digit of the sum of all of the remaining numbers?

The number \(x\) is such a number that exactly one of the four numbers \(a = x - \sqrt{2}\), \(b = x-1/x\), \(c = x + 1/x\), \(d = x^2 + 2\sqrt{2}\) is not an integer. Find all such \(x\).

The numbers \(x\), \(y\) and \(z\) are such that all three numbers \(x + yz\), \(y + zx\) and \(z + xy\) are rational, and \(x^2 + y^2 = 1\). Prove that the number \(xyz^2\) is also rational.

Peter marks several cells on a \(5 \times 5\) board. His friend, Richard, will win if he can cover all of these cells with non-overlapping corners of three squares, that do not overlap with the border of the square (you can only place the corners on the squares). What is the smallest number of cells that Peter should mark so that Richard cannot win?

16 teams took part in a handball tournament where a victory was worth 2 points, a draw – 1 point and a defeat – 0 points. All teams scored a different number of points, and the team that ranked seventh, scored 21 points. Prove that the winning team drew at least once.

Three players are playing knockout table tennis – that is, the player who loses a game swaps places with the player who did not take part in that game and the winner stays on. In total Andrew played 10 games, Ben played 15, and Charlotte played 17. Which player lost the second game played?

Each day, from Monday to Friday, an old man went to the sea and threw in a net to catch fish. On each day the man caught no more fish than on the previous day. In total over the 5 days the man caught exactly 100 fish. What is the minimum total number of fish the man could have caught on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.