IMO Shortlist 1996

Algebra

1 Suppose that a, b, c > 0 such that abc = 1. Prove that

ab bc ca
5 5
+ 5 5
+ ≤ 1.
ab + a + b bc + b + c ca + c5 + a5

2 Let a1 ≥ a2 ≥ . . . ≥ an be real numbers such that for all integers k > 0,

ak1 + ak2 + . . . + akn ≥ 0.

Let p = max{|a1 |, . . . , |an |}. Prove that p = a1 and that

(x − a1 ) · (x − a2 ) · · · (x − an ) ≤ xn − an1
for all x > a1 .
3 Let a > 2 be given, and starting a0 = 1, a1 = a define recursively:

a2n
 
an+1 = − 2 · an .
a2n−1
Pk 1 1
√
2
Show that for all integers k > 0, we have: i=0 ai < 2 · (2 + a − a − 4).

4 Let a1 , a2 ...an be non-negative reals, not all zero. Show that that (a) The polynomial
Pn p(x) =
xn − aP1 xn−1 + ... − a
n−1 x − an has preceisely 1 positive real root R. (b) let A = i=1 ai and
n A B
B = i=1 iai . Show that A ≤ R .

5 Let P (x) be the real polynomial function, P (x) = ax3 + bx2 + cx + d. Prove that if |P (x)| ≤ 1
for all x such that |x| ≤ 1, then

|a| + |b| + |c| + |d| ≤ 7.

6 Let n be an even positive integer. Prove that there exists a positive inter k such that

k = f (x) · (x + 1)n + g(x) · (xn + 1)

for some polynomials f (x), g(x) having integer coefficients. If k0 denotes the least such k,
determine k0 as a function of n, i.e. show that k0 = 2q where q is the odd integer determined
by n = q · 2r , r ∈ N.
Note: This is variant A6’ of the three variants given for this problem.

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 1
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/
 IMO Shortlist 1996

7 Let f be a function from the set of real numbers R into itself such for all x ∈ R, we have
|f (x)| ≤ 1 and
     
13 1 1
f x+ + f (x) = f x+ +f x+ .
42 6 7

Prove that f is a periodic function (that is, there exists a non-zero real number c such
f (x + c) = f (x) for all x ∈ R).

8 Let N0 denote the set of nonnegative integers. Find all functions f from N0 to itself such that

f (m + f (n)) = f (f (m)) + f (n) for all m, n ∈ N0 .

9 Let the sequence a(n), n = 1, 2, 3, . . . be generated as follows with a(1) = 0, and for n > 1 :
j n k n(n+1)
a(n) = a + (−1) 2 .
2
1.) Determine the maximum and minimum value of a(n) over n ≤ 1996 and find all n ≤ 1996
for which these extreme values are attained.
2.) How many terms a(n), n ≤ 1996, are equal to 0?

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 2
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/
 IMO Shortlist 1996

Combinatorics

1 We are given a positive integer r and a rectangular board ABCD with dimensions AB =
20, BC = 12. The rectangle is divided into a grid of 20×12 unit squares. The following moves
are permitted on the board: one can move from one square to another only if the distance
√
between the centers of the two squares is r. The task is to find a sequence of moves leading
from the square with A as a vertex to the square with B as a vertex.
(a) Show that the task cannot be done if r is divisible by 2 or 3.
(b) Prove that the task is possible when r = 73.
(c) Can the task be done when r = 97?

2 A square (n − 1) × (n − 1) is divided into (n − 1)2 unit squares in the usual manner. Each
of the n2 vertices of these squares is to be coloured red or blue. Find the number of different
colourings such that each unit square has exactly two red vertices. (Two colouring schemse
are regarded as different if at least one vertex is coloured differently in the two schemes.)

3 Let k, m, n be integers such that 1 < n ≤ m − 1 ≤ k. Determine the maximum size of a subset
S of the set {1, 2, 3, . . . , k − 1, k} such that no n distinct elements of S add up to m.

4 Determine whether or nor there exist two disjoint infinite sets A and B of points in the plane
satisfying the following conditions:
a.) No three points in A ∪ B are collinear, and the distance between any two points in A ∪ B
is at least 1.
b.) There is a point of A in any triangle whose vertices are in B, and there is a point of B in
any triangle whose vertices are in A.

5 Let p, q, n be three positive integers with p + q < n. Let (x0 , x1 , · · · , xn ) be an (n + 1)-tuple

of integers satisfying the following conditions :
(a) x0 = xn = 0, and
(b) For each i with 1 ≤ i ≤ n, either xi − xi−1 = p or xi − xi−1 = − q.
Show that there exist indices i < j with (i, j) 6= (0, n), such that xi = xj .

6 A finite number of coins are placed on an infinite row of squares. A sequence of moves is
performed as follows: at each stage a square containing more than one coin is chosen. Two
coins are taken from this square; one of them is placed on the square immediately to the left
while the other is placed on the square immediately to the right of the chosen square. The
sequence terminates if at some point there is at most one coin on each square. Given some

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 3
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/
 IMO Shortlist 1996

initial configuration, show that any legal sequence of moves will terminate after the same
number of steps and with the same final configuration.

7 let V be a finitive set and g and f be two injective surjective functions from V toV .let T and
S be two sets such that they are defined as following” S = {w ∈ V : f (f (w)) = g(g(w))}
T = {w ∈ V : f (g(w)) = g(f (w))} we know that S ∪T = V , prove: for each w ∈ V : f (w) ∈ S
if and only if g(w) ∈ S

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 4
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/
 IMO Shortlist 1996

Geometry

1 Let ABC be a triangle, and H its orthocenter. Let P be a point on the circumcircle of
triangle ABC (distinct from the vertices A, B, C), and let E be the foot of the altitude of
triangle ABC from the vertex B. Let the parallel to the line BP through the point A meet
the parallel to the line AP through the point B at a point Q. Let the parallel to the line CP
through the point A meet the parallel to the line AP through the point C at a point R. The
lines HR and AQ intersect at some point X. Prove that the lines EX and AP are parallel.

2 Let P be a point inside a triangle ABC such that

∠AP B − ∠ACB = ∠AP C − ∠ABC.

Let D, E be the incenters of triangles AP B, AP C, respectively. Show that the lines AP ,

BD, CE meet at a point.

3 Let O be the circumcenter and H the orthocenter of an acute-angled triangle ABC such that
BC > CA. Let F be the foot of the altitude CH of triangle ABC. The perpendicular to the
line OF at the point F intersects the line AC at P . Prove that ]F HP = ]BAC.

4 Let ABC be an equilateral triangle and let P be a point in its interior. Let the lines AP ,
BP , CP meet the sides BC, CA, AB at the points A1 , B1 , C1 , respectively. Prove that
A1 B1 · B1 C1 · C1 A1 ≥ A1 B · B1 C · C1 A.

5 Let ABCDEF be a convex hexagon such that AB is parallel to DE, BC is parallel to EF , and
CD is parallel to F A. Let RA , RC , RE denote the circumradii of triangles F AB, BCD, DEF ,
respectively, and let P denote the perimeter of the hexagon. Prove that
P
RA + RC + RE ≥ .
2

6 Let the sides of two rectangles be {a, b} and {c, d}, respectively, with a < c ≤ d < b and
ab < cd. Prove that the first rectangle can be placed within the second one if and only if

2
b2 − a2 ≤ (bc − ad)2 + (bd − ac)2 .

7 Let ABC be an acute triangle with circumcenter O and circumradius R. AO meets the
circumcircle of BOC at A0 , BO meets the circumcircle of COA at B 0 and CO meets the
circumcircle of AOB at C 0 . Prove that

OA0 · OB 0 · OC 0 ≥ 8R3 .

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 5
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/
 IMO Shortlist 1996

Sorry if this has been posted before since this is a very classical problem, but I failed to find
it with the search-function.

8 Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral, and let RA , RB , RC , RD denote the circumradii of the
triangles DAB, ABC, BCD, CDA, respectively. Prove that RA + RC > RB + RD if and only
if ∠A + ∠C > ∠B + ∠D.

9 In the plane, consider a point X and a polygon F (which is not necessarily convex). Let p
denote the perimeter of F, let d be the sum of the distances from the point X to the vertices
of F, and let h be the sum of the distances from the point X to the sidelines of F. Prove
2
that d2 − h2 ≥ p4 .

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 6
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/
 IMO Shortlist 1996

Number Theory

1 Four integers are marked on a circle. On each step we simultaneously replace each number
by the difference between this number and next number on the circle, moving in a clockwise
direction; that is, the numbers a, b, c, d are replaced by a − b, b − c, c − d, d − a. Is it possible
after 1996 such to have numbers a, b, c, d such the numbers |bc − ad|, |ac − bd|, |ab − cd| are
primes?

2 The positive integers a and b are such that the numbers 15a + 16b and 16a − 15b are both
squares of positive integers. What is the least possible value that can be taken on by the
smaller of these two squares?

3 A finite sequence of integers a0 , a1 , . . . , an is called quadratic if for each i in the set {1, 2 . . . , n}
we have the equality |ai − ai−1 | = i2 .
a.) Prove that any two integers b and c, there exists a natural number n and a quadratic
sequence with a0 = b and an = c.
b.) Find the smallest natural number n for which there exists a quadratic sequence with
a0 = 0 and an = 1996.

4 Find all positive integers a and b for which

a2
  2  2
a + b2
 
b
+ = + ab.
b a ab

5 Show that there exists a bijective function f : N0 → N0 such that for all m, n ∈ N0 :

f (3mn + m + n) = 4f (m)f (n) + f (m) + f (n).

This file was downloaded from the AoPS Math Olympiad Resources Page Page 7
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/