Problems and Solutions, JBMO 2014

Problem 1. Find all distinct prime numbers p , q and r such that

3p 4 - 5q 4 - 4r 2 = 26 .

Solution. First notice that if both primes q and r differ from 3 , then q 2 º r 2 º 1(mod 3) ,
hence the left hand side of the given equation is congruent to zero modulo 3, which is
impossible since 26 is not divisible by 3 . Thus, q = 3 or r = 3 . We consider two cases.
Case 1. q = 3 .
The equation reduces to 3p 4 - 4r 2 = 431 (1) .
If p ¹ 5, by Fermat’s little theorem, p 4 º 1 (mod 5) , which yields
3 - 4r 2 º 1 (mod 5) , or equivalently, r 2 + 2 º 0 (mod 5) . The last congruence is
impossible in view of the fact that a residue of a square of a positive integer belongs to the
set { 0, 1, 4 } . Therefore p = 5 and r = 19 .
Case 2. r = 3 .
The equation becomes 3p 4 - 5q 4 = 62 (2) .
Obviously p ¹ 5 . Hence, Fermat’s little theorem gives p 4 º 1 (mod 5) . But then
5q 4 º 1 (mod 5) , which is impossible .
Hence, the only solution of the given equation is p = 5 , q = 3 , r = 19 .
Problem 2. Consider an acute triangle ABC with area S. Let CD ^ AB ( D Î AB ),
DM ^ AC ( M Î AC ) and DN ^ BC ( N Î BC ). Denote by H 1 and H 2 the
orthocentres of the triangles MNC and MND respectively. Find the area of the
quadrilateral AH 1BH 2 in terms of S.

Solution 1. Let O, P, K, R and T be the C

mid-points of the segments CD, MN, R
CN, CH 1 and MH 1 , respectively. From H1 K
1 N
DMNC we have that PK = MC and O
2 T
P
PK  MC . Analogously, from DMH 1C
M
1
we have that TR = MC and
2 A B
D
TR  MC . Consequently, PK = TR and
H2
PK  TR . Also OK  DN (from
DCDN ) and since DN ^ BC and MH 1 ^ BC , it follows that TH 1  OK . Since O is the
circumcenter of DCMN , OP ^ MN . Thus, CH 1 ^ MN implies OP  CH 1 . We conclude
DTRH 1 @ DKPO (they have parallel sides and TR = PK ), hence RH 1 = PO , i.e.
CH 1 = 2PO and CH 1  PO .

Analogously, DH 2 = 2PO and DH 2  PO . From CH 1 = 2PO = DH 2 and

CH 1  PO  DH 2 the quadrilateral CH 1H 2D is a parallelogram, thus H 1H 2 = CD and

H 1H 2  CD . Therefore the area of the quadrilateral AH 1BH 2 is
AB ⋅ H 1H 2 AB ⋅ CD
= =S .
2 2
Solution 2. Since MH 1  DN and NH 1  DM , MDNH 1 is a parallelogram. Similarly,
NH 2  CM and MH 2  CN imply MCNH 2 is a parallelogram . Let P be the midpoint of
the segment MN . Then sP (D ) = H 1 and sP (C ) = H 2 , thus CD  H 1H 2 and CD = H 1H 2 .
1
From CD ^ AB we deduce AAH BH = AB ⋅ CD = S .
1 2
2
Problem 3. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that abc = 1 . Prove that
2 2 2
æ 1ö æ 1ö æ 1ö
ççça + ÷÷÷ + çççb + ÷÷÷ + çççc + ÷÷÷ ³ 3 (a + b + c + 1) .
è b ÷ø è c ÷ø è a ø÷
When does equality hold?
Solution 1. By using AM-GM ( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ³ xy + yz + zx ) we have
2 2 2
æ ö æ ö æ ö æ öæ ö æ öæ ö æ öæ ö
çça + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ + ççc + 1 ÷÷ ³ çça + 1 ÷÷ ççb + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ ççc + 1 ÷÷ + ççc + 1 ÷÷ çça + 1 ÷÷
çè b ÷÷ø çè c ÷÷ø çè a ÷÷ø çè b ÷÷øèç c ÷÷ø èç ÷÷ ç
c øè a ø÷÷ èç ÷÷ ç
a øè b ø÷÷
æ a ö æ b ö æ c ö
= çççab + 1 + + a ÷÷÷ + çççbc + 1 + + b ÷÷÷ + çççca + 1 + + c ÷÷÷
è c ÷ø è a ÷ø è b ÷ø
a c b
= ab + bc + ca +
+ + + 3 +a +b +c.
c b a
b c a
Notice that by AM-GM we have ab + ³ 2b, bc + ³ 2c, and ca + ³ 2a .
a b c
Thus ,
2 2 2
æ ö æ ö æ ö æ ö æ ö æ ö
çça + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ + ççc + 1 ÷÷ ³ ççab + b ÷÷ + ççbc + c ÷÷ + ççca + a ÷÷ + 3 + a + b + c ³ 3(a + b + c + 1).
çè b ÷ø÷ èç c ø÷÷ èç a ø÷÷ èç a ø÷÷ èç b ø÷÷ èç c ø÷÷

The equality holds if and only if a = b = c = 1.

Solution 2. From QM-AM we obtain

(a + ) + (b + c1 ) + (c + a1 )
2 2 2
1
b a + b1 + b + c1 + c + a1
³ 
3 3
(a + b1 + b + c1 + c + a1 )
2 2 2 2
æ ö æ ö æ ö÷
çça + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ 1
+ çççc + ÷÷ ³ (1)
çè b ø÷÷ èç c ø÷÷ è a ø÷ 3
1 1 1 1
From AM-GM we have + + ³ 33 = 3 , and substituting in (1) we get
a b c abc

çça + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ + ççc + 1 ÷÷ ³ (

a + b1 + b + c1 + c + a1 ) (a + b + c + 3)
2 2 2 2 2
æ ö æ ö æ ö
³ =
çè b ÷÷ø çè c ÷÷ø çè a ÷÷ø 3 3
(a + b + c )(a + b + c ) + 6 (a + b + c ) + 9 (a + b + c ) 3 3 abc + 6 (a + b + c ) + 9
= ³ =
3 3
9 (a + b + c ) + 9
= = 3 (a + b + c + 1).
3
The equality holds if and only if a = b = c = 1.

Solution 3.
By using x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ³ xy + yz + zx
 2 2 2
æ ö æ ö æ ö
çça + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ + ççc + 1 ÷÷ = a 2 + b 2 + c 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2a + 2b + 2c ³
çè b ÷÷ø çè c ÷÷ø çè a ÷÷ø b2 c2 a 2 b c a
1 1 1 2a 2b 2c
³ ab + ac + bc + + + + + + .
bc ca ab b c a

Clearly
1 1 1 abc abc abc
+ + = + + = a +b +c,
bc ca ab bc ca ab
a b c
ab + + bc + + ca + ³ 2a + 2b + 2c,
b c a
a b c a b c
+ + ³ 3 3 ⋅ ⋅ = 3.
b c a b c a
Hence
2 2 2
æ ö æ ö æ ö æ ö æ ö æ ö
çça + 1 ÷÷ + ççb + 1 ÷÷ + ççc + 1 ÷÷ ³ ççab + a ÷÷ + ççac + c ÷÷ + ççbc + b ÷÷ + a + b + c + a + b + c ³
çè b ÷ø÷ çè c ø÷÷ èç a ø÷÷ èç b ø÷÷ èç a ø÷÷ èç c ø÷÷ b c a
³ 2a + 2b + 2c + a + b + c + 3 = 3 (a + b + c + 1).

The equality holds if and only if a = b = c = 1.

x y z
Solution 4. a = ,b= ,c=
y z x
2 2 2
æx z ö æy x ö æz y ö æx y z ö
ççç + ÷÷÷ + ççç + ÷÷÷ + ççç + ÷÷÷ ³ 3 ççç + + + 1÷÷÷
è y y ÷ø è z z ø÷ è x x ø÷ èy z x ø÷
(x + z )2 x 2z 2 + (y + x )2 y 2x 2 + (z + y )2 z 2y 2 ³ 3xyz (x 2z + y 2x + z 2y + xyz )
x 4z 2 + 2x 3z 3 + x 2z 4 + x 2y 4 + 2x 3y 3 + x 4y 2 + y 2z 4 + 2y 3z 3 + y 4z 2 ³ 3x 3yz 2 + 3x 2y 3z + 3xy 2z 3 + 3x 2y 2z 2
1)x 3y 3 + y 3z 3 + z 3x 3 ³ 3x 2y 2z 2 .
2)x 4z 2 + z 4x 2 + x 3y 3 ³ 3x 3z 2y üïï
ï
3)x 4y 2 + y 4x 2 + y 3z 3 ³ 3y 3x 2z ïý
ï
4)z 4y 2 + y 4z 2 + x 3z 3 ³ 3z 3y 2x ïïï
þ
Equality holds when x = y = z , i.e., a = b = c = 1 .
1
Solution 5. å (a + b ) 2
³ 3å a + 3
cyc cyc

a æ 1 ö
 2å + å çça 2 + 2 - 3a - 1÷÷÷ ³ 0
cyc b
ç
cyc è a ÷ø

a abc
2å ³ 63 =6 (1)
cyc b bca
 1 3
"a > 0, a 2 +
2
- 3a ³ - 4
a a
4 3 2
 a - 3a + 4a - 3a + 1 ³ 0

(
 (a - 1) a 2 - a + 1 ³ 0 )
2

æ 1 ö÷ 1 1
å çèçça 2
+
a 2
- 3a - 1÷÷÷ ³ 3å a - 15 ³ 9 abc - 15 = -6
ø
3 (2)
cyc cyc

Using (1) and (2) we obtain

a æ 1 ö
2å + å ççça 2 + 2 - 3a - 1÷÷÷ ³ 6 - 6 = 0
cyc b è a ø÷
Equality holds when a = b = c = 1 .
Problem 4. For a positive integer n , two players A and B play the following game: Given
a pile of s stones, the players take turn alternatively with A going first. On each turn the
player is allowed to take either one stone, or a prime number of stones, or a multiple of n
stones. The winner is the one who takes the last stone. Assuming both A and B play
perfectly, for how many values of s the player A cannot win?

Solution. Denote by k the sought number and let {s1, s2 ,..., sk } be the corresponding values
for s . We call each si a losing number and every other nonnegative integer a winning
numbers.

Clearly every multiple of n is a winning number.

Suppose there are two different losing numbers si > s j , which are congruent modulo n .
Then, on his first turn of play, player A may remove si - s j stones (since n si - s j ),
leaving a pile with s j stones for B. This is in contradiction with both si and s j being
losing numbers.

Hence, there are at most n - 1 losing numbers, i.e. k £ n - 1 .

Suppose there exists an integer r Î {1,2,..., n - 1} , such that mn + r is a winning number

for every m Î  0 . Let us denote by u the greatest losing number (if k > 0 ) or 0 (if
k = 0 ), and let s = LCM (2, 3,..., u + n + 1) . Note that all the numbers s + 2 , s + 3 , …,
s +u +n +1 are composite. Let m ' Î 0, be such that
s + u + 2 £ m ' n + r £ s + u + n + 1 . In order for m ' n + r to be a winning number, there
must exist an integer p , which is either one, or prime, or a positive multiple of n , such
that m ' n + r - p is a losing number or 0, and hence lesser than or equal to u . Since
s + 2 £ m ' n + r - u £ p £ m ' n + r £ s + u + n + 1 , p must be a composite, hence p is a
multiple of n (say p = qn ). But then m ' n + r - p = (m '- q ) n + r must be a winning
number, according to our assumption. This contradicts our assumption that all numbers
mn + r , m Î  0 are winning.

Hence, each nonzero residue class modulo n contains a loosing number.

There are exactly n - 1 losing numbers .

Lemma: No pair (u, n ) of positive integers satisfies the following property:
(*) In  exists an arithmetic progression (at )t¥=1 with difference n such that each
segment
éa - u, a + u ù contains a prime.
êë i i úû

Proof of the lemma: Suppose such a pair (u, n ) and a corresponding arithmetic
¥
progression (a )
t t =1
exist. In  exist arbitrarily long patches of consecutive composites.
Take such a patch P of length 3un . Then, at least one segment éêëai - u, ai + u ùúû is fully
contained in P , a contradiction.

Suppose such a nonzero residue class modulo n exists (hence n > 1 ). Let u Î  be greater
than every loosing number. Consider the members of the supposed residue class which are
greater than u . They form an arithmetic progression with the property (*) , a
contradiction (by the lemma).