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Gabriel D. Carroll
Given an initial nonnegative integer s1 define the sequence {sn } by sn+1 = |sn n| (n
1). Determine, as an explicit function of the positive integer k, the least s1 for which
the sequence will eventually assume the form a, a + k, a + 1, a + k + 1, a + 2, a + k + 2, . . .
for some constant a, and prove that infinitely many such s1 exist for each k. (MOP
98 Rookie Contest)
Let p be an odd prime and a, b positive integers satisfying (p + 1)a pb = 1. Show that
a = b = 1. (BMC 99-00 contest)
Let S = {1, 2, . . . , n} and suppose T is a set of ordered pairs of elements of S such
that, for any i, j S, there are exactly m values of k for which both (i, k) T and
(k, j) T . Find all pairs (n, m) for which this is possible. (Proposed for MOP 00
Rookie Contest)
Let a1 , a2 , . . . , a2000 be real numbers in the interval [0, 1]. Find the maximum possible
value of
X
(j i)|aj ai |.
1i<j2000
Pn
i=1
fk (b ni c) =
Suppose that S1 , S2 , S3 , . . . are sets of integers such that no integer is contained in more
than one Sn ; every Sn has exactly two elements; and the sum of the elements of Sn is
n. Prove that there exist infinitely many values of n with the following property: one
of the elements of Sn is greater than 13n/7. (BMC 00-01 contest)