Mock Interview Problems

Aditya Ghosh
May 31, 2019

1 Problems
1.1 Number Theory and Combinatorics
1. Suppose n > 2 is a positive integer. Show that 2n − 1 can not be a power of 3.
2. A number n has distinct digits and the digits are in increasing order from left
to right. Prove that the sum of the digits of the number 9n will always be 9.
3. Suppose a1 , · · · , an are numbers from the set {−1, 1} such that a1 a2 + a2 a3 +
· · · + an−1 an + an a1 = 0. Show that n must be divisible by 4.
4. If for some positive integer n, the numbers 2n and 5n have same first digit d,
then find d.
5. Find the number of 6-digit natural numbers which have no digit repeated,
even digits occurring at even places, odd digits occurring at odd places and
are divisible by 4.
6. You have to determine the number of ways can we fill up an m × n array of
numbers with (+1) or (−1) such that product of the numbers in each row and
each column becomes (−1). Do this for (a) m = 4, n = 5; (b) m = 4, n = 4.
Can you generalize?
7. Suppose p1 , p2 , · · · , p31 are distinct primes such that p41 +p42 +· · ·+p431 is divisible
by 30. Show that, there exists three consecutive primes among p1 , p2 , · · · , p31 .
8. Find the greatest common divisor of the numbers
     
n n+1 n+r
, ,··· , .
r r r

9. Determine the number of ways to select 3 distinct integers from {1, 2, . . . , 30}
such that their sum is divisible by 3.
10. In how many ways can you colour 6 faces of a dice with 6 different colours,
using each colour exactly once?

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11. Ten points are selected on the positive x-axis, and five points are selected on
the positive y-axis. The fifty segments connecting the ten selected points on
x-axis to the five selected points on y-axis are drawn. What is the maximum
possible number of points of intersection of these fifty segments that could lie
in the interior of the first quadrant?
12. Suppose you go to a stationary shop to buy notebooks. If the shop sells
notebooks of 5 different designs for the cover page and you want to buy 9
notebooks such that no design for the cover pages is missed (i.e. you want to
pick at least one of each type), then find the number of ways to pick such a
desired set of notebooks. Note, here ordering does not matter.
13. Suppose you went to a restaurant with five friends of yours. After having
dinner, you decide to have ice-creams, one ice-cream per person. The menu
card shows that the restaurant serves 8 flavours of ice-creams.
(a) In how many ways can you select the six flavours to be ordered, such that
each one of you have different flavour than others?
(b) Suppose that the waiter comes and says that only 3 flavours (out of the
8) are available. Now, in how many ways can you select the six flavours
to be ordered, such that no flavour is missed ?
Note: In this problem, ordering of the flavours matters.
14. In how many ways can a row of 10 squares be each colored either red or green
in such a way that no two red squares are adjacent?
15. A word consisting only of the letters A, B and C (some of these letters may
not appear in the sequence) is called a good word if in that word, A is never
immediately followed by B, B is never immediately followed by C, and C
is never immediately followed by A. How many seven-letter good words are
there?
16. Let A = {1, 2, · · · , m} and B = {1, 2, · · · , n}.
(a) Find the number of strictly increasing functions from A to B.
(b) Find the number of non-decreasing functions from A to B.
(c) Find the number of one-one functions from A to B.
(d) Find the number of onto functions from A to B.
17. Find the number of functions f from {1, 2, · · · , 15} to itself such that f (1) <
f (3) < f (2).
18. Suppose f : N → N has the property that for every n ∈ N,

f (1) + f (2) + · · · + f (n) = c3n ≤ n3

where cn ∈ N. Find f (n).

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 19. State Principle of Inclusion and Exclusion. Does it hold if we interchange the
symbols ∪ and ∩ ?
20. A 10 digit number is called interesting if its digits are distinct and is divisible
by 11111. Then find the number of interesting numbers.

1.2 Geometry
1. Let AD, BE, CF be the altitudes of 4ABC. Suppose P is a point inside
the triangle. Let x, y, z be the perpendicular distances of P from the sides
BC, CA, AB. Show that the value of
x y z
+ +
AD BE CF
does not depend on P.
2. Let ABC be an acute-angled triangle, and let O be its circumcentre. The circle
through A, O and B is called S. The lines CA and CB meet the circle S again
at P and Q respectively. Prove that the lines CO and P Q are perpendicular.
3. In a triangle ABC, the incircle touches the sides BC, CA, AB at D, E, F re-
spectively. If the radius if the incircle is 4 units and if BD, CE, AF are con-
secutive integers, find the sides of the triangle ABC.
4. Let ABC be a triangle and consider two points D, E on BC such that BD =
EC and ∠BAD = ∠EAC. Show that AB = AC.
5. Segments AB and CD of length 1 intersect at O, such that ∠AOC = 60◦ .
Prove that, AC + BD ≥ 1.
6. Suppose ABCD is a convex quadrilateral. Let E, F be points on AB such that
AE = EF = F B. And let G, H be points on CD such that CG = GH = HD.
If ABCD has area 60 sq.unit, then find the area of EF GH.

1.3 Algebra
1. Suppose a, b, c are odd integers. Show that, the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 can
not have any rational root.
2. Suppose a, b, c are non-zero real numbers with a + b + c 6= 0 and satisfying

a−1 + b−1 + c−1 = (a + b + c)−1 .

Show that for any odd integer n,

(a + b + c)n = an + bn + cn .

3. Suppose x, y, z are real numbers satisfying x+y +z = 0 and xy +yz +zx = −3.
Show that the value of x3 y + y 3 z + z 3 x is constant.

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 4. Suppose α ∈ C satisfies a+1/a+a2 +1/a2 +1 = 0. Find am +1/am +a2m +1/a2m .
5. Define {xn }n≥1 by x1 = 1/2 and xn+1 = x2n + xn for n ≥ 1. Find the greatest
integer less than
1 1 1
+ + ··· + .
x1 + 1 x2 + 1 x2019 + 1
√
3xn − 1
6. Let {xn }n≥1 be a sequence satisfying xn+1 = √ , n ≥ 1. Prove that this
3 + xn
sequence is periodic and also find the period.
7. For real numbers a, b, c define sn = an + bn + cn . Suppose s1 = 2, s2 = 6 and
s3 = 14. Prove that |s2n − sn−1 sn+1 | = 8 holds for all n > 1.
8. Find all values of a ∈ R such that the equation x4 − 2ax2 + x + a2 − a = 0 has
only real roots.
9. Find all positive real numbers x, y satisfying the system of equations:
√  1  3 √  1  1
x 1+ = , y 1− = .
x+y 2 x+y 2

10. Suppose that z1 , · · · , zn and w1 , · · · , wn are complex numbers with |zi | ≤ 1

and |wi | ≤ 1 for each i = 1, 2, · · · , n. Show that,

|z1 z2 · · · zn − w1 w2 · · · wn | ≤ |z1 − w1 | + |z2 − w2 | + · · · + |zn − wn |.

1.4 Calculus
Z π
1. Evaluate the integral cos(x) cos(2x) · · · cos(2017x) dx.
0

1 − cos(x) cos(2x) · · · cos(nx)

2. Let n ∈ N. Evaluate: lim .
x→0 x2
3. Suppose a is a positive real number. Define a sequence {xn }n≥1 by
[a] + [2a] + · · · + [na]
xn = , n ≥ 1.
n2
(Here [t] denotes the greatest integer ≤ t.) Prove that lim xn exists and also
n→∞
find the limit.
(14 + 24 + · · · + n4 )2
4. Evaluate the limit: lim .
n→∞ (19 + 29 + · · · + n9 )
√
5. Evaluate the limit: lim | sin(π n2 + n + 1)|.
n→∞

6. Suppose f : [0, 2] → R is a continuous function such that f (0) = f (2). Show

that there exist a, b ∈ [0, 2] such that f (b) = f (a) and b − a = 1.

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 7. Suppose f : R → R is continuous and satisfies f (x) − f (x/2) = x2 for every
x ∈ R. If f (0) = 0, then find f (x).
π 1 
8. Find, with proof, the value of lim tann + .
n→∞ 4 n
9. Find a continuous function which is differentiable on R except at three points.
10. Find a function which is continuous only at x = 0.
11. Find a function which is continuous only at three points.
12. Find a function which is continuous at integers and discontinuous elsewhere.
13. Find a continuous function which is differentiable only at 0.
14. Find a continuous function which is differentiable only at three points.
15. Can you give an example of a function which is differentiable, but the derivative
is not continuous?
16. Can you give an example of a function which is differentiable, the derivative is
continuous but not differentiable?
17. Does there exist a continuous function f such that f (x) is irrational if and
only if x is rational?
18. Suppose f is a continuous function and {xn }n≥1 is a sequence of non-zero real
numbers with limn→∞ xn = 0 such that f (xn ) = 0 holds for each n ≥ 1. Show
that f (0) = 0. Is it necessary that f 0 (0) exists and equals 0?
19. Suppose f : R → R is differentiable. If lim f 0 (x) = `, is it necessary that
x→0
f 0 (0) = ` ? (It is not given that f 0 (x) is continuous at x = 0.)
20. Suppose f : R → R is a bijective function, which is differentiable at x = 0. Is it
necessary that f −1 is differentiable at f (0)? If not, can you impose a (necessary
and sufficient) condition for f −1 to be differentiable at f (0)?
21. Is it possible that an unbounded sequence has a convergent sub-sequence?
22. Suppose that {xn }n≥1 and {yn }n≥1 are two convergent sequences, with lim xn =
n→∞
lim yn . Determine (with proof/counter-example) whether the following state-
n→∞
ments are true or false:
(a) lim (x1 + · · · + xn ) = lim (y1 + · · · + yn ).
n→∞ n→∞
(b) lim nxn = lim nyn .
n→∞ n→∞
(c) lim (xn ) = lim (yn )n .
n
n→∞ n→∞

(Note, a statement is false if it fails to hold even for just one case.)

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 √ √
23. Suppose that xn satisfies xn+1 = 6 + xn for every n ≥ 1, and let x1 = 6.
Show that xn converges and also find the limit.
24. Suppose xn is a sequence such that lim x2n = L1 , lim x2n+1 = L2 , and
n→∞ n→∞
lim x3n = L3 . Show that we must have L1 = L2 = L3 . Hence prove that
n→∞
lim xn exists and equals that common value L1 .
n→∞

25. Suppose {xn }n≥1 is a sequence such that 0 < xn < 1 holds for each n ≥ 1.
Furthermore, suppose we have 4xn (1 − xn+1 ) > 1 for every n ≥ 1. Show that
xn converges and also find the limit.
26. Suppose {xn }n≥1 is a sequence of real numbers such that for every positive
integer k > 1, lim xkn = 0. Is it necessary that lim xn = 0?
n→∞ n→∞
 1 1
27. Let x0 = a, x1 = b and define xn+1 = 1− xn + xn−1 , n ≥ 1. Find
2n 2n
lim xn .
n→∞

28. Suppose f : R+ → R+ is an increasing function, with the property that

f (2t) f (mt)
lim = 1. For any fixed natural number m, determine lim .
t→∞ f (t) t→∞ f (t)
Z ∞
29. Suppose f : (0, ∞) → [0, ∞] is continuous and f (x)dx < ∞. Is it necessary
0
that lim f (x) exists?
x→∞

30. Suppose f : R+ → R is a convex function, with lim f (x) = 0. Prove that

x→0
g(x) = f (x)/x (defined for x > 0) is increasing.
31. Carefully watch the following calculation.
Z π Z π
2 dx 2 sec2 x dx 1 −1 2 tan x 
 x=π
2 2 = 2
= tan
0 9 + 4 tan x 3 3

0 9 cos x + 4 sin x x=0

Do you think the above is correct? If not, then state why and also provide a
correct evaluation of the integral above.
Z 1
32. Calculate x ln x dx. While doing by parts, why didn’t you take an arbitrary
0
constant in the indefinite integration inside the second integral?
Z b Z 1
0
33. Is it always true that f (x)dx = f (b)−f (a)? Evaluate the integral x−2 dx.
a −1

34. Determine all continuous functions f : [0, 1] → R that satisfy

Z 1
1
f (x)(x − f (x))dx = .
0 12

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 35. Suppose f (x) satisfies f (x) + f (1 −Zx) = 1 for all x ∈ [0, 1]. Let f n denote f
1
composed with itself n times. Find f 2019 (x)dx.
0

36. Let f be a real-valued continuous function which satisfies

f (π/6 + x) + f (π/3 − x) = π/2 for all x ∈ R.
Z π/2
Evaluate cos2 f (x)dx.
0

37. Let f : [0, 1] → R be a continuous function

Z 1 such that for every x, y ∈ [0, 1],
π
xf (y) + yf (x) ≤ 1 holds. Show that, f (x)dx ≤ .
0 4
Can you tell any function for which equality holds here?

1.5 Miscellaneous
1. Evaluate tan−1 1 + tan−1 2 + tan−1 3.
2. Suppose a > b and c > d. Does this imply ac > bd? Does this hold with the
additional assumption that b > 0, c > 0 or a > 0, d > 0?
3. Find all pairs of positive integers (a, b) which satisfy ab = ba .
4. Roughly sketch the graphs of ex , x2 and 2x2 (in the same graph).
1 1
5. Roughly sketch the graphs of the following functions: (a) x2 + , (b) x + 2 ,
x x
x−2 x−1 3 1/3 1/x
(c) , (d) , (e) x sin x, (f) (x − 1) , (g) x .
(x − 1)(x + 3) (x − 2)(x + 3)
6. Suppose ABC is a triangle whose side lengths are integer and ∠ABC = 90◦ .
Prove that in-radius of the triangle is also an integer.
7. Suppose to each point of a plane, we have assigned some real number in such
a way that, sum of the numbers on the vertices of any square is zero. Prove
that we have no other choice than assigning zero to every point.
√
√ √2 2... √ x
8. Suppose we want to find 2 . We call this x and arrive at x = 2 .
Now, both x = 2 and x = 4 satisfy this equation. Which one is the correct
value of x?
9. f : A → B, g : B → C are two functions. g ◦ f : A → C is a bijection.
And g : B → C is also a one-one function. Then which of the following is
necessarily true? (a) f is one-one, (b) g is onto, (c) f is onto.
10. Is it possible that log(x) = p(x)/q(x) holds for all x > 0, where p(x), q(x) are
polynomials?