Faculty of Mathematics

Scholarship Paper 2023

 Faculty of Mathematics Scholarship Paper 2023
Instructions

(a) Complete as many of the problems as you can.

(b) These problems are intended to be challenging. Do your best in the time allowed. The Faculty
of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo is still a good fit for you, even if you can only
make progress on a small number of these problems.

(c) Start your solution to each problem that you submit on a new page. You are encouraged to use
the corresponding page later in this document for the first page of your solution. If you need
more than one page, please continue your solution on blank or lined paper.

(d) For each problem that you submit, provide a well-organized solution. Use mathematical state-
ments and words to explain all of the steps of your solution. A correct solution that is poorly
presented will not earn full credit.

(e) Scan the Applicant Information and Declaration form and scan each page of your solutions. To
be considered, your submission must be uploaded to Crowdmark no later than 5:00 p.m. EST
(10:00 p.m. GMT) on Monday 27 February 2023. Scanned pages that cannot be clearly read
will not be marked.

(f) You must complete the problems individually and independently. It is forbidden to search
for solutions or to consult others. By submitting problems, you declare that you completed
these problems without help from any outside person or prohibited materials. Further, you
acknowledge that if your declaration is found to be untrue, your result on this paper and on
Faculty of Mathematics contests (past or future) may be disqualified, and any current or future
offer of admission to the University of Waterloo may be revoked.
 Faculty of Mathematics Scholarship Paper 2023
Applicant Information and Declaration

LAST NAME

FIRST NAME

UWID NUMBER (8 DIGITS)

SCHOOL NAME

CITY

I confirm that I completed the problems individually and independently. I declare that I completed
these problems without help from any outside person or prohibited materials. Further, I acknowledge
that if my declaration is found to be untrue, my result on this paper and on Faculty of Mathematics
contests (past or future) may be disqualified, and any current or future offer of admission to the
University of Waterloo may be revoked.

SIGNATURE

This form must be submitted with problems for grading.

2023 Problems

1. Suppose that x and y are real numbers for which 2 log10 (x − 2y) = log10 x + log10 y. Determine
x
all possible values of .
y
2. An arithmetic sequence has n terms, each of which is an integer. If the sum of these n terms
is 22023 , prove that n is a power of 2.
3. Determine all triples (a, b, c) of real numbers for which

ab + 2(a + b) = 26
ac + 2(a + c) = 31
bc + 2(b + c) = 38
 √
◦ ◦ ◦ 1 3
4. Determine all angles x with 0 < x < 180 and x 6= 90 for which + = 4.
sin x cos x
5. Let S be the set of all positive integers whose base 10 (decimal) representation consists of one
or more 1s followed by one or more 0s. For example, 11100 and 10000 and 10 are elements of
S, but 111 and 111101 are not. Determine the number of elements of S that consist of at most
100 digits and are divisible by 2020.
6. Suppose that a, b and c are non-zero real numbers. Determine whether or not it is possible for
each of the six quadratic equations

ax2 + bx + c = 0
ax2 + cx + b = 0
bx2 + ax + c = 0
bx2 + cx + a = 0
cx2 + ax + b = 0
cx2 + bx + a = 0

to have at least one real root.

7. Suppose that x0 is a non-negative integer. For each integer n ≥ 0, define xn+1 = (xn )2 + 1.
Prove that, for all possible values of x0 , there exists a positive integer k for which xk − 2 is a
multiple of 30.
8. Circles with centres A, B and C have radii r, s and t, respectively. The circle with centre A
is externally tangent to the circle with centre B at X. The circle with centre B is externally
tangent to the circle with centre C at Y . The circle with centre C is externally tangent to the
2
circle with centre A at Z. Prove that XZ = s  .
1 1 1 1
+ +
r s r t

A
Z
C
Y
X
B
9. Suppose that F0 = 0, F1 = 1, and Fk+2 = Fk+1 + Fk for each integer k ≥ 0. Determine the
exact value of the sum
∞     
X Fk−1 Fk+2
arctan arctan
k=2
Fk Fk+1 + 1 Fk Fk+1 − 1

π π
Note: If x is a real number, then arctan x = θ exactly when − < θ < and tan θ = x.
2 2
10. 4ABC is right-angled at A and has AB < AC. Point D is on BC so that AB = BD. Point L
is the midpoint of AD. Let P be the point on the circumcircle of 4ADC so that ∠AP B = 90◦ .
Prove that ∠LP C = 90◦ .