MATH CIRCLE KOLKATA 23.3.

24 (SENIOR BATCH)

Definition 1: Let f : N Ñ N be a given function. We say that the function f is r-reflective if

f pxq “ f pyq whenever x ` y ` r “ 0
and it is anti r-reflective if
f pxq “ ´f pyq whenever x ` y ` r “ 0,
where r is an integer.
Note that for r “ 0, a 0-reflective function is an even function and an anti 0-reflective function is an
odd function.
Problem 1: Prove that r-reflective functions are closed under addition and multiplication.
Problem 2: Prove that the product of two anti r-reflective functions is r-reflective.

Problem 3: Given a function f , we define an operator ∇, f ÞÑ ∇f by

∇f pxq “ f pxq ´ f px ´ 1q.
Prove that if f is r-reflective then ∇f is anti pr ´ 1q-reflective and if f is anti r-reflective then ∇f is
pr ´ 1q-reflective.

Definition 2: Define another operator Σ, f ÞÑ Σf as follows:

"
C ` f p1q ` ¨ ¨ ¨ ` f pnq, if n ě 0
Σf pnq “
C ´ f p0q ´ f p1q ´ ¨ ¨ ¨ ´ f pn ` 1q, if n ă 0
Here, C is any fixed constant.
Problem 4: Prove that for any f : N Ñ N,
∇Σf pnq “ f pnq
for all n P N.
Problem 5: Prove that if f is r-reflective, there is a unique C such that Σf is anti pr ` 1q-reflective
and if f is anti r-reflective, then Σf is pr ` 1q-reflective for all constant C.

Problem 6: How many surjective (i.e. onto) functions are there from the set t1, 2, . . . , m ´ 1, mu
to the set t1, 2, . . . , n ´ 1, nu?

Problem 7: Let a, b, c be positive integers such that a divides b2 , b divides c2 and c divides a2 .
Prove that abc divides pa ` b ` cq7 .

Problem 8: Suppose the integers 1, 2, . . . , 10 are split into two disjoint collections a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5
and b1 , b2 , b3 , b4 , b5 such that
a1 ă a2 ă a3 ă a4 ă a5 & b1 ă b2 ă b3 ă b4 ă b5
(1) Show that the largest number in any pair taj , bj u, 1 ď j ď 5 is atleast 6.
(2) Show that |a1 ´ b1 | ` |a2 ´ b2 | ` ¨ ¨ ¨ |a5 ´ b5 | “ 25 for every such partition.

Problem 9: Let pp1 , p2 , . . .q be a sequence of prime numbers defined by p1 “ 2 and for n ě 1, pn`1
is the largest prime factor of p1 p2 ¨ ¨ ¨ pn ` 1 (Thus p2 “ 3, p3 “ 7). Prove that pn “ 5 for any n.

Problem 10: If x, y are integers and 17 divides both the expressions x2 ´ 2xy ` y 2 ´ 5x ` 7y and
x ´ 3xy ` 2y 2 ` x ´ y then prove that 17 divides xy ´ 12x ` 15y.
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