Singapore Mathematics Olympiad - 2019- Senior Years - Questions

Multiple Choice Questions
Problem 01:

The roots of the quadratic equation \(x^2-7 m x+5 n=0\) are \(m\) and \(n\), where \(m \neq 0\) and \(n \neq 0\). Find a quadratic equation whose roots are \(\frac{m}{n}\) and \(\frac{n}{m}\).
(A) \(6 x^2-37 x+1=0\)
(B) \(6 x^2-50 x-7=0\)
(C) \(6 x^2-50 x+7=0\)
(D) \(6 x^2-37 x+6=0\)
(E) \(x^2-37 x+1=0\)

Problem 02:

Simplify
\[
(\sqrt{10}-\sqrt{2})^{\frac{1}{3}}(\sqrt{10}+\sqrt{2})^{\frac{7}{3}} .
\]
(A) \(24+4 \sqrt{5}\)
(B) \(24+6 \sqrt{5}\)
(C) \(24+8 \sqrt{5}\)
(D) \(24+10 \sqrt{5}\)
(E) \(24+12 \sqrt{5}\)

Problem 03:

Let \(a=4^{3000}, b=6^{2500}\) and \(c=7^{2000}\). Which of the following statement is true?
(A) \(a<b<c\)
(B) \(a<c<b\)
(C) \(b<a<c\)
(D) \(c<a<b\)
(E) \(c<b<a\)

Problem 04:

If \(\log _{21} 3=x\), express \(\log _7 9\) in terms of \(x\).
(A) \(\frac{2 x}{2-x}\)
(B) \(\frac{2 x}{1-x}\)
(C) \(\frac{2 x}{x-2}\)
(D) \(\frac{2 x}{x-1}\)
(E) \(\frac{x}{1-x}\)

Problem 05:

Suppose that \(\sin x=\frac{12}{13}\) and \(\cos y=-\frac{4}{5}\), where \(0^{\circ} \leq x \leq 90^{\circ}\) and \(90^{\circ} \leq y \leq 180^{\circ}\). Find the value of \(\cos (x+y)\).

(A) \(-\frac{56}{65}\)

(B) \(\frac{56}{65}\)

(C) \(-\frac{16}{65}\)

(D) \(\frac{16}{65}\)

(E) None of the above

Short Questions
Problem 06:

Find the largest positive integer (n) such that (n+8) is a factor of \(n^3+13 n^2+40 n+40\).

Problem 07:

Suppose \(\tan x=5\). Find the value of \(\frac{6+\sin 2 x}{1+\cos 2 x}\).

Problem 08:

Suppose (x) and (y) are real numbers such that
\[
|x-y|+3 x-y=70, \text { and } \
|y-x|+3 y+x=50 .
\]

Find the maximum possible value of \(x+2 y\).

Problem 09:

The coordinates of the vertices of a triangle \(\triangle A B C\) are \(A(6,0), B(0,8)\) and \(C(x, y)\) such that \(x^2-16 x+y^2-12 y+91=0\). Find the largest possible value of the area of the triangle \(\triangle A B C\).

Problem 10:

In the figure below, \(A D\) is perpendicular to the \(B C, P Q\) is parallel to \(B C\), and the triangle \(\triangle P Q R\) is an equilateral triangle whose area in \(meter ^2\) is equal to the length of \(A D\) (in meter). Find the smallest possible value of the length of (B C).

Problem 11:

Find the value of \(448\left(\frac{\sin 12^{\circ} \sin 39^{\circ} \sin 51^{\circ}}{\sin 24^{\circ}}\right)\).

Problem 12:

In the figure below, the chord \(A F\) passes through the origin \(O\) of the circle, and is perpendicular to the chord \(B C\). It is given that \(A B=17 \mathrm{~cm}, C D=5 \mathrm{~cm}\). Suppose \(\frac{B E}{E D}=\frac{m}{n}\), where \(m\) and \(n\) are positive integers which are relatively prime. What is the value of \(m+n\) ?

Problem 13:

Let \(P(x)\) be the polynomial that results from the expansion of the following expression:
\[
\left(2 x^3+3 x^2+x\right)^5\left(\frac{x}{6}+\frac{1}{2}\right)^5 .
\]

Find the sum of the coefficients of \(x^{2 k+1}\), where \(k=0,1,2,3, \ldots, 9\).

Problem 14:

Find the value of the following expression:
\[
\frac{2\left(1^2+2^2+3^2+\ldots+49^2+50^2\right)+(1 \times 2)+(2 \times 3)+(3 \times 4)+\ldots+(48 \times 49)+(49 \times 50)}{100} .
\]

Problem 15:

Let \(M\) be the maximum possible value of \(\frac{15 x^2-x^3-39 x-54}{x+1}\), where \(x\) is a positive integer. Find the value of \(9 M\).

Problem 16:

Find the maximum possible value of \(x+y+z\) where \(x, y, z\) are integers satisfying the following system of equations:
\[
x^2 z+y^2 z+8 x y=200 \
2 x^2+2 y^2+x y z=50 .
\]

Problem 17:

Find the remainder when \(10^{43}\) is divided by \(126\) .

Problem 18:

Suppose \(\left(\log _2 x\right)^2\)+\(4\left(\log _2\left(\log _3 y\right)\right)^2\) = \(4\left(\log _2 x\right)\left(\log _2\left(\log _3 y\right)\right)\). If \(x = 49\) and \(y\) is a positive integer, find \(y\).

Problem 19:

The figure below shows a rectangle \(A B C D\) with \(A B=16 \mathrm{~cm}) and (B C=15 \mathrm{~cm}\). Let \(P\) be a point on the side \(B C\) such that \(B P=7 \mathrm{~cm}\), and let \(Q\) be a point on the side \(C D\) such that \(C Q=6 \mathrm{~cm}\).
Find the length of \(A R\) \(in (\mathrm{cm})\), where \(R\) is the foot of the perpendicular from \(A\) to \(P Q\).

Problem 20:

A sequence \(x_0, x_1, x_2, x_3, \ldots\) of integers satisfies the following conditions: \(x_0=1\), and for any positive integer \(n \geq 1,\left|x_n-1\right|=\left|x_{n-1}+2\right|\). Find the maximum possible value of \(2019-\left(x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_{2018}\right)\).

Problem 21:

Consider a square \(A B C D\) on the \(x y\)-plane where the coordinates of its vertices are given by \(A(13,0), B(23,13), C(10,23)\) and \(D(0,10)\). A lattice point is a point with integer coordinates. Find the number of lattice points in the interior of the square.

Problem 22:

Eleven distinct chemicals \(C_1, C_2, \ldots, C_{11}\) are to be stored in three different warehouses. Each warehouse stores at least one chemical. A pair \(C_i, C_j\) of chemicals, where \(i \neq j\), is either compatible or incompatible. Any two incompatible chemicals cannot be stored in the same warehouse. However, a pair of compatible chemicals may or may not be stored in the same warehouse. Find the maximum possible number of pairs of incompatible chemicals that can be found among the stored chemicals.

Problem 23:

Let \(k\) be a positive integer and let the function \(f\) be defined as follows:
\[
f(x)=\frac{\pi^x}{\pi^x+\pi^{2 k-x}} .
\]

Suppose the function \(g(k)\) is defined as follows:
\[
g(k)=f(0)+f\left(\frac{k}{2019}\right)+f\left(\frac{2 k}{2019}\right)+f\left(\frac{3 k}{2019}\right)+\ldots+f\left(\frac{4037 k}{2019}\right)+f(2 k) .
\]

Find the greatest positive integer \(n\) such that \(g(k) \geq n\) for all \(k \geq 1\).

Problem 24:

Some students sat for a test. The first group of students scored an average of 91 marks and were given Grade A. The second group of students scored an average of 80 marks and were given Grade B. The last group of students scored an average of 70 marks and were given Grade \(\mathrm{C}\). The numbers of students in all three groups are prime numbers and the total score of all the students is 1785 . Determine the total number of students.

Problem 25:

Suppose (a) and (b) are positive integers satisfying
\(a^2-2 b^2=1\) .

If \(500<a+b<1000\), find \(a+b\).

Combinatorics, Israel MO 2014, Problem 4

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="3.22.4"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway||||||||" background_color="#f4f4f4" custom_margin="10px||10px" custom_padding="10px|20px|10px|20px" box_shadow_style="preset2"]
The three-digit number 999 has a special property: It is divisible by 27, and its digit sum is also divisible by 27. The four-digit number 5778 also has this property, as it is divisible by 27 and its digit sum is also divisible by 27. How many four-digit numbers have this property?
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color="#0c71c3" _builder_version="3.22.4" toggle_font="||||||||" body_font="Raleway||||||||" text_orientation="center" custom_margin="10px||10px" hover_enabled="0"][et_pb_accordion_item title="Source of the problem" open="on" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0"]Israel 2014, Problem 4 [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Topic" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0" open="off"]Combinatorics, Number Theory [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Difficulty Level" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0" open="off"]6/10 [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Suggested Book" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0" open="off"]Excursion in Mathematics by Bhaskarcharya Prathistan [/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Start with hints

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs active_tab_background_color="#0c71c3" inactive_tab_background_color="#000000" _builder_version="3.22.4" tab_text_color="#ffffff" tab_font="||||||||" background_color="#ffffff" hover_enabled="0"][et_pb_tab title="Hint 0" _builder_version="3.22.4"]Do you really need a hint? Try it first!

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 1" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0"]Let's write the problem mathematically, i.e. in terms of the equations. Let's write the condition mathematically. Let $abcd$ be a four-digit number, with $1\le a\le9$ and $0\le b,c,d\le 9$, and $a,b,c,d$ positive integers. Then we need to have $1000a+100b+10c+d=27n$ and $a+b+c+d=27m$, where $n,m$ are positive integers.  Now, we have to count the number of such solutions. Observe that the sum of the digits can be at most 36. So, m = 1. Hence, a+b+c+d = 27. This leads to $111a+11b+c=3(n-1)$ . This implies  $2b+c$ being a multiple of $3$.  Now, this implies we have quite a number of cases to investigate. Let's do them one by one patiently. [/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 2" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0"]
b c a+d
0 3,6,9 27,24,21,18
Out of this b = 0, c = 9, a+d = 18, a = 9, c =9 is the only possibility considering the maximum possibble value of a+d being 18.  
b c a+d
1 1,4,7 25,22,19
  None of the cases is fine as the maximum possible value of a+d is 18. [/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 3" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0"]
b c a+d
2 2,5,8 23,20,17
This gives rise to b = 2, c = 8, a+d = 17. Hence two solutions 8289 and 9288.
b c a+d
3 0,3,6,9 24,21,18,15
Thus you can understand this gives rise to 4 solutions: ($6399,7398,8397$ and $9396$) [/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 4" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0"]
b c a+d
4 1,4,7 22,19,16
This gives rise to three solutions: ($7479,8478,$ and $9477$).
b c a+d
5 2,5,8 20,17,14
Only the last two choices are acceptable; the former gives us two solutions, and the latter 5 (for a total of seven solutions).   [/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="HInt 5" _builder_version="4.0" hover_enabled="0"]
b c a+d
6 0,3,6,9 21,18,15,12
 The last three choices are acceptable and give us $1+4+7=12$ solutions.
b c a+d
7 1,4,7 19,16,13
The last two choices are acceptable and give us $3+6=9$ solutions.
b c a+d
8 2,5,8 17,14,11
All choices are acceptable and give us $2+5+8=15$ solutions.
b c a+d
9 0,3,6,9 18,15,15,9
All choices are acceptable and give us $1+4+7+9=21$ solutions. Therefore, there are $1+2+5+3+7+12+9+15+21=75$ four-digit numbers with this property. [/et_pb_tab][/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Watch video

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version="3.26.4"]
[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" min_height="12px" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Connected Program at Cheenta

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_blurb title="Math Olympiad Program" url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" url_new_window="on" image="https://cheenta.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/matholympiad.png" _builder_version="3.23.3" header_font="||||||||" header_text_color="#e02b20" header_font_size="48px" link_option_url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" link_option_url_new_window="on"]

Math Olympiad is the greatest and most challenging academic contest for school students. Brilliant school students from over 100 countries participate in it every year. Cheenta works with small groups of gifted students through an intense training program. It is a deeply personalized journey toward intellectual prowess and technical sophistication.[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" url_new_window="on" button_text="Learn More" button_alignment="center" _builder_version="3.23.3" custom_button="on" button_bg_color="#0c71c3" button_border_color="#0c71c3" button_border_radius="0px" button_font="Raleway||||||||" button_icon="%%3%%" background_layout="dark" button_text_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_color="#0c71c3"][/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Similar Problems

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_slider include_categories="9" _builder_version="3.22.4"][/et_pb_post_slider][et_pb_divider _builder_version="3.22.4" background_color="#0c71c3"][/et_pb_divider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

SMO(senior)-2014 Problem 2 Number Theory

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="3.22.4" fb_built="1" _i="0" _address="0"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25" _i="0" _address="0.0"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.0.0"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="0" _address="0.0.0.0"]

Understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway||||||||" background_color="#f4f4f4" box_shadow_style="preset2" custom_margin="10px||10px" custom_padding="10px|20px|10px|20px" _i="1" _address="0.0.0.1"]Find, with justification, all positive real numbers   $a,b,c$   satisfying the system of equations:    \[a\sqrt{b}=a+c,b\sqrt{c}=b+a,c\sqrt{a}=c+b.\][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.1.0"][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color="#0c71c3" _builder_version="3.27.4" toggle_font="||||||||" body_font="Raleway||||||||" text_orientation="center" custom_margin="10px||10px" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0"][et_pb_accordion_item title="Source of the problem" open="off" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0.0"]SMO (senior)-2014 stage 2 problem 2

[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Topic" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.0.1" open="on"]Number Theory[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Difficulty Level" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.0.2" open="off"]Easy [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Suggested Book" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.0.3" open="off"]Excursion in Mathematics

[/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.1"]

Start with hints

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs active_tab_background_color="#0c71c3" inactive_tab_background_color="#000000" _builder_version="3.27.4" tab_text_color="#ffffff" tab_font="||||||||" background_color="#ffffff" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2"][et_pb_tab title="Hint 0" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.2.0"]Do you really need a hint? Try it first!

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 1" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.2.1"]Given all three relations are cyclic and symmetric . So without loss of generality it can be assumed that \( a \geq b \geq c >0 \) .     Then proceed .               [ Note \( (0, 0, 0) \) can't be a solution since \( a , b , c \) are positive reals .] [/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 2" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2.2"]So \( a \sqrt b = a + c \Rightarrow a(\sqrt b - 1) = c \ [and \ we \ have \ a \geq c]   \Rightarrow ( \sqrt b - 1 ) \leq 1 \Rightarrow b \leq 4 \)[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 3" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.2.3"]Similarly \( b \sqrt c = b + a \Rightarrow b(\sqrt c - 1) = a \  [and \ we \  have \ a \geq b ] \Rightarrow \sqrt c - 1 \geq 1 \Rightarrow c \geq 4 \)[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 4" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="4" _address="0.1.0.2.4"]

Till now we have \( b \leq 4 \ and  \  c \geq 4 \) , but we assumed that \( b \geq c \) . So it is clear that \( b = c =4 \)  \( \Rightarrow a = 4 \) also. So the only triplet \( (a , b , c)\) is \( (4,4 ,4) \) .  [/et_pb_tab][/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" min_height="12px" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.3"]

Connected Program at Cheenta

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_blurb title="Math Olympiad Program" url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" url_new_window="on" image="https://cheenta.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/matholympiad.png" _builder_version="3.23.3" header_font="||||||||" header_text_color="#e02b20" header_font_size="48px" link_option_url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" link_option_url_new_window="on" _i="4" _address="0.1.0.4"]

Math Olympiad is the greatest and most challenging academic contest for school students. Brilliant school students from over 100 countries participate in it every year. Cheenta works with small groups of gifted students through an intense training program. It is a deeply personalized journey toward intellectual prowess and technical sophistication.[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" url_new_window="on" button_text="Learn More" button_alignment="center" _builder_version="3.23.3" custom_button="on" button_bg_color="#0c71c3" button_border_color="#0c71c3" button_border_radius="0px" button_font="Raleway||||||||" button_icon="%%3%%" button_text_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_color="#0c71c3" background_layout="dark" _i="5" _address="0.1.0.5"][/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="6" _address="0.1.0.6"]

Similar Problems

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_slider include_categories="9" _builder_version="3.22.4" _i="7" _address="0.1.0.7"][/et_pb_post_slider][et_pb_divider _builder_version="3.22.4" background_color="#0c71c3" _i="8" _address="0.1.0.8"][/et_pb_divider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

SMO (senior) -2014/problem-4 Number Theory

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="3.22.4" fb_built="1" _i="0" _address="0"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25" _i="0" _address="0.0"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.0.0"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="0" _address="0.0.0.0"]

Understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway||||||||" background_color="#f4f4f4" box_shadow_style="preset2" custom_margin="10px||10px" custom_padding="10px|20px|10px|20px" _i="1" _address="0.0.0.1"]For each positive integer $n$ let  \[x_n=p_1+\cdots+p_n\]  where  $p_1,\ldots,p_n$   are the first $n$ primes. Prove that for each positive integer $n$, there is an integer $k_n$ such that   $x_n<k_n^2<x_{n+1}$[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.27" _i="1" _address="0.1"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||" _i="0" _address="0.1.0"][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color="#0c71c3" _builder_version="3.27" toggle_font="||||||||" body_font="Raleway||||||||" text_orientation="center" custom_margin="10px||10px" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0"][et_pb_accordion_item title="Source of the problem" open="on" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.0.0"]SMO (senior)-2014 stage 2 problem 4

[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Topic" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.0.1" open="off"]Number Theory[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Difficulty Level" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.0.2" open="off"]Medium[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Suggested Book" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.0.3" open="off"]Excursion in Mathematics

[/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.1"]

Start with hints

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs active_tab_background_color="#0c71c3" inactive_tab_background_color="#000000" _builder_version="3.27.4" tab_text_color="#ffffff" tab_font="||||||||" background_color="#ffffff" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2"][et_pb_tab title="Hint 0" _builder_version="3.27" hover_enabled="0" _i="0" _address="0.1.0.2.0"]Do you really need a hint? Try it first!

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 1" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="1" _address="0.1.0.2.1"]We have \( P_1 = 2 , P_=3 , P_3=5 , P_4 =7 , P_5 = 11 \ and \ so \ on .... \). Now to understand the expression   $x_n<k_n^2<x_{n+1}$  ,  observe .   \( For \ n=1 \ ,  \ 2 < 2^2 < 2+3 \)  \( For \ n=2 \ ,  \ 2+3 < 3^2 < 2+3+5 \) \( For \ n=3 \ ,  \ 2+3+5 < 4^2 < 2+3 +5+7\) \( For \ n=4 \ ,  \ 2+3 +5+7 < 5^2 <2+3 +5+7 +11 \) Now proceed to prove \( \forall n \geq 5 \) .[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 2" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="2" _address="0.1.0.2.2"]Observe  \( \forall n \geq 5 \) we have \( P_n > (2n-1) \). [where \( n \in Z^+ \)] Then try to use  \( x_n =  P_1 + P_2 + ...+P_5+..... +P_n  > 1 +3 + ....+ 9 +... (2n-1) = n^2 \\  \Rightarrow x_n > n^2  , \forall n \geq 5[where \ n \in Z^+]   \) .[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 3" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.2.3"]Think if \( x_n=P_1 + P_2 + .... + P_5 +...P_n = b^2 for \ some \ n ,  b \in Z^+ \) , then we are done . If not so , then think \( m \) be the largest non negative integer such that  \( (n+m)^2 < x_n \) . Now note that the next perfect square is \( (n+m+1)^2  \) . Observe that if we can prove that   \( (n+m+1)^2 - (n+m)^2 = (2n+ 2m +1) \geq P_{n+1} \)  , then we are done . Now try to verify this claim .[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 4" _builder_version="3.27.4" hover_enabled="0" _i="4" _address="0.1.0.2.4"]

Suppose our claim is not true  i.e. \( P_n < 2n + 2m +1\) . So,   \( P_n < 2n + 2m +1 \\ \Rightarrow 2n+ 2m \geq P_n , \forall n \in Z^+ \\ \Rightarrow (2n +2m-2)+(2n+ 2m -4)+.....2m \geq P_n  + P_{n-1}+......+P_1 \\ \Rightarrow n^2 + 2mn -n \geq P_n  + P_{n-1}+......+P_1  \\ \Rightarrow n^2 + 2mn -n \geq x_n \\ \Rightarrow  n^2 + 2mn +m^2 > n^2 + 2mn -n\geq x_n \\ \Rightarrow (n+m)^2 > x_n  \) .  Contradiction!  since we have assumed \( x_n = P_1  + P_2+......+P_{n-1} > (n+m)^2 \) . Thus ,\( (n+m+1)^2 \in (x_n , x_{n+1}) \)  .     [/et_pb_tab][/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" min_height="12px" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="3" _address="0.1.0.3"]

Connected Program at Cheenta

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_blurb title="Math Olympiad Program" url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" url_new_window="on" image="https://cheenta.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/matholympiad.png" _builder_version="3.23.3" header_font="||||||||" header_text_color="#e02b20" header_font_size="48px" link_option_url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" link_option_url_new_window="on" _i="4" _address="0.1.0.4"]

Math Olympiad is the greatest and most challenging academic contest for school students. Brilliant school students from over 100 countries participate in it every year. Cheenta works with small groups of gifted students through an intense training program. It is a deeply personalized journey toward intellectual prowess and technical sophistication.[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_button button_url="https://cheenta.com/matholympiad/" url_new_window="on" button_text="Learn More" button_alignment="center" _builder_version="3.23.3" custom_button="on" button_bg_color="#0c71c3" button_border_color="#0c71c3" button_border_radius="0px" button_font="Raleway||||||||" button_icon="%%3%%" button_text_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_style="preset1" box_shadow_color="#0c71c3" background_layout="dark" _i="5" _address="0.1.0.5"][/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3" custom_margin="50px||50px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" _i="6" _address="0.1.0.6"]

Similar Problems

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_slider include_categories="9" _builder_version="3.22.4" _i="7" _address="0.1.0.7"][/et_pb_post_slider][et_pb_divider _builder_version="3.22.4" background_color="#0c71c3" _i="8" _address="0.1.0.8"][/et_pb_divider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]