FOTPM RMO 2019

MOCK TEST I Solution Code: A1

Time: 3 hours 27/09/2019

Instructions:
• Calculators (in any form) and protractors are not allowed.
• Rulers and compasses are allowed.
• Answer all the questions.
• All questions carry equal marks. Maximum marks: 102.
• Answer to each question should start on a new page. Clearly indicate the
question number.

1
Determine all functions f defined on the natural numbers that take values among
the natural numbers for whoch
p
((f (n)) ≡ n (mod f (p))

for all n ∈ N and all prime numbers p.

Solution
p
Let n = p, a prime, we get p ≡ ((f (n)) ≡ 0 (mod f (p)), so p must be divisible
by f (p). Hence, for each prime p, f (p) = 1 or f (p) = p.
p
Let S = {p : p is a prime and f (p) = p}. If S is infinite, then ((f (n)) ≡
n (mod f (p)) for infinitely many primes p.
By F.L.T, n ≡ f (n)p ≡ f (n) (mod f (p)), so that f (n) − n is a multiple of p
for infinitely many primes p. This can be happen only if f (n) = n for all values
of n, and it can be verified that this is a solution.
If S be empty, then f (p) = 1 for all primes p, and any function satisfying this
condition is a solution.
Now, suppose that S is finite and non-empty. Let q be the largest prime in S.
Suppose p ≥ 3. Then for any prime p exceeding q,

p ≡ f (p)q ≡ 1q (mod f (q)) =⇒ p ≡ 1 (mod q).

However, it is not true. Let Q be the product of all the odd primes upto q.
Then all the prime factors of Q + 2 must exceed q. Let p be any prime factor
of Q + 2, then f (p) = 1, so p ≡ f (p)q ≡ 1 (mod f (q)) =⇒ p ≡ 1 (mod q), so
Q + 2 ≡ 1 (mod q). However this contradicts Q + 2 ≡ 2 (mod q).
The only remaining case is that S = {2} Then f (p) = 2 and f (p) = 1 for ev-
ery odd prime p. Since f (n)2 ≡ n (mod 2), f (n) and n must have the same
parity. Conversely, any function f for which f (n) ≡ n (mod 2) for all n,
f (2) = 2 and f (p) = 1 for all odd primes p satifies the condition.

1
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Therefore the only solutions are

(i) f (n) = n ∀ n ∈ N; (ii) any function f with f (p) ≡ 1 ∀ primes p;
(iii) any function for which f (2) = 2, f (p) = 1 for primes p exceeding 2 and
f (n) and n have the same parity.

2
Let n > 1 be a given integer and A be an infinite set of positive integers that
has the following property : For any prime p - n, there exist infintely many
elements in A not divisible by p.
Prove that for any integer with m > 1 and (m, n) = 1, exists a finite subset of
distinct elements in A, such that the sum S of its elements satisfies

S≡1 (mod m) and S ≡ 0 (mod n).

Solution
Let p be a prime factor of m with pα km, α ≥ 1. Then there is an infinite subset
A1 of A such that all elements in A1 are not divisible by p.
By the Pigeonhole Principle, there exists an infinite subset A2 of A1 such that
x ≡ a (mod mn) for any element x ∈ A2 , where a is an integer, not divisible by
p.  
The condition (m, n) = 1 yields pα , mn
pα = 1. Now by the Chinese Remainder
Theorem, the system
(
x ≡ a−1 (mod pα ),
· · · (I)
x ≡ 0 (mod mn pα )

has infinitely many solutions. Let x be anyone of them, and denoted by Bp the
set consisting of the first x elements of A2 , and by Sp , the sum of all elements
in Bp , then Sp ≡ ax (mod mn) and from the system (I),
mn
Sp ≡ ax ≡ 1 (mod pα ), Sp ≡ 0 (mod ).
pα

Let m = p1 α1 p2 α2 · · · pk αk , and suppose that corresponding to each pi (1 ≤ i ≤ k − 1),

the finite subset Bpi has selected, where Bpi ⊂ A \ {Bpi ∪ · · · ∪ Bi−1 }, such that
the elements Bpi , and Spi satisfy
mn
Spi ≡ 1 (mod pi αi ), Spi ≡ 0 (mod ) · · · (II)
p i αi
k
[ k
X
Now define the set B= B pi and the sum S of elements of B given by S = Spi .
i=1 i=1

Then the system (II) yields

S≡1 (mod pi αi ) for 1 ≤ i ≤ k and S ≡ 0 (mod n).

Hence B satisfies all the required conditions.

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3
Consider the function f : N0 → N0 , where N0 is the set of all non-negative
integers, defined by the following conditions :
(I) f (0) = 0;
(II) f (2n) = 2f (n) and
(III) f (2n + 1) = n + 2f (n) for all n ≥ 0.
(a) Determine the three set

L = {n|f (n) < f (n+1)}, E = {n|f (n) = f (n+1)} and G = {n|f (n) > f (n+1)}.

(b) For each k ≥ 0, find a formula for ak = max{f (n)|0 ≤ n ≤ 2k } in terms of k.

Solution(a)
Let L1 : = {2k : k > o}; E1 : = {0}∪{4k+1 : k ≥ 0}; G1 : = {4k+3 : k ≥ 0}
We will show that L1 = L, E1 = E, and G1 = G. It suffices to verify that
L1 ⊆ L, E1 ⊆ E, and G1 ⊆ G because L1 , E1 , and G1 are mutually disjoint and
L1 ∪ E1 ∪ G1 = N0 .
Firstly, if k > 0, then f (2k) − f (2k + 1) = −k < 0 and therefore L1 ⊆ L.
f (0) = 0 and
f (4k + 1) = 2k + 2f (2k) = 2k + 4f (k).
f (4k + 2) = 2f (2k + 1) = 2(k + 2f (k)) = 2k + 4f (k) ∀ k ≥ 0.
Thus E1 ⊆ E.
Lastly, in order to prove G1 ⊆ G, we claim that f (n + 1) − f (n) ≤ n for all n.
(Infact one can prove a stronger Inequality : f (n + 1) − f (n) ≤ n2 .)
This is clearly true for even n from the definition of f since for n = 2t,

f (n + 1) − f (n) = t ≤ n.

If n = 2t + 1 is odd, then (assuming inductively that the result holds for all
nonnegative m < n,) we have

f (n+1)−f (n) = f (2t+2)−f (2t+1) = 2f (t+1)−t−2f (t) = 2(f (t+1)−f (t))−t ≤ 2t−t = t < n.

For all k ≥ 0,

f (4k+4)−f (4k+3) = f (2(2k+2))−f (2(2k+1)+1) = 4f (k+1)−(2k+1+2f (2k+1))

= 4f (k+1)−(2k+1+2k+4f (k)) = 4(f (k+1)−f (k))−(4k+1) ≤ 4k−(4k+1) < 0.

This proves G1 ⊆ G.
Solution(b)
Note that a0 = a1 = f (1) = 0. Let k ≥ 2 and let Nk = {0, 1, 2, · · · , 2k }.
First we claim that the maximum ak occurs at the largest number in G ∩ Nk ,
that is, ak = f (2k − 1). We use mathematical induction on k to prove the claim.
Note that a2 = f (3) = f (22 − 1).
Now let k ≥ 3. For every even numbers 2t with 2k−1 + 1 < 2t ≤ 2k ,

f (2t) = 2f (t) ≤ 2ak−1 = 2f (2k−1 − 1) · · · (I)

by Induction. For every odd number 2t + 1 with 2k−1 + 1 ≤ 2t + 1 < 2k ,

f (2t+1) = t+2f (t) ≤ 2k−1 −1+2f (t) ≤ 2k−1 −1+2ak−1 = 2k−1 −1+2f (2k−1 −1) · · · (II)

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by the induction hypothesis. Combining (I), (II) and

f (2k − 1) = f (2(2k−1 − 1) + 1) = 2k−1 − 1 + 2f (2k−1 − 1),

we may conclude that ak = f (2k − 1) as desired.

Furthermore, we obtain

ak = 2ak−1 + 2k−1 − 1 for all k ≥ 3.

Note that this recursive formulae for ak also holds for k = 1 and 2.
Now, unwinding this recurrsive formulae, we get

ak = 2ak−1 +2k−1 −1 = 2(2ak−2 +2k−2 −1)+2k−1 −1 = · · · = k2k−1 −2k +1 ∀ k ≥ 0.

4
Given that ABCD is a convex quadrilateral, and AC ⊥ BD at O. Suppose that
O1 , O2 , O3 and O4 are the centres of inscribed circles of 4AOB, 4BOC, 4COD,
and 4DOA respectively. Prove that √
(i) the sum of diameters of O1 , O2 , O √ 3 and O4 is ≯ (2 − 2)(AC + BD).
(ii) O1 O2 + O2 O3 + O3 O4 + O4 O1 < 2( 2 − 1)(AC + BD).

5
Given that the function f (x) = 3ax2 − 2(a + b)x + b, where a > 0, b ∈ R.
Prove that
|f (x)| ≤ max{f (0), f (1)}, if 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.
Solution
Since a > 0, f (x) takes its minmum value when x = x0 = a+b 3a , and

 3ab − (a + b)2  a2 + b2 − ab
 
|f (x0 )| =  =
3a  3a
Case(I) : When 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, then a + b ≥ 0 and 2a − b ≥ 0.
(i)If b ≥ 0, then

|f (1)| = a − b = f (1) > −b = |f (0)|; and

√
|f (x0 )| ≤ |f (1)| ⇐⇒ a2 − ab + b2 ≤ 3a(a − b) ⇐⇒ (a + b)2 ≤ 3a2 ⇐⇒ 0 ≤ a + b ≤ 3a
(which is true obviously).
Therefore
max |f (x)| = f (1),
0≤x≤1

the conclusion is true in this case.

(ii) When 0 < b ≤ a2 , then a ≥ 2b > 0, so

|f (1)| = a − b = f (1) ≥ b = f (0) = |f (0)|

and similar to the above, |f (x0 ) ≤ f (1), so the conclusion is true also.
(iii) When b > a2 > 0, then 0 < a < 2b, so

|f (1) = |a − b| < b = f (0),

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√
|f (x0 )| ≤ f (0) ⇐⇒ a2 + b2 − ab ≤ 3ab ⇐⇒ (2a − b)2 ≤ 3a2 ⇐⇒ (2− 3)a < b,
√
and the last quantity is true since (2 − 3)a < 12 a < b. Thus this conclusion is
true also.
Case(II) : When x0 < 0, then a + b < 0, so 0 > b = f (0). Thus

max |f (x)| = max{|f (0)|, |f (1)|} = max{−b, a − b} = a − b = f (1) = max{f (0), f (1)}.
0≤x≤1

Case(III) : When x0 > 1, then 2a − b < 0, so, b > 0. Thus

max |f (x)| = max{|f (0)|, |f (1)|} = max{b, |a − b|} = max{b, b − a} = b = f (0) = max{f (0), f (1)}.
0≤x≤1

Hence, summarising all the case, we may conclude that

max |f (x)| ≤ max{f (0), f (1)}.

0≤x≤1

6
Given that m, n > 1 are odd numbers. In each square of a rectangular table of
dimension m × n fill in a distinct real number. A number is called good number
if
(I) if it is the maximum number in its row (or in its column); and
(II) it is the median in its column (or in its row). Then median means half of
the rest numbers in its row (or in its column) is greater than it and other half
is less than it.
Find the maximum value of the good numbers.
Solution
Let Nc be the set of good numbers of which each is the maximum value of its
column and is the median of its row. Since they are in distinct rows, so |Nc | ≤ m.
Let a be the maximum element in Nc , and let a1 , a2 , · · · , a n−1 be the numbers
2
greater than a in the same row as a. Hence there is no elements of Nc in the
columns that contain some ai . Hence, |Nc | ≤ n+12 . Thus, |Nc | ≤ min{m, 2 }.
n+1

Similarly, consider the good numbers of which each is the maximum of its row
and the median of its column. It then follows that the total number of good
numbers is not greater than
   
n+1 m+1
min m, + min n, .
2 2
On the following we prove that for any odd integers m, n > 1 there must exist
a method  to fill in the numbers
 m+1 such that the number of good numbers is equal
to min m, n+1

2 + min n, 2 .
(I) When m 6= n, WLOG we always assume that 1 < m < n. As shown in
the figure 1A, partition the squares in the rectangle of size m × n as regions
1 to 5, and then sequentially in the regions 1 to 5 write down the numbers
1, 2, 3, · · · , mn. Then the numbers in the regions 2 and 4 are good numbers, and
the total number of such numbers is
     
n+1 m+1 n+1 m+1
min m, + = min m, + min n, .
2 2 2 2
(II) When m = n > 3, as shown in the figure B, write down the numbers

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Figure 1: A

Figure 2: B

1, 2, 3, · · · , mn. sequentially in the regions 1 to 5, then the numbers in the regions

2 and 4 are good numbers, and the total number of such numbers is
n−1 n−1
+ + 2 = n + 1.
2 2
(III) When m = n = 3, as shown in the figure C, the filled numbers 5, 6, 7, 8

Figure 3: C

are good numbers, and the total number of good numbers is

 
m+1
4 = 2 min n,
2

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In summary, min m, n+1 + min n, m+1

 
2 2 is the required maximum value.

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