With a non-zero number, the following operations are allowed: \(x \rightarrow \frac{1+x}{x}\), \(x \rightarrow \frac{1-x}{x}\). Is it true that from every non-zero rational number one can obtain each rational number with the help of a finite number of such operations?
Author: A.K. Tolpygo
An irrational number \(\alpha\), where \(0 <\alpha <\frac 12\), is given. It defines a new number \(\alpha_1\) as the smaller of the two numbers \(2\alpha\) and \(1 - 2\alpha\). For this number, \(\alpha_2\) is determined similarly, and so on.
a) Prove that for some \(n\) the inequality \(\alpha_n <3/16\) holds.
b) Can it be that \(\alpha_n> 7/40\) for all positive integers \(n\)?
What has a greater value: \(300!\) or \(100^{300}\)?
Prove that for every natural number \(n > 1\) the equality: \[\lfloor n^{1 / 2}\rfloor + \lfloor n^{1/ 3}\rfloor + \dots + \lfloor n^{1 / n}\rfloor = \lfloor \log_{2}n\rfloor + \lfloor \log_{3}n\rfloor + \dots + \lfloor \log_{n}n\rfloor\] is satisfied.
A numerical sequence is defined by the following conditions: \[a_1 = 1, \quad a_{n+1} = a_n + \lfloor \sqrt{a_n}\rfloor .\]
Prove that among the terms of this sequence there are an infinite number of complete squares.
We are given 51 two-digit numbers – we will count one-digit numbers as two-digit numbers with a leading 0. Prove that it is possible to choose 6 of these so that no two of them have the same digit in the same column.
Prove that the 13th day of the month is more likely to occur on a Friday than on other days of the week. It is assumed that we live in the Gregorian style calendar.
In the first term of the year Daniel received five grades in mathematics with each of them being on a scale of 1 to 5, and the most common grade among them was a 5 . In this case it turned out that the median of all his grades was 4, and the arithmetic mean was 3.8. What grades could Daniel have?
The point \(O\) is randomly chosen on piece of square paper. Then the square is folded in such a way that each vertex is overlaid on the point \(O\). The figure shows one of the possible folding schemes. Find the mathematical expectation of the number of sides of the polygon that appears.
100 children were each given a bowl with 100 pieces of pasta. However, these children did not want to eat and instead started to play. One of the children started to place one piece of her pasta into other children’s bowls (to whomever she wants). What is the least amount of transfers needed so that everyone has a different number of pieces of pasta in their bowl?