Proofathon Spring Competition

Shivang Jindal, Sreejato Bhattacharya, Pramit Das,

Pi Han Goh, Cody Johnson, Arnab Kundu

28 March 6 April 2014

1. In 4ABC with ABC = 90 , let D and E be the intersection of the angle bisectors of CAB and
BCA with BC and AB, respectively. If I is the intersection of AD and CE, and O is the circumcenter
of 4BED, show that OI CA.
2. Find all polynomials p(x) such that for all real numbers a, b, c 6= 0 satisfying

1
a

1
b

= 1c ,

1
1
1
+
=
p(a) p(b)
p(c)
3. A polynomial f (x) Z[x] has the property that 2n1 1 | f (2n 1) for all integers n > 1. Show that
f (x) = 0 has an integer root.
4. Consider a polynomial f (x) = x2014 + a2013 x2013 + + a1 x + a0 . Cody and Pi Han take turns choosing
one of the coefficients a0 , a1 , . . . , a2013 and assigning a real value to it. Once a value is assigned to
a coefficient, it cannot be changed anymore. The game ends after all of the coefficients have been
assigned values. Pi Hans goal is to make f (x) divisible by a fixed polynomial m(x), and Codys goal
is to prevent this.
(a) Which of the players has a strategy if m(x) = x2 + x + 1 and Cody goes first?
(b) Which of the players has a strategy if m(x) = x4 1 and Cody goes first?
5. Find all triplets of real numbers (a, b, c) with a2 + b2 = c2 satisfying
2(a3 + b3 + c3 ) = ab(3a + 3b 4c) + bc(3b + 3c 4a) + ca(3c + 3a 4b)
66
66

6. Find the 6th last digit from the right of the decimal representation of 66

7. In 4ABC, let M , N , and O be the midpoints of BC, CA, and AB, respectively. 4ABC is reflected
over an arbitrary line `, forming 4A0 B 0 C 0 . Show that
(a) the lines parallel to B 0 C 0 , C 0 A0 , and A0 B 0 through M , N , and O, respectively, are concurrent.
(b) the lines perpendicular to B 0 C 0 , C 0 A0 , and A0 B 0 through M , N , and O, respectively, are concurrent.
Conjecture (proof unnecessary, but interesting if presented) as to how this can be generalized.
8. Let f (x) be a polynomial over the rationals. Show that there exists a nonzero polynomial g(x) over
the rationals such that the coefficient of xk in f (x)g(x) is 0 for k = 0, 1, and all composite k 2.