Berkeley Math Circle

Berkeley Math Circle
Monthly Contest 1
Due October 9, 2007
Instructions
This contest consists of 5 problems, some of which are easier than the others. Every problem is worth 7 points. Please, write solution
to every problem on a separate sheet of paper, and on top of each sheet include your name, grade and school, as well as the problem
number and the contest number. Thus, the header on each sheet should look something like:
Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 1

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
from Springfield Middle School, Springfield
If you submit more than one sheet for a specific problem, please, staple the sheets together to avoid getting them confused with
someone else’s solution. Please, do NOT staple together solutions to DIFFERENT problems, as they will be graded separately.
Carefully justify your answers to avoid losing points. Include all relevant explanations in words and all intermediate calculations.
Answers without justification will receive no credit. However, good reasoning with minor calculational errors may receive a lot of
points. Thus, submit solutions to as many problems as you can since partial credits will be awarded for sufficient progress on any
particular problem.
Remember that you are NOT ALLOWED to consult or talk to anyone else about the problems, whether in person, on the phone,
via e-mail, or other means of communication. You can consult any book that you wish. For more on the contest rules, please, check
the BMC website at http://mathcircle.berkeley.edu.
Enjoy solving these problems and good luck!
Problems
1. If a and b are positive integers prove that

a + b ≤ 1 + ab.
2. A man has three pets: a mouse, a cat, and a dog. If the man leaves the cat and the dog alone, then the dog would kill the cat.
If the man leaves the cat and the mouse alone, the cat would eat the mouse. One day the man decided to take his animals to
the other side of the river. However, he has a small boat in which he can fit only one of the animals at a time. Show that with
multiple trips of the boat, it is possible for the man to take all of the animals to the other side of the river safely.
3. On a small piece of paper two line segments s1 and s2 are

drawn as shown on the picture. The extensions of s1 and s2
eventually intersect at a point P that doesn’t belong to the s2 D
piece of paper. If D is an arbitrary point marked on the pa-
per, show how to construct a segment of the line connecting D
and P using just a straight edge and a compass and performing s1
all constructions on the given piece of paper.
4. Denote by f (n) the integer obtained by reversing the digits of a positive integer n. Find the greatest integer that is certain to
divide n4 − f (n)4 regardless of the choice of n.
5. Given a polynomial P (x) with integer coefficients, assume that for every positive integer n we have P (n) > n. Consider the
sequence
x1 = 1, x2 = P (x1 ), . . . , xn = P (xn−1 ), . . .
If for every positive integer N there exists a member of the sequence divisible by N , prove that P (x) = x + 1.
Monthly Contest 2
Due November 6, 2007
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. Four friends, One, Two, Five, and Ten are located on one side of the dark tunnel, and have only one flashlight. It takes one
minute for person One to walk through the tunnel, two minutes for Two, five for Five, and ten for Ten. The tunnel is narrow
and at most two people can walk at the same time with the flashlight. Whenever two people walk together they walk at the
speed of the slower one. Show that all four friends can go from one side of the tunnel to the other one in 17 minutes.
Remark. Your explanation should be something like this: The friends X and Y first go through the tunnel using the flashlight,
then X returns with the flashlight to the other side,...
2. The integers from 1 to 16 are arranged in a 4 × 4 array so that each row, column and diagonal adds up to the same number.
Prove that this number is 34, and that the four corners also add up to 34.
3. Let A1 , B1 , C1 be the points on the sides BC, CA, AB (respectively) of the triangle ABC. Prove that the three circles
circumscribed about the triangles △AB1 C1 , △BC1 A1 , and △CA1 B1 intersect at one point.
4. A Mystic Four Calculator has a four-digit display and four buttons. The calculator works as follows: Pressing button 1 replaces
the number in the display with 1; Pressing button 2 divides the number in the display by 2; Pressing button 3 subtracts 3 from
the number in the display; Pressing button 4 multiplies the number in the display by 4.
Initially the display shows 0. Any operation yielding a negative, fractional, or five-digit answer is ignored.
(a) Can 2007 appear in the display?
(b) Can 2008 appear in the display?
5. A number bracelet in base m is made by choosing two non-

negative integers less than m (not both 0) and continuing in
a clockwise loop, each succeeding number being the mod m
sum of its two predecessors. The figure is closed up as soon
as it starts to repeat. The figure to the right shows two number
bracelets in base 10, starting with the pairs (1,3), and (2,2),
respectively. Prove that the lengths of all number bracelets in
a given base are divisors of the length of the number bracelet
beginning with (0, 1).
Monthly Contest 3
Due December 4, 2007
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. Given 8 oranges on the table, 7 of them have exactly the same weight and the 8th is a little bit lighter. You are given a balance
that can measure oranges against each other and you are allowed to use the balance at most twice! How can you determine
which one of the oranges is lighter then the others? Explain your answer!
Remark. All oranges look the same and the difference in the weight of the lighter orange is not big enough for you to distinguish
it without using the balance. The balance doesn’t have any weights or numbers. If you put some oranges on each side of the
balance, you can only tell which side (if any) is heavier.
2. Find all prime numbers p such that p2 + 8 is prime number, as well.
Remark. A number p is prime if it has exactly 2 divisors: 1 and p. Numbers 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, . . . are prime, while 4 and 2007
are not.
Hint. Write down first several prime numbers (hint - you can copy them from the paragraph above), calculate p2 + 8 for them,
and look at those that happen to be composite. Notice further that they all have a common divisor.
3. p is a prime number such that the period of its decimal reciprocal is 200. That is,
1
= 0.XXXX . . .
p
for some block of 200 digits X, but
1
6= 0.Y Y Y Y . . .
p
for all blocks Y with less than 200 digits. Find the 101st digit, counting from the left, of X.
4. Let ABCD be a trapezoid such that ABkCD and let P be the point on the extension of the diagonal AC such that C is
between A and P . If X and Y are midpoints of the segments AB and CD, and M , N intersection points of the lines P X, P Y
with BC, DA (respectively) prove that M N is parallel to AB.
5. Let 0 < a0 ≤ a1 ≤ · · · ≤ an . If z is a complex number such that a0 z n + a1 z n−1 + · · · + an = 0 prove that |z| ≥ 1.
Monthly Contest 4
Due January 8, 2008
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. There are 10 bags full of coins. All coins look the same and all wight 10 grams, except the coins from one bag that are fake
and all weight 9 grams. Given a scale, how could you tell which bag has the wrong coins in just one measurement? Explain
your answer!
2. Find all prime numbers p such that p2 + 2007p − 1 is prime as well.
Hint. Except for 3, prime numbers are not divisible by 3. Hence if p is not equal to 3 then either p = 3k + 1 or p = 3k − 1 for
some integer k. If you wish you may use lists of prime numbers from the internet (e.g. www.imomath.com/primes)
3. The sequence of numbers 1, 2, 3, . . . , 100 is written on the blackboard. Between each two consecutive numbers a square box
is drawn. Player A starts the game and the players A and B alternate the moves. In each turn a player choses an empty box
and places “+” or “·” sign in it. After all the boxes are filled the expression on the blackboard is evaluated and if the result is
an odd number the winner is A. Otherwise the winner is B. Determine which of the players has a winning strategy and what
the strategy is.
4. The sum of the squares of five real numbers a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5 equals 1. Prove that the least of the numbers (ai − aj )2 , where
i, j = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and i 6= j, does not exceed 1/10.
5. Let ABCD be a parallelogram. A variable line l passing through the point A intersects the rays BC and DC at points X and
Y , respectively. Let K and L be the centers of the excircles of triangles ABX and ADY , touching the sides BX and DY ,
respectively. Prove that the size of angle KCL does not depend on the choice of the line l.
Monthly Contest 5
Due February 5, 2008
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. The rectangle M N P Q is inside the rectangle ABCD. The portion of the rectangle ABCD outside of M N P Q is colored in
green. Using just a straightedge construct a line that divides the green figure in two parts of equal areas.
2. Determine the positive real numbers a and b satisfying 9a2 + 16b2 = 25 such that a · b is maximal. What is the maximum of
a · b? Explain your answer!
Hint. If x and y are any two real numbers then x2 + y2 ≥ 2xy.
3. Find all pairs of integers (x, y) for which x2 + xy = y2 .
4. Let n be a positive integer. Prove that there exist distinct positive integers x, y, z such that
xn−1 + yn = z n+1 .
5. Let ABC be a triangle such that ∠A = 90◦ and ∠B < ∠C. The tangent at A to its circumcircle ω meets the line BC at D.
Let E be the reflection of A across BC, X the foot of the perpendicular from A to BE, and Y the midpoint of AX. Let the
line BY meet ω again at Z. Prove that the line BD is tangent to the circumcircle of triangle ADZ.
Monthly Contest 6
Due March 4, 2008
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. Ten different points are marked on a circle. Two players A and B play the following game. A moves first and the players
alternate their moves. In each of the moves a player connects two of the points with a straight line segment. A player whose
segment crosses a segment previously drawn will lose the game. Which player has a winning strategy and what is the strategy.
2. Prove that no integer greater than 2008 can be equal to the sum of squares of its digits.
3. If x ≥ 4 is a real number prove that
√ √ 1
x− x−1≥ .
x
4. Wally has a very unusual combination lock number. It has five digits, all different, and is divisible by 111. If he removes the
middle digit and replaces it at the end, the result is a larger number that is still divisible by 111. If he removes the digit that
is now in the middle and replaces it at the end, the result is a still larger number that is still divisible by 111. What is Wally’s
combination lock number? Explain your answer!
5. Let A0 , A1 , . . . , An be points in a plane such that
(i) A0 A1 ≤ 12 A1 A2 ≤ · · · ≤ 1
2n−1 An−1 An and
(ii) 0 < ∡A0 A1 A2 < ∡A1 A2 A3 < · · · < ∡An−2 An−1 An < 180◦ ,
where all these angles have the same orientation. Prove that the segments Ak Ak+1 , Am Am+1 do not intersect for each k and
n such that 0 ≤ k ≤ m − 2 < n − 2.
Monthly Contest 7
Due April 1, 2008
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. Find all positive prime numbers p such that p + 2 and p + 4 are prime as well.
Hint. Show that for most prime numbers p, either p + 2 or p + 4 is divisible by 3.
2. Let P be the point inside the square ABCD such that △ABP is equilateral. Calculate the angle ∠CP D. Explain your answer!
√ √
3
3. Find
√ at least one non-zero polynomial P (x, y, z) such that P (a, b, c) = 0 for every three real numbers that satisfy 3
a + b=
3
c.
Remark. Polynomial in three variables refers to any expression built from x, y, z and numerlas using only addition, subtraction,
and multiplication. Parentheses or positive integer exponents, as in x(y + z)2 are allowed since this can be expanded to
xyy + 2xyz + xzz.
4. If f (1) = 1 and f (1) + f (2) + · · · + f (n) = n2 f (n) for every integer n ≥ 2, evaluate f (2008).
5. Given five vertices of a regular heptagon (7-gon), construct the two remaining vertices using straightedge alone.
Monthly Contest 8
Due April 29, 2008
Instructions

by Bart Simpson
in grade 5
particular problem.
Problems
1. Prove that it is possible to put + or − instead each of the 99 symbols ⋆ in the expression
1 ⋆ 2 ⋆ 3 ⋆ 4 ⋆ · · · ⋆ 98 ⋆ 99 ⋆ 100
so that the result of the expression is 0.

Hint: Try first with smaller expressions, like 1 ⋆ 2 ⋆ 3 ⋆ 4, or 1 ⋆ 2 ⋆ 3 ⋆ · · · ⋆ 8.
2. Do there exist different positive integers x, y, and z such that xx + y y = z z ?
3. A rectangular board is tiled with dominoes and trominoes (of either shape). An ant starts at any point in one of the cracks
between the tiles. The ant can travel in any of the four directions, but once it chooses a direction, it continues in that direction
until it bumps into a tile or reaches the perimeter of the board. Find the smallest number of trominoes necessary to trap the ant,
i.e. for at least one initial position, it is unable to leave the board.
4. Assume that all the angles of a given triangle ABC are smaller than 120◦ . Equilateral triangles AF B, BDC and CEA are
constructed in the exterior of △ABC. Prove that the lines AD, BE, and CF pass through one point S for which SD + SE +
SF = 2(SA + SB + SC).
5. There is a row of real numbers, infinite in both directions. The square of each number is 1 more than the product of the numbers
on either side. Prove that if four adjacent numbers are integers, then at least one number in the row is 0.

Berkeley Math Circle - Monthly Contests - Problems (2007-08)

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Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 1

1. If a and b are positive integers prove that

3. On a small piece of paper two line segments s1 and s2 are

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 2

5. A number bracelet in base m is made by choosing two non-

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 3

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 4

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 5

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 6

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 7

Solution to Problem 3 of BMC Monthly Contest 8

so that the result of the expression is 0.

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