Sunaina thinks absurd

 Theory  We know what Fermat's little theorem states. If $p$ is a prime number, then for any integer $a$, the number $a^p − a$ is an integer multiple of $p$. In the notation of modular arithmetic, this is expressed as \[a^{p}\equiv a{\pmod {p}}.\] So, essentially, for every $(a,m)=1$, ${a}^{\phi (m)}\equiv 1 \pmod {m}$. But $\phi (m)$ isn't necessarily the smallest exponent. For example, we know $4^{12}\equiv 1\mod 13$ but so is $4^6$. So, we care about the "smallest" exponent $d$ such that $a^d\equiv 1\mod m$ given $(a,m)=1$.  Orders Given a prime $p$, the order of an integer $a$ modulo $p$, $p\nmid a$, is the smallest positive integer $d$, such that $a^d \equiv 1 \pmod p$. This is denoted $\text{ord}_p(a) = d$. If $p$ is a primes and $p\nmid a$, let $d$ be order of $a$ mod $p$. Then $a^n\equiv 1\pmod p\implies d|n$. Let $n=pd+r, r\ll d$. Which implies $a^r\equiv 1\pmod p.$ But $d$ is the smallest natural number. So $r=0$. So $d|n$. Show that $n$ divid...

Yeah, I did some problems and here are a few of them! I hope you guys try them! Putnam, 2018 B3 Find all positive integers $n < 10^{100}$ for which simultaneously $n$ divides $2^n$, $n-1$ divides $2^n - 1$, and $n-2$ divides $2^n - 2$. Proof We have $$n|2^n\implies n=2^a\implies 2^a-1|2^n-1\implies a|n\implies a=2^b$$ $$\implies 2^{2^b}-2|2^{2^a}-2\implies 2^b-1|2^a-1\implies b|a\implies b=2^c.$$ Then simply bounding. USAMO 1987 Determine all solutions in non-zero integers $a$ and $b$ of the equation $$(a^2+b)(a+b^2) = (a-b)^3.$$ Proof We get $$ 2b^2+(a^2-3a)b+(a+3a^2)=0\implies b = \frac{3a-a^2\pm\sqrt{a^4-6a^3-15a^2-8a}}{4}$$ $$\implies a^4-6a^3-15a^2-8a=a(a-8)(a+1)^2\text{ a perfect square}$$ $$\implies a(a-8)=k^2\implies a^2-8a-k^2=0\implies \implies a=\frac{8\pm\sqrt{64+4k^2}}{2}=4\pm\sqrt{16+k^2}. $$ $$ 16+k^2=m^2\implies (m-k)(m+k)=16.$$ Now just bash. USAMO 1988 Suppose that the set $\{1,2,\cdots, 1998\}$ has been partitioned into disjoint pairs $\{a_i,b_i\}$ ($1...

Welcome back! I tried the previous year INMO problems. And yes, I did a lot of them, here are a few! Here are the problems! ( they are kept in random order) [2008 P2]:  Find all triples $ \left(p,x,y\right)$ such that $ p^x=y^4+4$, where $ p$ is a prime and $ x$ and $ y$ are natural numbers. [some INMO]: Find all $m,n\in\mathbb N$ and primes $p\geq 5$ satisfying $$m(4m^2+m+12)=3(p^n-1).$$ [2015 P3]  Find all real functions $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ such that $f(x^2+yf(x))=xf(x+y)$. [2005 P6]:  Find all functions $f : \mathbb{R} \longrightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that\[ f(x^2 + yf(z)) = xf(x) + zf(y) , \]for all $x, y, z \in \mathbb{R}$. [2012 P6] Let $f : \mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z}$ be a function satisfying $f(0) \ne 0$, $f(1) = 0$ and $(i) f(xy) + f(x)f(y) = f(x) + f(y)$ $(ii)\left(f(x-y) - f(0)\right ) f(x)f(y) = 0 $ for all $x,y \in \mathbb{Z}$, simultaneously. $(a)$ Find the set of all possible values of the function $f$. $(b)$ If $f(10) \ne 0$ and $f(2) = 0$, find ...

Welcome back to this blog!  My blog completed it's 1-year :D i.e 29 Nov. I am so happy that this blog grew so much and it didn't die! It also crossed 10k views! Thanks a lot! Enjoy the problems. It's more of a miscellaneous problem set with the level being INMO or less. So here are $20$ INMO level problems. Problems:  Problem 1: [IMO 2009/P1]  Let $ n$ be a positive integer and let $ a_1,a_2,a_3,\ldots,a_k$ $ ( k\ge 2)$ be distinct integers in the set $ { 1,2,\ldots,n}$ such that $ n$ divides $ a_i(a_{i + 1} - 1)$ for $ i = 1,2,\ldots,k - 1$. Prove that $ n$ does not divide $ a_k(a_1 - 1).$ Problem 2[ USEMO 2021 P4]:  Let $ABC$ be a triangle with circumcircle $\omega$, and let $X$ be the reflection of $A$ in $B$. Line $CX$ meets $\omega$ again at $D$. Lines $BD$ and $AC$ meet at $E$, and lines $AD$ and $BC$ meet at $F$. Let $M$ and $N$ denote the midpoints of $AB$ and $ AC$. Can line $EF$ share a point with the circumcircle of triangle $AMN?$ Problem 3 [ 2006 n5]: P...