Find all functions $f : \mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z}$ such that $(f(x + y))^2 = f(x^2) + f(y^2)$ for all $x, y \in \mathbb{Z}$.
2018 Pan-African Shortlist
Algebra
Find a non-zero polynomial $f(x, y)$ such that $f(\lfloor 3t \rfloor, \lfloor 5t \rfloor) = 0$ for all real numbers $t$.
Akello divides a square up into finitely many white and red rectangles, each (rectangle) with sides parallel to the sides of the parent square. Within each white rectangle, she writes down the value of its width divided by its height, while within each red rectangle, she writes down the value of its height divided by its width. Finally, she calculates $x$, the sum of these numbers. If the total area of the white rectangles equals the total area of the red rectangles, what is the least possible value of $x$ she can get?
Let $a$, $b$, $c$ and $d$ be non-zero pairwise different real numbers such that $$ \frac{a}{b} + \frac{b}{c} + \frac{c}{d} + \frac{d}{a} = 4 \text{ and } ac = bd. $$ Show that $$ \frac{a}{c} + \frac{b}{d} + \frac{c}{a} + \frac{d}{b} \leq -12 $$and that $-12$ is the maximum.
Let $g : \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}$ be a function satisfying: $g(xy) = g(x)g(y)$ for all $x, y \in \mathbb{N}$, $g(g(x)) = x$ for all $x \in \mathbb{N}$, and $g(x) \neq x$ for $2 \leq x \leq 2018$. Find the minimum possible value of $g(2)$.
Let $a, b, c$ be positive real numbers such that $a^3 + b^3 + c^3 = 5abc$. Show that \[ \left( \frac{a + b}{c} \right) \left( \frac{b + c}{a} \right) \left( \frac{c + a}{b} \right) \geq 9. \]
Let $f(n) = n + \lfloor \sqrt{n} \rfloor$. Prove that for every positive integer $m$, the integer sequence $m, f(m), f(f(m)), \dots$ contains at least one square of an integer.
Number Theory
Does there exist positive integers $a, b, c$ such that $4(ab - a - c^2) = b$?
A positive integer is called special if its digits can be arranged to form an integer divisible by $4$. How many of the integers from $1$ to $2018$ are special?
For any positive integer $x$, we set $$ g(x) = \text{ largest odd divisor of } x, $$$$ f(x) = \begin{cases} \frac{x}{2} + \frac{x}{g(x)} & \text{ if } x \text{ is even;} \\ 2^{\frac{x+1}{2}} & \text{ if } x \text{ is odd.} \end{cases} $$ Consider the sequence $(x_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ defined by $x_1 = 1$, $x_{n + 1} = f(x_n)$. Show that the integer $2018$ appears in this sequence, determine the least integer $n$ such that $x_n = 2018$, and determine whether $n$ is unique or not.
Let $S$ be a set of $49$-digit numbers $n$, with the property that each of the digits $1, 2, 3, \dots, 7$ appears in the decimal expansion of $n$ seven times (and $8, 9$ and $0$ do not appear). Show that no two distinct elements of $S$ divide each other.
Find all quadruplets $(a, b, c, d)$ of positive integers such that \[ \left( 1 + \frac{1}{a} \right) \left( 1 + \frac{1}{b} \right) \left( 1 + \frac{1}{c} \right) \left( 1 + \frac{1}{d} \right) = 4. \]
Prove that there are infinitely many integers $n$ such that both the arithmetic mean of its divisors and the geometric mean of its divisors are integers. (Recall that for $k$ positive real numbers, $a_1, a_2, \dotsc, a_k$, the arithmetic mean is $\frac{a_1 +a_2 +\dotsb +a_k}{k}$, and the geometric mean is $\sqrt[k]{a_1 a_2\dotsb a_k}$.)
Find all non-negative integers $n$ for which the equation \[ {\left( x^2 + y^2 \right)}^n = {(xy)}^{2018} \]admits positive integral solutions.
Geometry
In a triangle $ABC$, let $D$ and $E$ be the midpoints of $AB$ and $AC$, respectively, and let $F$ be the foot of the altitude through $A$. Show that the line $DE$, the angle bisector of $\angle ACB$ and the circumcircle of $ACF$ pass through a common point. Alternate version: In a triangle $ABC$, let $D$ and $E$ be the midpoints of $AB$ and $AC$, respectively. The line $DE$ and the angle bisector of $\angle ACB$ meet at $G$. Show that $\angle AGC$ is a right angle.
Let $P$ be a point on the median $AM$ of a triangle $ABC$. Suppose that the tangents to the circumcircles of $ABP$ and $ACP$ at $B$ and $C$ respectively meet at $Q$. Show that $\angle PAB = \angle CAQ$.
Given a triangle $ABC$, let $D$ be the intersection of the line through $A$ perpendicular to $AB$, and the line through $B$ perpendicular to $BC$. Let $P$ be a point inside the triangle. Show that $DAPB$ is cyclic if and only if $\angle BAP = \angle CBP$.
Let $ABC$ be a triangle and $\Gamma$ be the circle with diameter $[AB]$. The bisectors of $\angle BAC$ and $\angle ABC$ cut the circle $\Gamma$ again at $D$ and $E$, respectively. The incicrcle of the triangle $ABC$ cuts the lines $BC$ and $AC$ in $F$ and $G$, respectively. Show that the points $D, E, F$ and $G$ lie on the same line.
Let $ABC$ be a triangle with $AB \neq AC$. The incircle of $ABC$ touches the sides $BC$, $CA$, $AB$ at $X$, $Y$, $Z$ respectively. The line through $Z$ and $Y$ intersects $BC$ extended in $X^\prime$. The lines through $B$ that are parallel to $AX$ and $AC$ intersect $AX^\prime$ in $K$ and $L$ respectively. Prove that $AK = KL$.
Let $\Gamma$ be the circumcircle of an acute triangle $ABC$. The perpendicular line to $AB$ passing through $C$ cuts $AB$ in $D$ and $\Gamma$ again in $E$. The bisector of the angle $C$ cuts $AB$ in $F$ and $\Gamma$ again in $G$. The line $GD$ meets $\Gamma$ again at $H$ and the line $HF$ meets $\Gamma$ again at $I$. Prove that $AI = EB$.
Combinatorics
A chess tournament is held with the participation of boys and girls. The girls are twice as many as boys. Each player plays against each other player exactly once. By the end of the tournament, there were no draws and the ratio of girl winnings to boy winnings was $\frac{7}{9}$. How many players took part at the tournament?
Adamu and Afaafa choose, each in his turn, positive integers as coefficients of a polynomial of degree $n$. Adamu wins if the polynomial obtained has an integer root; otherwise, Afaafa wins. Afaafa plays first if $n$ is odd; otherwise Adamu plays first. Prove that: Adamu has a winning strategy if $n$ is odd. Afaafa has a winning strategy if $n$ is even.
A game is played on an $m \times n$ chessboard. At the beginning, there is a coin on one of the squares. Two players take turns to move the coin to an adjacent square (horizontally or vertically). The coin may never be moved to a square that has been occupied before. If a player cannot move any more, he loses. Prove: If the size (number of squares) of the board is even, then the player to move first has a winning strategy, regardless of the initial position. If the size of the board is odd, then the player to move first has a winning strategy if and only if the coin is initially placed on a square whose colour is not the same as the colour of the corners.
Seven cyclists follow one another, in a line, on a narrow way. By the end of the training, each cyclist complains about the style of driving of the one in front of him. They agree to rearrange themselves the next day, so that no cyclist would follow the same cyclist he follows the first day. How many such rearrangements are possible?
A set of $n$ lines are said to be in standard form if no two are parallel and no three are concurrent. Does there exist a value of $k$ such that given any $n$ lines in standard form, it is possible to colour the regions bounded by the $n$ lines using $k$ colours in such a way that no two regions of the same colour share a common intersection point of the $n$ lines?
A circle is divided into $n$ sectors ($n \geq 3$). Each sector can be filled in with either $1$ or $0$. Choose any sector $\mathcal{C}$ occupied by $0$, change it into a $1$ and simultaneously change the symbols $x, y$ in the two sectors adjacent to $\mathcal{C}$ to their complements $1-x$, $1-y$. We repeat this process as long as there exists a zero in some sector. In the initial configuration there is a $0$ in one sector and $1$s elsewhere. For which values of $n$ can we end this process?