35th International Mathematical Olympiad

Hong Kong, July 1994.

1. Let m and n be positive integers. let a1 , a2 , . . ., am be distinct elements of {1, 2, . . . , n}

such that whenever ai + aj ≤ n for some i, j, 1 ≤ i ≤ j ≤ m, there exists k, 1 ≤ k ≤ m,
with ai + aj = ak . Prove that
a1 + a2 + · · · + am n+1
≥ .
m 2

Soln. Without loss of generality, we may assume that a1 > a2 > · · · > am . We claim
that ai + am+1−i ≥ n + 1 for i = 1, . . . , m. The result then follows readily. To prove
the claim, we assume that on the contrary that it’s false. Thus there exists i such that
ai + am+1−i < n + 1 Then ai < ai + am < ai + am−1 < · · · < ai + am+1−i ≤ n. Thus
{ai + am , ai + am−1 , . . . , ai + am+1−i } ⊆ {a1 , a2 , . . . , ai−1 }
which is impossible. Thus the claim follows.

2. ABC is an isosceles triangle with AB = AC. Suppose that

(i) M is the midpoint of BC and O is the point on the line AM such that OB is perpen-
dicular to AB;
(ii) Q is an arbitrary point on the segment BC different from B and C;
(iii) E lies on the line AB and F lies on the line AC such that E, Q and F are distinct
and collinear.
Prove that OQ is perpendicular to EF if and only if QE = QF .

Soln. First assume that OQ is perpendicular to EF . Now OEBQ abd OCF Q are cyclic.
Hence ∠OEQ = ∠OBQ = ∠OCQ = ∠OF Q. It follows that QE = QF .
Suppose now that QE = QF and that the perpendicular through O to EF meet BC
at Q 6= Q. Draw the line through Q0 parallel to EF , meeting the lines AB and AC at E 0
0

and F 0 , respectively. Then Q0 E 0 = Q0 F 0 as before. Let AQ0 meet EF at N . Then N 6= Q

and N E = N F , so that QE 6= QF , a contradiction. So Q0 = Q.

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1
3. For any positive integer k, let f (k) be the number of elements in the set {k + 1, k +
2, . . . , 2k} whose base 2 representation has precisely three 1s.
(a) Prove that, for each positive integer m, there exists at least one positive integer k
such that f (k) = m.
(b) Determine all positive integers m for which there exists exactly one k with f (k) = m.

Soln. Let g(k) denote the number of elements in the set {1, . . . , n} whose binary repre-
sentation has exactly three ones. Then f (k) and g(k) are both increasing and f (k) =
g(2k) − g(k). Hence

f (k + 1) − f (k) = g(2k + 2) − g(k + 1) − g(2k) + g(k)

= g(2k + 2) − g(2k) − [g(k + 1) − g(k)]

Since either both 2k + 2 is counted in g(2k + 2) and k + 1 is counted in g(k + 1) or neither

is. Thus f (k + 1) − f (k) is
either
1 or 0
depending on where 2k + 1 is counted in g(2k + 1)
or not. Since f (2n ) = n+13 − n3 = n2 , the image of f is N ∪ {0}. This proves (a).
Let m be any positive integer for which there is only one k with f (k) = m. Then

f (k + 1) − f (k) = 1 = f (k) − f (k − 1).

The former means 2k + 1 is counted in g(2k + 2), or equivalently, the binary representation
of k has exactly two ones. The same holds for k − 1. This happens only when the last two
digits of k − 1 are 01. In other words, k = 2n + 2. But

f (2n + 2) = g(2n+1 + 4) − g(2n + 2)

= 1 + g(2n+1 − g(2n )
 
n
=1+
2

Thus the answer is any number of the form 1 + n2 , n ≥ 2.

4. Determine all ordered pairs (m, n) of positive integers such that

n3 + 1
mn − 1
is an integer.

Soln. Note that mn − 1 and m3 are relatively prime. That mn − 1 dividing n3 + 1 is

therefore equivalent to mn − 1 dividing m3 (n3 + 1) = m3 n3 − 1 + m3 + 1, which is in turn
3
equivalent to mn−1 dividing m3 +1. If m = n, we have nn2 −1 +1 1
= n+ n−1 . This is an integer
2
if and only if n = 2. We now consider the case m > n. If n = 1, m−1 is an integer. This is
so if and ly if m = 2, 3. Suppose n ≥ 2. Note that n3 + 1 ≡ 1 (mod n) while mn − 1 ≡ −1

2
 3 3
n +1
(mod n). Hence mn−1 = kn − 1 for some positive integer k. Now kn − 1 < nn2 −1
+1 1
= n + n−1
1
or (k − 1)n < 1 + n−1 . Hence k = 1, so that n3 + 1 = (mn − 1)(n − 1). This yields
2
m = nn−1
+1 2
= n + 1 + n−1 , which is an integer if and only if n = 2, 3. In each case, we have
m = 5. In summary, there are 9 solutions, namely

(2, 2), (2, 1), (3, 1), (5, 2), (5, 3), (1, 2), (1, 3), (2, 5), (3, 5)

the last 4 obtained by symmetry.

5. Let S be the set of real numbers strictly greater than −1. Find all functions f : S → S
satisfying the two conditions:
(i) f (x) + f (y) + xf (y) = y + f (x) + yf (x) for all x and y in S;
f (x)
(ii) x is strictly increasing on each of the intervals −1 < x < 0 and 0 < x.

Soln. Conditionm (ii) implies that f (x) = x has at most three solutions, one in (−1, 0),
one equal to 0 and the third in (0, ∞).
Suppose f (u) = u for some u ∈ (−1, 0). Setting x = y = u in (i), we get

f (u2 + 2u) = u2 + 2u ∈ (−1, 0).

This means u2 + 2u = u. But then u 6∈ (−1, 0). The case f (v) = v for some v > 0 leads to
a similar contradiction.
However, f (x+(1+x)f (x)) = x+(1+x)f (x) for all x ∈ S. So we have x+(1+x)f (x) =
x
0 which gives f (x) = − 1+x .
x
It’s routine to check that f (x) = − 1+x satisfies the desired property.

6. Show that there exists a set A of positive integers with the following property: For
any infinite set S of primes there exist two positive integers m ∈ A and n 6∈ A each of
which is a product of k distinct elements of S for some k ≥ 2.

Soln. Let A be the of all positive integers of the form q1 q2 . . . qq1 where q1 < q2 < · · · <
qq1 are primes. For any infinite set S = {p1 , p2 , p3 , . . .} of primes with p1 < p2 < · · ·,
we can satisfy he requirement of the problem by taking k = p1 , m = p1 p2 · · · pk and
n = p2 p3 · · · pk+1 .