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Prove that the polynomial \(P (x) = a_0 + a_1x + \dots + a_nx^n\) has a number \(-1\) which is a root of multiplicity \(m + 1\) if and only if the following conditions are satisfied: \[\begin{aligned} a_0 - a_1 + a_2 - a_3 + \dots + (-1)^{n}a_n &= 0,\\ - a_1 + 2a_2 - 3a_3 + \dots + (-1)^{n}na_n &= 0,\\ \dots \\ - a_1 + 2^{m}a_2 - 3^{m}a_3 + \dots + (-1)^{n}n^{m}a_n &= 0. \end{aligned}\]

In a one-on-one tournament 10 chess players participate. What is the least number of rounds after which the single winner could have already been determined? (In each round, the participants are broken up into pairs. Win – 1 point, draw – 0.5 points, defeat – 0).

A castle is surrounded by a circular wall with nine towers, at which there are knights on duty. At the end of each hour, they all move to the neighbouring towers, each knight moving either clockwise or counter-clockwise. During the night, each knight stands for some time at each tower. It is known that there was an hour when at least two knights were on duty at each tower, and there was an hour when there was precisely one knight on duty on each of exactly five towers. Prove that there was an hour when there were no knights on duty on one of the towers.

A chequered strip of \(1 \times N\) is given. Two players play the game. The first player puts a cross into one of the free cells on his turn, and subsequently the second player puts a nought in another one of the cells. It is not allowed for there to be two crosses or two noughts in two neighbouring cells. The player who is unable to make a move loses.

Which of the players can always win (no matter how their opponent played)?

In the Republic of mathematicians, the number \(\alpha > 2\) was chosen and coins were issued with denominations of 1 pound, as well as in \(\alpha^k\) pounds for every natural \(k\). In this case \(\alpha\) was chosen so that the value of all the coins, except for the smallest, was irrational. Could it be that any amount of a natural number of pounds can be made with these coins, using coins of each denomination no more than 6 times?

A function \(f\) is given, defined on the set of real numbers and taking real values. It is known that for any \(x\) and \(y\) such that \(x > y\), the inequality \((f (x)) ^2 \leq f (y)\) is true. Prove that the set of values generated by the function is contained in the interval \([0,1]\).

On a ring road at regular intervals there are 25 posts, each with a policeman. The police are numbered in some order from 1 to 25. It is required that they cross the road so that there is a policeman on each post, but so that number 2 was clockwise behind number 1, number 3 was clockwise behind number 2, and so on. Prove that if you organised the transition so that the total distance travelled was the smallest, then one of the policemen will remain at his original post.

Solve the system of equations: \[\begin{aligned} \sin y - \sin x &= x-y; &&\text{and}\\ \sin y - \sin z &= z-y; && \text{and}\\ x-y+z &= \pi. \end{aligned}\]

Author: I.I. Bogdanov

Peter wants to write down all of the possible sequences of 100 natural numbers, in each of which there is at least one 3, and any two neighbouring terms differ by no more than 1. How many sequences will he have to write out?

Author: I.I. Bogdanov

Peter wants to write down all of the possible sequences of 100 natural numbers, in each of which there is at least one 4 or 5, and any two neighbouring terms differ by no more than 2. How many sequences will he have to write out?