Category Archives: problem

2021-19 The answer is zero

Suppose that \( a_1 + a_2 + \dots + a_n =0 \) for real numbers \( a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n \) and \( n \geq 2\). Set \( a_{n+i}=a_i \) for \( i=1, 2, \dots \). Prove that
\[
\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{a_i (a_i+a_{i+1}) (a_i+a_{i+1}+a_{i+2}) \dots (a_i+a_{i+1}+\dots+a_{i+n-2})} =0
\]
if the denominators are nonzero.

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2021-18 Independent sets in a tree

Let \(T\) be a tree (an acyclic connected graph) on the vertex set \([n]=\{1,\dots, n\}\).
Let \(A\) be the adjacency matrix of \(T\), i.e., the \(n\times n\) matrix with \(A_{ij} = 1\) if \(i\) and \(j\) are adjacent in \(T\) and \(A_{ij}=0\) otherwise. Prove that the number of nonnegative eigenvalues of \(A\) equals to the size of the largest independent set of \(T\). Here, an independent set is a set of vertices where no two vertices in the set are adjacent.

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2021-16 Optimal constant

For a given positive integer \( n \) and a real number \( a \), find the maximum constant \( b \) such that
\[
x_1^n + x_2^n + \dots + x_n^n + a x_1 x_2 \dots x_n \geq b (x_1 + x_2 + \dots + x_n)^n
\]
for any non-negative \( x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n \).

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2021-14 Perfectly normal product

Let X, Y be compact spaces. Suppose \(X \times Y\) is perfectly normal, i.e, for every disjoint closed subsets E, F in \(X \times Y\), there exists a continuous function \( f: X \times Y \to [0, 1] \subset \mathbb{R} \) such that \( f^{-1}(0) = E, f^{-1}(1) = F \). Is it true that at least one of X and Y is metrizable?

(added Sep. 11, 8AM: Assume further that \( X \times Y\) is Hausdorff.)

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2021-13 Not convex

Prove or disprove the following:

There exist an infinite sequence of functions \( f_n: [0, 1] \to \mathbb{R} , n=1, 2, \dots \) ) such that

(1) ( f_n(0) = f_n(1) = 0 ) for any ( n ),

(2) ( f_n(\frac{a+b}{2}) \leq f_n(a) + f_n(b) ) for any ( a, b \in [0, 1] ),

(3) ( f_n – c f_m ) is not identically zero for any ( c \in \mathbb{R} ) and ( n \neq m ).

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2021-12 A graduation ceremony

In a graduation ceremony, \(n\) graduating students form a circle and their diplomas are distributed uniformly at random. Students who have their own diploma leave, and each of the remaining students passes the diploma she has to the student on her right, and this is one round. Again, each student with her own diploma leave and each of the remaining students passes the diploma to the student on her right and repeat this until everyone leaves. What is the probability that this process takes exactly \(k \) rounds until everyone leaves.

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2021-10 Integral inequality

Let \( f: [0, 1] \to \mathbb{R} \) be a continuous function satisfying
\[
\int_x^1 f(t) dt \geq \int_x^1 t\, dt
\]
for all \( x \in [0, 1] \). Prove that
\[
\int_0^1 [f(t)]^2 dt \geq \int_0^1 t f(t) dt.
\]

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