Find the largest possible integer $k$, such that the following statement is true: Let $2009$ arbitrary non-degenerated triangles be given. In every triangle the three sides are coloured, such that one is blue, one is red and one is white. Now, for every colour separately, let us sort the lengths of the sides. We obtain \[ \left. \begin{array}{rcl} & b_1 \leq b_2\leq\ldots\leq b_{2009} & \textrm{the lengths of the blue sides }\\ & r_1 \leq r_2\leq\ldots\leq r_{2009} & \textrm{the lengths of the red sides }\\ \textrm{and } & w_1 \leq w_2\leq\ldots\leq w_{2009} & \textrm{the lengths of the white sides }\\ \end{array}\right.\] Then there exist $k$ indices $j$ such that we can form a non-degenerated triangle with side lengths $b_j$, $r_j$, $w_j$. Proposed by Michal Rolinek, Czech Republic
2009 IMO Shortlist
Algebra
Let $a$, $b$, $c$ be positive real numbers such that $\dfrac{1}{a} + \dfrac{1}{b} + \dfrac{1}{c} = a+b+c$. Prove that: \[\frac{1}{(2a+b+c)^2}+\frac{1}{(a+2b+c)^2}+\frac{1}{(a+b+2c)^2}\leq \frac{3}{16}.\] Proposed by Juhan Aru, Estonia
Determine all functions $ f$ from the set of positive integers to the set of positive integers such that, for all positive integers $ a$ and $ b$, there exists a non-degenerate triangle with sides of lengths \[ a, f(b) \text{ and } f(b + f(a) - 1).\] (A triangle is non-degenerate if its vertices are not collinear.) Proposed by Bruno Le Floch, France
Let $a$, $b$, $c$ be positive real numbers such that $ab+bc+ca\leq 3abc$. Prove that \[\sqrt{\frac{a^2+b^2}{a+b}}+\sqrt{\frac{b^2+c^2}{b+c}}+\sqrt{\frac{c^2+a^2}{c+a}}+3\leq \sqrt{2}\left(\sqrt{a+b}+\sqrt{b+c}+\sqrt{c+a}\right)\] Proposed by Dzianis Pirshtuk, Belarus
Let $f$ be any function that maps the set of real numbers into the set of real numbers. Prove that there exist real numbers $x$ and $y$ such that \[f\left(x-f(y)\right)>yf(x)+x\] Proposed by Igor Voronovich, Belarus
Suppose that $ s_1,s_2,s_3, \ldots$ is a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers such that the sub-sequences \[s_{s_1},\, s_{s_2},\, s_{s_3},\, \ldots\qquad\text{and}\qquad s_{s_1+1},\, s_{s_2+1},\, s_{s_3+1},\, \ldots\] are both arithmetic progressions. Prove that the sequence $ s_1, s_2, s_3, \ldots$ is itself an arithmetic progression. Proposed by Gabriel Carroll, USA
Find all functions $f$ from the set of real numbers into the set of real numbers which satisfy for all $x$, $y$ the identity \[ f\left(xf(x+y)\right) = f\left(yf(x)\right) +x^2\] Proposed by Japan
Combinatorics
Consider $2009$ cards, each having one gold side and one black side, lying on parallel on a long table. Initially all cards show their gold sides. Two player, standing by the same long side of the table, play a game with alternating moves. Each move consists of choosing a block of $50$ consecutive cards, the leftmost of which is showing gold, and turning them all over, so those which showed gold now show black and vice versa. The last player who can make a legal move wins. (a) Does the game necessarily end? (b) Does there exist a winning strategy for the starting player? Proposed by Michael Albert, Richard Guy, New Zealand
For any integer $n\geq 2$, let $N(n)$ be the maxima number of triples $(a_i, b_i, c_i)$, $i=1, \ldots, N(n)$, consisting of nonnegative integers $a_i$, $b_i$ and $c_i$ such that the following two conditions are satisfied: $a_i+b_i+c_i=n$ for all $i=1, \ldots, N(n)$, If $i\neq j$ then $a_i\neq a_j$, $b_i\neq b_j$ and $c_i\neq c_j$ Determine $N(n)$ for all $n\geq 2$. Proposed by Dan Schwarz, Romania
Let $n$ be a positive integer. Given a sequence $\varepsilon_1$, $\dots$, $\varepsilon_{n - 1}$ with $\varepsilon_i = 0$ or $\varepsilon_i = 1$ for each $i = 1$, $\dots$, $n - 1$, the sequences $a_0$, $\dots$, $a_n$ and $b_0$, $\dots$, $b_n$ are constructed by the following rules: \[a_0 = b_0 = 1, \quad a_1 = b_1 = 7,\] \[\begin{array}{lll} a_{i+1} = \begin{cases} 2a_{i-1} + 3a_i, \\ 3a_{i-1} + a_i, \end{cases} & \begin{array}{l} \text{if } \varepsilon_i = 0, \\ \text{if } \varepsilon_i = 1, \end{array} & \text{for each } i = 1, \dots, n - 1, \\[15pt] b_{i+1}= \begin{cases} 2b_{i-1} + 3b_i, \\ 3b_{i-1} + b_i, \end{cases} & \begin{array}{l} \text{if } \varepsilon_{n-i} = 0, \\ \text{if } \varepsilon_{n-i} = 1, \end{array} & \text{for each } i = 1, \dots, n - 1. \end{array}\] Prove that $a_n = b_n$. Proposed by Ilya Bogdanov, Russia
For an integer $m\geq 1$, we consider partitions of a $2^m\times 2^m$ chessboard into rectangles consisting of cells of chessboard, in which each of the $2^m$ cells along one diagonal forms a separate rectangle of side length $1$. Determine the smallest possible sum of rectangle perimeters in such a partition. Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Netherlands
Five identical empty buckets of $2$-liter capacity stand at the vertices of a regular pentagon. Cinderella and her wicked Stepmother go through a sequence of rounds: At the beginning of every round, the Stepmother takes one liter of water from the nearby river and distributes it arbitrarily over the five buckets. Then Cinderella chooses a pair of neighbouring buckets, empties them to the river and puts them back. Then the next round begins. The Stepmother goal's is to make one of these buckets overflow. Cinderella's goal is to prevent this. Can the wicked Stepmother enforce a bucket overflow? Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Netherlands
On a $999\times 999$ board a limp rook can move in the following way: From any square it can move to any of its adjacent squares, i.e. a square having a common side with it, and every move must be a turn, i.e. the directions of any two consecutive moves must be perpendicular. A non-intersecting route of the limp rook consists of a sequence of pairwise different squares that the limp rook can visit in that order by an admissible sequence of moves. Such a non-intersecting route is called cyclic, if the limp rook can, after reaching the last square of the route, move directly to the first square of the route and start over. How many squares does the longest possible cyclic, non-intersecting route of a limp rook visit? Proposed by Nikolay Beluhov, Bulgaria
Let $ a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n$ be distinct positive integers and let $ M$ be a set of $ n - 1$ positive integers not containing $ s = a_1 + a_2 + \ldots + a_n.$ A grasshopper is to jump along the real axis, starting at the point $ 0$ and making $ n$ jumps to the right with lengths $ a_1, a_2, \ldots , a_n$ in some order. Prove that the order can be chosen in such a way that the grasshopper never lands on any point in $ M.$ Proposed by Dmitry Khramtsov, Russia
For any integer $n\geq 2$, we compute the integer $h(n)$ by applying the following procedure to its decimal representation. Let $r$ be the rightmost digit of $n$. If $r=0$, then the decimal representation of $h(n)$ results from the decimal representation of $n$ by removing this rightmost digit $0$. If $1\leq r \leq 9$ we split the decimal representation of $n$ into a maximal right part $R$ that solely consists of digits not less than $r$ and into a left part $L$ that either is empty or ends with a digit strictly smaller than $r$. Then the decimal representation of $h(n)$ consists of the decimal representation of $L$, followed by two copies of the decimal representation of $R-1$. For instance, for the number $17,151,345,543$, we will have $L=17,151$, $R=345,543$ and $h(n)=17,151,345,542,345,542$. Prove that, starting with an arbitrary integer $n\geq 2$, iterated application of $h$ produces the integer $1$ after finitely many steps. Proposed by Gerhard Woeginger, Austria
Geometry
Let $ ABC$ be a triangle with $ AB = AC$ . The angle bisectors of $ \angle C AB$ and $ \angle AB C$ meet the sides $ B C$ and $ C A$ at $ D$ and $ E$ , respectively. Let $ K$ be the incentre of triangle $ ADC$. Suppose that $ \angle B E K = 45^\circ$ . Find all possible values of $ \angle C AB$ . Jan Vonk, Belgium, Peter Vandendriessche, Belgium and Hojoo Lee, Korea
Let $ ABC$ be a triangle with circumcentre $ O$. The points $ P$ and $ Q$ are interior points of the sides $ CA$ and $ AB$ respectively. Let $ K,L$ and $ M$ be the midpoints of the segments $ BP,CQ$ and $ PQ$. respectively, and let $ \Gamma$ be the circle passing through $ K,L$ and $ M$. Suppose that the line $ PQ$ is tangent to the circle $ \Gamma$. Prove that $ OP = OQ.$ Proposed by Sergei Berlov, Russia
Let $ABC$ be a triangle. The incircle of $ABC$ touches the sides $AB$ and $AC$ at the points $Z$ and $Y$, respectively. Let $G$ be the point where the lines $BY$ and $CZ$ meet, and let $R$ and $S$ be points such that the two quadrilaterals $BCYR$ and $BCSZ$ are parallelogram. Prove that $GR=GS$. Proposed by Hossein Karke Abadi, Iran
Given a cyclic quadrilateral $ABCD$, let the diagonals $AC$ and $BD$ meet at $E$ and the lines $AD$ and $BC$ meet at $F$. The midpoints of $AB$ and $CD$ are $G$ and $H$, respectively. Show that $EF$ is tangent at $E$ to the circle through the points $E$, $G$ and $H$. Proposed by David Monk, United Kingdom
Let $P$ be a polygon that is convex and symmetric to some point $O$. Prove that for some parallelogram $R$ satisfying $P\subset R$ we have \[\frac{|R|}{|P|}\leq \sqrt 2\] where $|R|$ and $|P|$ denote the area of the sets $R$ and $P$, respectively. Proposed by Witold Szczechla, Poland
Let the sides $AD$ and $BC$ of the quadrilateral $ABCD$ (such that $AB$ is not parallel to $CD$) intersect at point $P$. Points $O_1$ and $O_2$ are circumcenters and points $H_1$ and $H_2$ are orthocenters of triangles $ABP$ and $CDP$, respectively. Denote the midpoints of segments $O_1H_1$ and $O_2H_2$ by $E_1$ and $E_2$, respectively. Prove that the perpendicular from $E_1$ on $CD$, the perpendicular from $E_2$ on $AB$ and the lines $H_1H_2$ are concurrent. Proposed by Eugene Bilopitov, Ukraine
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with incenter $I$ and let $X$, $Y$ and $Z$ be the incenters of the triangles $BIC$, $CIA$ and $AIB$, respectively. Let the triangle $XYZ$ be equilateral. Prove that $ABC$ is equilateral too. Proposed by Mirsaleh Bahavarnia, Iran
Let $ABCD$ be a circumscribed quadrilateral. Let $g$ be a line through $A$ which meets the segment $BC$ in $M$ and the line $CD$ in $N$. Denote by $I_1$, $I_2$ and $I_3$ the incenters of $\triangle ABM$, $\triangle MNC$ and $\triangle NDA$, respectively. Prove that the orthocenter of $\triangle I_1I_2I_3$ lies on $g$. Proposed by Nikolay Beluhov, Bulgaria
Number Theory
Let $ n$ be a positive integer and let $ a_1,a_2,a_3,\ldots,a_k$ $ ( k\ge 2)$ be distinct integers in the set $ { 1,2,\ldots,n}$ such that $ n$ divides $ a_i(a_{i + 1} - 1)$ for $ i = 1,2,\ldots,k - 1$. Prove that $ n$ does not divide $ a_k(a_1 - 1).$ Proposed by Ross Atkins, Australia
A positive integer $N$ is called balanced, if $N=1$ or if $N$ can be written as a product of an even number of not necessarily distinct primes. Given positive integers $a$ and $b$, consider the polynomial $P$ defined by $P(x)=(x+a)(x+b)$. (a) Prove that there exist distinct positive integers $a$ and $b$ such that all the number $P(1)$, $P(2)$,$\ldots$, $P(50)$ are balanced. (b) Prove that if $P(n)$ is balanced for all positive integers $n$, then $a=b$. Proposed by Jorge Tipe, Peru
Let $f$ be a non-constant function from the set of positive integers into the set of positive integer, such that $a-b$ divides $f(a)-f(b)$ for all distinct positive integers $a$, $b$. Prove that there exist infinitely many primes $p$ such that $p$ divides $f(c)$ for some positive integer $c$. Proposed by Juhan Aru, Estonia
Find all positive integers $n$ such that there exists a sequence of positive integers $a_1$, $a_2$,$\ldots$, $a_n$ satisfying: \[a_{k+1}=\frac{a_k^2+1}{a_{k-1}+1}-1\] for every $k$ with $2\leq k\leq n-1$. Proposed by North Korea
Let $P(x)$ be a non-constant polynomial with integer coefficients. Prove that there is no function $T$ from the set of integers into the set of integers such that the number of integers $x$ with $T^n(x)=x$ is equal to $P(n)$ for every $n\geq 1$, where $T^n$ denotes the $n$-fold application of $T$. Proposed by Jozsef Pelikan, Hungary
Let $k$ be a positive integer. Show that if there exists a sequence $a_0,a_1,\ldots$ of integers satisfying the condition \[a_n=\frac{a_{n-1}+n^k}{n}\text{ for all } n\geq 1,\]then $k-2$ is divisible by $3$. Proposed by Okan Tekman, Turkey
Let $a$ and $b$ be distinct integers greater than $1$. Prove that there exists a positive integer $n$ such that $(a^n-1)(b^n-1)$ is not a perfect square. Proposed by Mongolia