For an integer \( p \), define
\[
f_p(n) = \sum_{k=1}^n k^p.
\]
Prove that
\[
\frac{1}{2} \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{f_{-1}(n)}{f_3(n)} + 2\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{f_{-1}(n)}{f_1(n)} = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{(f_{-1}(n))^2}{f_1(n)}.
\]
Suppose that \(f\) is differentiable and \[ \lim_{x\to\infty} (f(x)+f'(x))=2.\] What is \( \lim_{x\to\infty} f(x)\)?
For an integer \( n \geq 3 \), evaluate
\[
\inf \left\{ \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{x_i^2}{(1-x_i)^2} \right\},
\]
where the infimum is taken over all \( n \)-tuple of real numbers \( x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n \neq 1 \) satisfying that \( x_1 x_2 \dots x_n = 1 \).
Is it possible to color all lattice points (\(\mathbb Z\times \mathbb Z\)) in the plane into two colors such that if four distinct points \( (a,b), (a+c,b), (a,b+d), (a+c,b+d)\) have the same color, then \( d/c\notin \{1,2,3,4,6\}\)?
(The next POW problem will be posted on October 20. Happy Chuseok and good luck with your midterm exams.)
For \( x \in (1, 2) \), prove that there exists a unique sequence of positive integers \( \{ x_i \} \) such that \( x_{i+1} \geq x_i^2 \) and
\[
x = \prod_{i=1}^{\infty} (1 + \frac{1}{x_i}).
\]
Let \(f(x)\in \mathbb R[x]\) be a polynomial of degree at most \(n\) such that \[ x^2+f(x)^2\le 1\] for all \( -1\le x\le 1 \). Prove that \( \lvert f'(x)\rvert \le 2(n-1)\) for all \( -1\le x\le 1\).
Let \(a_0 = a_1 =1\) and \(a_n = n a_{n-1} + (n-1) a_{n-2}\) for \(n \geq 2\). Find the value of
\[
\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} (-1)^n \frac{n!}{a_n a_{n+1}}.
\]
Let \(A\) and \(B\) be \(n\times n\) matrices. Prove that if \(n\) is odd and both \(A+A^T\) and \(B+B^T\) are invertible, then \(AB\neq 0\).
Find the value of
\[
\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1+ \frac{1}{2} + \dots + \frac{1}{n}}{n(2n-1)}.
\]
Let \(A\), \(B\) be matrices over the reals with \(n\) rows. Let \(M=\begin{pmatrix}A &B\end{pmatrix}\). Prove that \[ \det(M^TM)\le \det(A^TA)\det(B^TB).\]