International Competitions 2008

An acute-angled triangle $ABC$ has orthocentre $H$. The circle passing through $H$ with centre the midpoint of $BC$ intersects the line $BC$ at $A_1$ and $A_2$. Similarly, the circle passing through $H$ with centre the midpoint of $CA$ intersects the line $CA$ at $B_1$ and $B_2$, and the circle passing through $H$ with centre the midpoint of $AB$ intersects the line $AB$ at $C_1$ and $C_2$. Show that $A_1, A_2, B_1, B_2, C_1, C_2$ lie on a circle.

(a) Prove that $$\frac{x^2}{(x-1)^2} + \frac{y^2}{(y-1)^2} + \frac{z^2}{(z-1)^2} \geq 1$$ for all real numbers $x, y, z$, each different from 1, and satisfying $xyz = 1$.

(b) Prove that equality holds above for infinitely many triples of rational numbers $x, y, z$, each different from 1, and satisfying $xyz = 1$.

Prove that there exist infinitely many positive integers $n$ such that $n^2 + 1$ has a prime divisor which is greater than $2n + \sqrt{2n}$.

Find all functions $f: (0, \infty) \to (0, \infty)$ (so, $f$ is a function from the positive real numbers to the positive real numbers) such that $$\frac{(f(w))^2 + (f(x))^2}{f(y^2) + f(z^2)} = \frac{w^2 + x^2}{y^2 + z^2}$$ for all positive real numbers $w, x, y, z$, satisfying $wx = yz$.

Let $n$ and $k$ be positive integers with $k \geq n$ and $k - n$ an even number. Let $2n$ lamps labelled 1, 2, ..., $2n$ be given, each of which can be either on or off. Initially all the lamps are off. We consider sequences of steps: at each step one of the lamps is switched (from on to off or from off to on).

Let $N$ be the number of such sequences consisting of $k$ steps and resulting in the state where lamps 1 through $n$ are all on, and lamps $n + 1$ through $2n$ are all off.

Let $M$ be the number of such sequences consisting of $k$ steps, resulting in the state where lamps 1 through $n$ are all on, and lamps $n + 1$ through $2n$ are all off, but where none of the lamps $n + 1$ through $2n$ is ever switched on.

Determine the ratio $N/M$.

Let $ABCD$ be a convex quadrilateral with $|BA| \neq |BC|$. Denote the incircles of triangles $ABC$ and $ADC$ by $\omega_1$ and $\omega_2$ respectively. Suppose that there exists a circle $\omega$ tangent to the ray $BA$ beyond $A$ and to the ray $BC$ beyond $C$, which is also tangent to the lines $AD$ and $CD$. Prove that the common external tangents of $\omega_1$ and $\omega_2$ intersect on $\omega$.