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Problems Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Chessboards and chess pieces

What is the minimum number of squares that need to be marked on a chessboard, so that:

1) There are no horizontally, vertically, or diagonally adjacent marked squares.

2) Adding any single new marked square breaks rule 1.

Problems Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Chessboards and chess pieces Set theory and logic Theory of algotithms Theory of algorithms (other)

10–13 2.0

Initially, on each cell of a \(1 \times n\) board a checker is placed. The first move allows you to move any checker onto an adjacent cell (one of the two, if the checker is not on the edge), so that a column of two pieces is formed. Then one can move each column in any direction by as many cells as there are checkers in it (within the board); if the column is on a non-empty cell, it is placed on a column standing there and unites with it. Prove that in \(n - 1\) moves you can collect all of the checkers on one square.

Problem #PRU-102844

Problems Combinatorics Painting problems Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (other) Proof by contradiction Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Tables and tournaments (other)

12–14 3.0

The cells of a \(15 \times 15\) square table are painted red, blue and green. Prove that there are two lines which at least have the same number of cells of one colour.

Problem #PRU-103815

Problems Combinatorics Dissections, partitions, covers and tilings Dissections with certain properties Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Tables and tournaments (other)

11–11 2.0

Cut the board shown in the figure into four congruent parts so that each of them contains three shaded cells. Where the shaded cells are placed in each part need not be the same.

Problem #PRU-105052

Problems Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (other) Proof by contradiction Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Tables and tournaments (other)

11–13 3.0

In a chess tournament, each participant played two games with each of the other participants: one with white pieces, the other with black. At the end of the tournament, it turned out that all of the participants scored the same number of points (1 point for a victory, \(\frac{1}{2}\) a point for a draw and 0 points for a loss). Prove that there are two participants who have won the same number of games using white pieces.

Problem #PRU-105208

Problems Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Number tables and its properties Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (finite number of poits, lines etc.)

12–14 4.0

A teacher filled the squares of a chequered table with \(5\times5\) different integers and gave one copy of it to Janine and one to Zahara. Janine selects the largest number in the table, then she deletes the row and column containing this number, and then she selects the largest number of the remaining integers, then she deletes the row and column containing this number, etc. Zahara performs similar operations, each time choosing the smallest numbers. Can the teacher fill up the table in such a way that the sum of the five numbers chosen by Zahara is greater than the sum of the five numbers chosen by Janine?

Problem #PRU-107802

Problems Methods Examples and counterexamples. Constructive proofs Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Number tables and its properties Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (other)

12–14 4.0

Eight schoolchildren solved \(8\) tasks. It turned out that \(5\) schoolchildren solved each problem. Prove that there are two schoolchildren, who solved every problem at least once.
If each problem is solved by \(4\) pupils, prove that it is not necessary to have two schoolchildren who would solve each problem.

Problem #PRU-107821

Problems Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Chessboards and chess pieces Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (finite number of poits, lines etc.)

12–14 3.0

Some squares on a chess board contain a chess piece. It is known that each row contains at least one chess piece, but that different rows all have different numbers of pieces. Prove that it is always possible to mark 8 pieces so that each row and each column of the board contains exactly one marked piece.

Problem #PRU-109527

Problems Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (other) Proof by contradiction Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Tables and tournaments (other)

11–13 3.0

What is the largest number of counters that can be put on the cells of a chessboard so that on each horizontal, vertical and diagonal (not only on the main ones) there is an even number of counters?

Problem #PRU-109766

Problems Algebra and arithmetic Word problems Tables and tournaments Number tables and its properties Methods Pigeonhole principle Pigeonhole principle (other)

12–14 4.0

Is it possible to arrange natural numbers from 1 to \(2002^2\) in the cells of a \(2002\times2002\) table so that for each cell of this table one could choose a triplet of numbers, from a row or column, where one of the numbers is equal to the product of the other two?