PROOF WRITING with Sarah
Prove Me Wrong (Proof by Contradiction!)
January 6, 2017
1. Let a, b, c be integers such that a6 + 2b6 = 4c6 . Show that a = b = c = 0.
2. (USAJMO 2011, Problem 1) Find, with proof, all positive integers n for which 2n +12n +2011n
is a perfect square.
3. (USAJMO 2013, Problem 1) Are there integers a and b such that a5 b + 3 and ab5 + 3 are
both perfect cubes of integers?
4. Let a1 , a2 , . . . , a2000 be natural numbers such that
1 1 1
+ + ... + =1
a1 a2 a2000
Prove that at least one of the ak ’s is even.
5. Let P (x) = xn + an−1 xn−1 + . . . + a1 x + a0 be a polynomial with integral coefficients. Suppose
that there exist four distinct integers a, b, c, d with P (a) = P (b) = P (c) = P (d) = 5. Prove
that there is no integer k with P (k) = 8.
6. Let p(x) be a polynomial with integer coefficients. If p(0) = p(1) = 2017, show that p has no
integer zeroes.
7. (Hungary Mathematical Olympiad 1999, Problem 10) Let n > 1 be an arbitrary positive
integer, and let k be the number of positive prime numbers less than or equal to n. Select
k + 1 positive integers such that none of them divides the product of all the others. Prove
that there exists a number among the chosen k + 1 that is bigger than n.
8. (German Mathematical Olympiad 1985, Problem 4) Every point in R3 is colored either red,
green, or blue. Prove that one of the colors attains all distances, i.e., every positive real
number represents the distance between two points of this color.
9. (USAMO 1973, Problem 5) Show that the cube roots of three distinct prime numbers cannot
be three terms (not necessarily consecutive) of an arthimetic progression.
10. (USAMO 1991, Problem 3) Show that, for any fixed integer n ≥ 1, the sequence
2 22
2, 22 , 22 , 22 , . . . ( mod n)
is eventually constant.
1
11. (USA 1999, Problem 4) Let a1 , a2 , . . . , an (n > 3) be real numbers such that a1 +a2 +. . .+an ≥
n and a21 + a22 + . . . + a2n ≥ n2 . Prove that max a1 , a2 , . . . , an ≥ 2
12. (USAMO 2000, Problem 1) Call a real-valued function very convex if:
f (x) + f (y) x+y
≥ f( ) + |x − y|
2 2
holds for all real numbers x and y. Prove that no very convex function exists.
13. (USAMO 2003, Problem 1) Prove that for every positive integer n there exists an n-digit
number divisible by 5n all of whose digits are odd.
14. (British Math Olympiad, Problem 1) Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral with AB = BC =
CD, AC 6= BD, and let E be the intersection point of its diagonals. Prove that AE = DE
if and only if ∠BAD + ∠ADC = 120o .
15. (IMO 1959 - 1966 Longlist) Given n > 3 points in the plane such that no three of the points
are collinear, does there exist a circle passing through (at least) 3 of the given points and not
containing any other of the n points in its interior?
21n+4
16. (IMO 1959, Problem 1) Prove that the fraction 14n+3 is irreducible for every natural number
n.
17. (IMO 1987, Problem 4) Prove that there is no function f from the set of non-negative integers
into itself such that f (f (n)) = n + 1987 for every n.
18. (IMO 1988, Problem 6) Let a and b be positive integers such that ab + 1 divides a2 + b2 .
2 +b2
Prove that aab+1 is a perfect square.
19. (IMO 2001, Shortlist) Let a0 , a1 , . . . be√an arbitrary infinite sequence of positive numbers.
Show that the inequality 1 + an > an−1 n 2 holds for infinitely many positive integers n.
20. (IMO 2001, Problem 1) Consider an acute triangle 4ABC. Let P be the foot of the altitude of
triangle 4ABC issuing from the vertex A, and let O be the circumcenter of triangle 4ABC.
Assume that ∠C ≥ ∠B + 30o . Prove that ∠A + ∠COP < 90o
