Group E – Lesson 1

Example 1
Find the sum
1 1 1
+ +⋯+
1+2 1+2+3 1 + 2 + ⋯ + 51

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 Example 2
Let 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 be three positive real numbers such that

𝑥 + |𝑦| + {𝑧} = 13.2

|𝑥| + {𝑦} + 𝑧 = 14.3
{𝑥} + 𝑦 + |𝑧| = 15.1

where [𝑎] denotes the greatest integer ≤ 𝑎 and {𝑏} denotes the fractional part of 𝑏 (for
example, [5.4] = 5 and {4.3} = 0.3). Find the value of 𝑥.

Example 3
Let 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 be real numbers less than 4. Prove that among the numbers

1 1 1 1 1 1
+ , + , +
𝑥 4−𝑦 𝑦 4−𝑧 𝑧 4−𝑥

there is at least one that is greater than or equal to 1.

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 Example 4
𝑥1 and 𝑥2 are roots of the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 3 = 0. Find the value of 𝑥13 − 4𝑥22 + 19.

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 Practice 1
Let 𝑛 be a positive integer. Find the value of

1 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 2 𝑛 𝑛−1 1
1+ + + + + + + + +⋯+ + + ⋯+ + +⋯+
2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛

𝑛(𝑛+1)
(A) 2
𝑛
(B) 2
𝑛+1
(C) 2

(D) 𝑛
(E) None of the above

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 Practice 2
Let 𝑆 = [√1 ] + [√2 ] + ⋯ + [√1998 ]. Find [√𝑆 ].

(A) 44
(B) 45
(C) 240
(D) 241
(E) None of the above

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 Practice 3
Find the number of real solutions to the equation

𝑥 4 + 𝑦 4 + 𝑧 4 − 4𝑥𝑦𝑧 = −1

(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) None of the above

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 Practice 4
It is given that 𝑚 is a real number not less than −1, such that the equation in 𝑥

𝑥 2 + 2(𝑚 − 2)𝑥 + 𝑚2 − 3𝑚 + 3 = 0

has two distinct real roots 𝑥1 and 𝑥2. If 𝑥12 + 𝑥22 = 6, find the value of 𝑚.

(A) 1
(B) √2
(C) √17
(D) 8
(E) None of the above

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