\documentclass{article} \usepackage{latexsym} \usepackage{amssymb} \title{December Exam 2} \author{This is a 4 hour paper.} \date{Various questions from Ukraine} \begin{document} \maketitle \begin{enumerate} \item Does there exist a function $f : \mathbb R \rightarrow \mathbb R$ such that for all $x,y \in \mathbb R$ the following equality holds: \[ f(xy) = \max \{f(x),y\} + \min \{f(y),x\}?\] \noindent {\bf Solution} { \em Put $x = y =1$ to obtain that \[ f(1) = \max \{ f(1), 1\} + \min \{ f(1), 1\} = f(1) + 1\] which is absurd.} \item Positive integers $a$ and $n$ are such that $n$ divides $a^2 + 1$. Prove that there is a positive integer $b$ such that $n(n^2 +1)$ divides $b^2 +1$. \newline \noindent {\bf Solution } {\em We have $a^2 \equiv -1 \mbox{ mod } n$ and $n^2 \equiv -1 \mbox{ mod } n^2 +1.$ Now $n, n^2 +1$ are coprime (a common divisor would divide 1) so we may apply the Chinese Remainder Theorem to find an integer $b$ such that $b \equiv a \mbox{ mod } n$ and $b \equiv n \mbox{ mod }n^2+1$ so $b^2 \equiv a^2 \equiv -1 \mbox{ mod } n$ and $b^2 \equiv n^2 \equiv -1 \mbox{ mod } n^2+1$. Thus $b^2 \equiv -1 \mbox{ mod } n(n^2+1)$ and therefore $n(n^2+1) \mid b^2 + 1.$ Of course, if you are Tom Coker or Paul Jefferys, then you are at liberty to side-step the Chinese Remainder Theorem and simply hurl a bolt of lightning by letting $b = an^2 + a + n$ which visibly has the appropriate divisibility properties!} \item An acute angled triangle $ABC$ is such that $AC$ and $BC$ are of different lengths, and is inscribed in a circle $\omega$. Let $N$ be the midpoint of the arc $AC$ (and $B$ does not lie on this arc). Let $M$ be the midpoint of the arc $BC$ (and $A$ does not lie on this arc). Let $D$ be the point on the arc $MN$ such that $DC \parallel NM$. Let $K$ be an arbitrary point on the arc $AB$ (and $C$ does not lie on this arc). Let $O, O_1$ and $O_2$ be the incentres of the triangles $ABC,\ ACK,\ CBK$ respectively. Suppose that $L$ is the intersection of the line $DO$ and the circle $\omega$ such that $L \not = D$. Prove that the points $K, O_1, O_2, L$ are concyclic. \newline {\bf So far no solution has ben offered.} \item Let $a,b,c$ and $\alpha, \beta, \gamma$ be positive real numbers such that $\alpha + \beta + \gamma = 1$. Prove the inequality \[ \alpha a + \beta b + \gamma c + 2 \sqrt{(\alpha \beta + \beta \gamma + \gamma \alpha) (ab + bc + ca) } \leq a + b + c.\] \noindent {\bf Solution} (Thanks to Tim Austin and Paul Jefferys) {\em Replacing $a$ by $a/(a +b +c)$, $b$ by $b/(a +b+c)$ and $c$ by $c/(a+b+c)$ we see that it suffices to assume that $a + b + c = 1$ and to show that \[ \alpha a + \beta b + \gamma c + 2 \sqrt{(\alpha \beta + \beta \gamma + \gamma \alpha) ( ab + bc + ca) } \leq 1.\] Now by the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, \[ \alpha a + \beta b + \gamma c \leq \sqrt{ \alpha^2 + \beta^2 + \gamma^2}\sqrt{a^2 + b^2 + c^2}\ \ \ \ \ \ (\dagger)\] Let $p = \alpha \beta + \beta \gamma + \gamma \alpha$ and $q = ab + bc + ca$. Now $\alpha^2 + \beta^2 + \gamma^2 = 1 - 2p$ and $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = 1 - 2q$. Now $(\dagger)$ implies that \[ \alpha a + \beta b + \gamma c + 2 \sqrt{pq} \leq \sqrt{1-2p} \sqrt{1-2q} + 2\sqrt{pq}\] \[ \leq (1 - 2p + 1 - 2q)/2 + p + q = 1\] using the GM-AM inequality.} \end{enumerate} \end{document}