The leader of an IMO team chooses positive integers $n$ and $k$ with $n > k$, and announces them to the deputy leader and a contestant. The leader then secretly tells the deputy leader an $n$-digit binary string, and the deputy leader writes down all $n$-digit binary strings which differ from the leader’s in exactly $k$ positions. (For example, if $n = 3$ and $k = 1$, and if the leader chooses $101$, the deputy leader would write down $001, 111$ and $100$.) The contestant is allowed to look at the strings written by the deputy leader and guess the leader’s string. What is the minimum number of guesses (in terms of $n$ and $k$) needed to guarantee the correct answer?
2017 Brazil Team Selection Test
February 18th, 2017 - Test 1
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with $AB = AC \neq BC$ and let $I$ be its incentre. The line $BI$ meets $AC$ at $D$, and the line through $D$ perpendicular to $AC$ meets $AI$ at $E$. Prove that the reflection of $I$ in $AC$ lies on the circumcircle of triangle $BDE$.
Let $a$ be a positive integer which is not a perfect square, and consider the equation \[k = \frac{x^2-a}{x^2-y^2}.\]Let $A$ be the set of positive integers $k$ for which the equation admits a solution in $\mathbb Z^2$ with $x>\sqrt{a}$, and let $B$ be the set of positive integers for which the equation admits a solution in $\mathbb Z^2$ with $0\leq x<\sqrt{a}$. Show that $A=B$.
Find the smallest constant $C > 0$ for which the following statement holds: among any five positive real numbers $a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4,a_5$ (not necessarily distinct), one can always choose distinct subscripts $i,j,k,l$ such that \[ \left| \frac{a_i}{a_j} - \frac {a_k}{a_l} \right| \le C. \]
APMO 2017 - Test 2
We call a $5$-tuple of integers arrangeable if its elements can be labeled $a, b, c, d, e$ in some order so that $a-b+c-d+e=29$. Determine all $2017$-tuples of integers $n_1, n_2, . . . , n_{2017}$ such that if we place them in a circle in clockwise order, then any $5$-tuple of numbers in consecutive positions on the circle is arrangeable. Warut Suksompong, Thailand
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with $AB < AC$. Let $D$ be the intersection point of the internal bisector of angle $BAC$ and the circumcircle of $ABC$. Let $Z$ be the intersection point of the perpendicular bisector of $AC$ with the external bisector of angle $\angle{BAC}$. Prove that the midpoint of the segment $AB$ lies on the circumcircle of triangle $ADZ$. Olimpiada de Matemáticas, Nicaragua
Let $A(n)$ denote the number of sequences $a_1\ge a_2\ge\cdots{}\ge a_k$ of positive integers for which $a_1+\cdots{}+a_k = n$ and each $a_i +1$ is a power of two $(i = 1,2,\cdots{},k)$. Let $B(n)$ denote the number of sequences $b_1\ge b_2\ge \cdots{}\ge b_m$ of positive integers for which $b_1+\cdots{}+b_m =n$ and each inequality $b_j\ge 2b_{j+1}$ holds $(j=1,2,\cdots{}, m-1)$. Prove that $A(n) = B(n)$ for every positive integer $n$. Senior Problems Committee of the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee
Call a rational number $r$ powerful if $r$ can be expressed in the form $\dfrac{p^k}{q}$ for some relatively prime positive integers $p, q$ and some integer $k >1$. Let $a, b, c$ be positive rational numbers such that $abc = 1$. Suppose there exist positive integers $x, y, z$ such that $a^x + b^y + c^z$ is an integer. Prove that $a, b, c$ are all powerful. Jeck Lim, Singapore
Let $n$ be a positive integer. A pair of $n$-tuples $(a_1,\cdots{}, a_n)$ and $(b_1,\cdots{}, b_n)$ with integer entries is called an exquisite pair if $$|a_1b_1+\cdots{}+a_nb_n|\le 1.$$Determine the maximum number of distinct $n$-tuples with integer entries such that any two of them form an exquisite pair. Pakawut Jiradilok and Warut Suksompong, Thailand
April 1st, 2017 - Test 3
Consider fractions $\frac{a}{b}$ where $a$ and $b$ are positive integers. (a) Prove that for every positive integer $n$, there exists such a fraction $\frac{a}{b}$ such that $\sqrt{n} \le \frac{a}{b} \le \sqrt{n+1}$ and $b \le \sqrt{n}+1$. (b) Show that there are infinitely many positive integers $n$ such that no such fraction $\frac{a}{b}$ satisfies $\sqrt{n} \le \frac{a}{b} \le \sqrt{n+1}$ and $b \le \sqrt{n}$.
Let $n, m, k$ and $l$ be positive integers with $n \neq 1$ such that $n^k + mn^l + 1$ divides $n^{k+l} - 1$. Prove that $m = 1$ and $l = 2k$; or $l|k$ and $m = \frac{n^{k-l}-1}{n^l-1}$.
Let $ABCD$ be a convex quadrilateral and let $P$ and $Q$ be variable points inside this quadrilateral so that $\angle APB=\angle CPD=\angle AQB=\angle CQD$. Prove that the lines $PQ$ obtained in this way all pass through a fixed point , or they are all parallel.
Let $n$ be a positive integer. Determine the smallest positive integer $k$ with the following property: it is possible to mark $k$ cells on a $2n \times 2n$ board so that there exists a unique partition of the board into $1 \times 2$ and $2 \times 1$ dominoes, none of which contain two marked cells.
April 22nd, 2017 - Test 4
Let $n$ be a positive integer relatively prime to $6$. We paint the vertices of a regular $n$-gon with three colours so that there is an odd number of vertices of each colour. Show that there exists an isosceles triangle whose three vertices are of different colours.
Let $\tau(n)$ be the number of positive divisors of $n$. Let $\tau_1(n)$ be the number of positive divisors of $n$ which have remainders $1$ when divided by $3$. Find all positive integral values of the fraction $\frac{\tau(10n)}{\tau_1(10n)}$.
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with circumcircle $\Gamma$ and incenter $I$ and let $M$ be the midpoint of $\overline{BC}$. The points $D$, $E$, $F$ are selected on sides $\overline{BC}$, $\overline{CA}$, $\overline{AB}$ such that $\overline{ID} \perp \overline{BC}$, $\overline{IE}\perp \overline{AI}$, and $\overline{IF}\perp \overline{AI}$. Suppose that the circumcircle of $\triangle AEF$ intersects $\Gamma$ at a point $X$ other than $A$. Prove that lines $XD$ and $AM$ meet on $\Gamma$. Proposed by Evan Chen, Taiwan
Find all functions $f:(0,\infty)\rightarrow (0,\infty)$ such that for any $x,y\in (0,\infty)$, $$xf(x^2)f(f(y)) + f(yf(x)) = f(xy) \left(f(f(x^2)) + f(f(y^2))\right).$$