Moïse Katumbi

International Youth Math Challenge

Problem A
Continue the two sequences of numbers below and equation to calculate the n-th value :

n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Equation
an 2 5 10 17 26 37
bn 1 2 8 48 384 3840

ANSWER
☞ Sequence an :

a0 a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 an
1 2 5 10 17 26 37 50 ?
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 a8 − a7 an+1 − an
2 2 2 2 2 2 a8 − a7 − 13 = 2 ... C ste = 2
As the second difference is a constant, this is a quadratic sequence
Assume an = un2 + vn + w is the quadratic fonction of points (n, an )
second difference 2


 u = = = 1; u = 1
2 2





We have : w = is the ordinate at the origin, i.e : n = 0 =⇒ a0 = 1 = w; w =1


v = replace with any pair in the function to find it





Let replace by the pair(1, 2) =⇒ v = 0



The equation is given by an = n2 + 1

☞ Sequence bn :
b1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 bn
1 2 8 48 384 3840 ?
1 1 × 2 1 × 2 × 2 × 2 1 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 ... ...
0 1 2 3
1×2 1×2 1×2 ×2 1×2 ×2×3 ... ...
0 1 2 3
2 ×1 2 ×1 2 ×1×2 2 ×1×2×3 ... ...
20 × 0! 21 × 1! 22 × 2! 23 × 3! ... ... 2n−1 × (n − 1)!

The equation is given by bn = 2n−1 × (n − 1)!

1
Problem B
Find all x ∈ R that solve this equation : x4 + x2 − x − 1 = 1 − x − x2 − x4

ANSWER

x4 + x2 − x − 1 = 1 − x − x2 − x4
x4 + x2 − 1 − 1
−x  + x2 + x4
+x = 0
2x4 + 2x2 − 2 = 0
x4 + x2 − 1 = 0

∗Assume that x2 = u where u > 0

i.e : (x2 )2 + x2 − 1 = 0
u2 + u − 1 = 0

∗1 = 1 − 4 × (−1) = 5
 √
√  −1 + 5

 u1 =
−1 ± 5 
2
u1/2 = = √
2  −1 − 5
<0∈
/u>0

u2 =

2
∗ As we assume x2 = u : √
−1 + 5
x 2 = u1 =
2
s √
−1 + 5
=⇒ x = ±
2
 s √ s √ 
 −1 + 5 −1 + 5 
S = − ,
 2 2 

2
Problem C
Determine the numerical value of the following expression without the use of a calculator :
√ 3  8 
√
  
2

41 X 1 log(8) 1 Y 1
2+ 3 + − m · 2 2 + 3− 1+
m =1
m! 2 k =1
k

ANSWER
√ √
     

1 P 1 log(8) 1 1
2 + 32 4 + 3m =1
Q8
− m · 2 2 + 3 − k =1 1 +
m! 2 k

1 1 √ P
(an )m = an×m for 32 4 = 3
2× 4 = 3 12 = 3  3m =1
Using and expanding we have,
 logb log(8)

Q 8
a a = b for 2 2 =8 k =1

√ √  √   √  1 √     
1  1 1 1 1
= 2 +3 + −  1 + −2 + −3 · 8 + − 1 + × 1+
  
 1!
 2! 3! 8 1 2
           
1 1 1 1 1 1
× 1+ × 1+ × 1+ × 1+ × 1+ × 1+
3 4 5 6 7 8
    
1 1 1 3 
 4 5 6  7 8 9
= + · 8+ −  2× × × × × × ×
2! 3! 8 2 
 3 4 5  6 7  8
   
1 1 1
= + · 8+ −9
2 6 8
   
3+1 1
= · −1
6 8
 
4 7
= × −
6 8
7
= −
12

3
Problem D
Prove that n5 − n is divisible by 5 for all positive integers n.

ANSWER
Here, we are using mathematical induction to prove n5 − n is divisible by 5
Let P(n) be the statement : n5 − n is divisible by 5, n = 1,2,3,...

Step 1 - Base case :

First of all, we check the base case. Since 0 is divisible by 5, the base case holds.
Therefore, P(1) is the statement

15 − 1 = 0 is divisible by 5 =⇒ P(n) is true

Step 2 - Inductive hypothesis :
Let us assume P(k) is true for all positive integers.
i.e. assume that k 5 − k is divisible by 5. This means there exists an integer m such
that : k 5 − k = 5m

Step 3 - Inductive step :

Now, we need to show that the statement is also true for k + 1
Then,

(k + 1)5 − (k + 1) = k 5 + 5k 3 + 10k 3 + 10k 2 + 5k + 1 + k − 1

= k 5 − k + 5(k 4 + 2k 3 + 2k 2 + k)

By our inductive hypothesis, k 5 − k is divisible by 5.

The term 5(k 4 + 2k 3 + 2k 2 + k) is clearly divisible by 5 as well.

Step 4 - Conclusion :
Since both parts of the expression (k 5 − k) + 5(k 4 + 2k 3 + 2k 2 + k) are divisible by 5,
we conclude that : (k + 1)5 − (k + 1) is divisible by 5

Hence, by the principle of mathematical induction, we have shown that n5 − n is divisible

by 5 ∀ n ∈ R+

4
Problem E
The drawing below shows two squares with side lengths a. One of the squares is rotated
by 45°and placed in the centre of the second square. Find the surface area of the rotated
square not overlapping the non-rotated square.

ANSWER
A1 is the area of the non-rotated square


Assume that : A2 is the area of the rotated square overlapping the non-rotated square
A3 is the area of the rotated square not overlapping the non-rotated square



A1 = a2







A2 is clearly the area of a triangle with base a




 and height a



Therefore, square with side lengths a : 2
1 a a2
A

 =
 2 2
 × a × =
2 4






a2 3

A3 = A1 − A2 = a −

2
= a2


4 4
3 2
The surface area of the rotated square not overlapping the non-rotated square is a
4