Problems

Is it possible to cut this figure, called "camel"

• a) along the grid lines;

• b) not necessarily along the grid lines;

into \(3\) parts, which you can use to build a square?
(We give you several copies to facilitate drawing)

The triangle \(ABC\) is equilateral. The point \(K\) is chosen on the side \(AB\) and points \(L\) and \(M\) are on the side \(BC\) in such a way that \(L\) lies on the segment \(BM\). We have the following properties: \(KL = KM,\) \(BL = 2,\, AK = 3.\) Find the length of \(CM\).

Find the representation of \((a+b)^n\) as the sum of \(X_{n,k}a^kb^{n-k}\) for general \(n\). Here by \(X_{n,k}\) we denote coefficients that depend only on \(k\) and \(n\).

The positive real numbers \(a, b, c, x, y\) satisfy the following system of equations: \[\left\{ \begin{aligned} x^2 + xy + y^2 = a^2\\ y^2 + yz + z^2 = b^2\\ x^2 + xz + z^2 = c^2 \end{aligned} \right.\]

Find the value of \(xy + yz + xz\) in terms of \(a, b,\) and \(c.\)

This is a famous problem, called Monty Hall problem after a popular TV show in America.
In the problem, you are on a game show, being asked to choose between three doors. Behind each door, there is either a car or a goat. You choose a door. The host, Monty Hall, picks one of the other doors, which he knows has a goat behind it, and opens it, showing you the goat. (You know, by the rules of the game, that Monty will always reveal a goat.) Monty then asks whether you would like to switch your choice of door to the other remaining door. Assuming you prefer having a car more than having a goat, do you choose to switch or not to switch?

Find a representation as a product of \(a^{2n+1} + b^{2n+1}\) for general \(a,b,n\).

Find all the prime numbers \(p\) such that there exist natural numbers \(x\) and \(y\) for which \(p^x = y^3 + 1\).

Find all natural numbers \(n\) for which there exist integers \(a,b,c\) such that \(a+b+c = 0\) and the number \(a^n + b^n + c^n\) is prime.

The dragon locked six dwarves in the cave and said, "I have seven caps of the seven colors of the rainbow. Tomorrow morning I will blindfold you and put a cap on each of you, and hide one cap. Then I’ll take off the blindfolds, and you can see the caps on the heads of others, but not your own and I won’t let you talk any more. After that, everyone will secretly tell me the color of the hidden cap. If at least three of you guess right, I’ll let you all go. If less than three guess correctly, I’ll eat you all for lunch." How can dwarves agree in advance to act in order to be saved?

Nick has written in some order all the numbers \(1,2,...33\) at the vertices of a regular \(33\)-gon. His little sister Hannah assigned to each side of the \(33\)-gon the number equal to the sum of the numbers at the ends of that side. It turns out that Hannah obtained \(33\) consecutive numbers in certain order. Can you find an arrangement of numbers as written by Nick which lead to this situation?