Let $n$ be a positive integer. Define a chameleon to be any sequence of $3n$ letters, with exactly $n$ occurrences of each of the letters $a, b,$ and $c$. Define a swap to be the transposition of two adjacent letters in a chameleon. Prove that for any chameleon $X$ , there exists a chameleon $Y$ such that $X$ cannot be changed to $Y$ using fewer than $3n^2/2$ swaps.

Let $O$ be the circumcenter of an acute triangle $ABC$. Line $OA$ intersects the altitudes of $ABC$ through $B$ and $C$ at $P$ and $Q$, respectively. The altitudes meet at $H$. Prove that the circumcenter of triangle $PQH$ lies on a median of triangle $ABC$.

A function $f:\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ has the following property: $$\text{For every } x,y \in \mathbb{R} \text{ such that }(f(x)+y)(f(y)+x) > 0, \text{ we have } f(x)+y = f(y)+x.$$Prove that $f(x)+y \leq f(y)+x$ whenever $x>y$.

Let $ p \geq 2$ be a prime number. Eduardo and Fernando play the following game making moves alternately: in each move, the current player chooses an index $i$ in the set $\{0,1,2,\ldots, p-1 \}$ that was not chosen before by either of the two players and then chooses an element $a_i$ from the set $\{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9\}$. Eduardo has the first move. The game ends after all the indices have been chosen .Then the following number is computed: $$M=a_0+a_110+a_210^2+\cdots+a_{p-1}10^{p-1}= \sum_{i=0}^{p-1}a_i.10^i$$. The goal of Eduardo is to make $M$ divisible by $p$, and the goal of Fernando is to prevent this. Prove that Eduardo has a winning strategy. Proposed by Amine Natik, Morocco

An integer $n \geq 3$ is given. We call an $n$-tuple of real numbers $(x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n)$ Shiny if for each permutation $y_1, y_2, \dots, y_n$ of these numbers, we have $$\sum \limits_{i=1}^{n-1} y_i y_{i+1} = y_1y_2 + y_2y_3 + y_3y_4 + \cdots + y_{n-1}y_n \geq -1.$$Find the largest constant $K = K(n)$ such that $$\sum \limits_{1 \leq i < j \leq n} x_i x_j \geq K$$holds for every Shiny $n$-tuple $(x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n)$.

For any finite sets $X$ and $Y$ of positive integers, denote by $f_X(k)$ the $k^{\text{th}}$ smallest positive integer not in $X$, and let $$X*Y=X\cup \{ f_X(y):y\in Y\}.$$Let $A$ be a set of $a>0$ positive integers and let $B$ be a set of $b>0$ positive integers. Prove that if $A*B=B*A$, then $$\underbrace{A*(A*\cdots (A*(A*A))\cdots )}_{\text{ A appears $b$ times}}=\underbrace{B*(B*\cdots (B*(B*B))\cdots )}_{\text{ B appears $a$ times}}.$$ Proposed by Alex Zhai, United States

Let $I{}$ be the incircle of the triangle $ABC$. Let $A_1, B_1$ and $C_1$ be the midpoints of the sides $BC, CA$ and $AB$ respectively. The point $X{}$ is symmetric to $I{}$ with respect to $A_1$. The line $\ell$ parallel to $BC$ and passing through $X{}$ intersects the lines $A_1B_1$ and $A_1C_1$ at $M{}$ and $N{}$ respectively. Prove that one of the excenters of the triangle $ABC$ lies on the $A_1$-excircle of the triangle $A_1MN$.

Let $\mathcal{F}$ be a finite family of subsets of some set $X{}$. It is known that for any two elements $x,y\in X$ there exists a permutation $\pi$ of the set $X$ such that $\pi(x)=y$, and for any $A\in\mathcal{F}$ \[\pi(A):=\{\pi(a):a\in A\}\in\mathcal{F}.\]A bear and crocodile play a game. At a move, a player paints one or more elements of the set $X$ in his own color: brown for the bear, green for the crocodile. The first player to fully paint one of the sets in $\mathcal{F}$ in his own color loses. If this does not happen and all the elements of $X$ have been painted, it is a draw. The bear goes first. Prove that he doesn't have a winning strategy.

Find all pairs $(p,q)$ of prime numbers which $p>q$ and $$\frac{(p+q)^{p+q}(p-q)^{p-q}-1}{(p+q)^{p-q}(p-q)^{p+q}-1}$$is an integer.

Let $k>1$ be the given natural number and $p\in \mathbb{P}$ such that $n=kp+1$ is composite number. Given that $n\mid 2^{n-1}-1.$ Prove that $n<2^k.$

Inside the acute-angled triangle $ABC$, the points $P{}$ and $Q{}$ are chosen so that $\angle ACP = \angle BCQ$ and $\angle CBP =\angle ABQ$. The point $Z{}$ is the projection of $P{}$ onto the line $BC$. The point $Q'$ is symmetric to $Q{}$ with respect to $Z{}$. The points $K{}$ and $L{}$ are chosen on the rays $AB$ and $AC$ respectively, so that $Q'K \parallel QC$ and $Q'L \parallel QB$. Prove that $\angle KPL=\angle BPC$.

Let $a < b$ be positive integers. Prove that there is a positive integer $n{}$ and a polynomial of the form \[\pm1\pm x\pm x^2\pm\cdots\pm x^n,\]divisible by the polynomial $1+x^a+x^b$.

Find all positive $r{}$ satisfying the following condition: For any $d > 0$, there exist two circles of radius $r{}$ in the plane that do not contain lattice points strictly inside them and such that the distance between their centers is $d{}$.

A sequence of real numbers $a_1,a_2,\ldots$ satisfies the relation $$a_n=-\max_{i+j=n}(a_i+a_j)\qquad\text{for all}\quad n>2017.$$Prove that the sequence is bounded, i.e., there is a constant $M$ such that $|a_n|\leq M$ for all positive integers $n$.

Let $p$ be an odd prime number and $\mathbb{Z}_{>0}$ be the set of positive integers. Suppose that a function $f:\mathbb{Z}_{>0}\times\mathbb{Z}_{>0}\to\{0,1\}$ satisfies the following properties: $f(1,1)=0$. $f(a,b)+f(b,a)=1$ for any pair of relatively prime positive integers $(a,b)$ not both equal to 1; $f(a+b,b)=f(a,b)$ for any pair of relatively prime positive integers $(a,b)$. Prove that $$\sum_{n=1}^{p-1}f(n^2,p) \geqslant \sqrt{2p}-2.$$

There are 2018 points marked on a sphere. A zebra wants to paint each point white or black and, perhaps, connect some pairs of points of different colors with a segment. Find the residue modulo 5 of the number of ways to do this.

In triangle $ABC$, let $\omega$ be the excircle opposite to $A$. Let $D, E$ and $F$ be the points where $\omega$ is tangent to $BC, CA$, and $AB$, respectively. The circle $AEF$ intersects line $BC$ at $P$ and $Q$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AD$. Prove that the circle $MPQ$ is tangent to $\omega$.

Let $a,b,c>0.$ Prove that $\frac{1}{a+b}+\frac{1}{b+c}+\frac{1}{c+a} \ge \frac{1}{\sqrt{2a^2+2bc}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2b^2+2ca}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2c^2+2ab}}$

Let $f(x) = x^2 + 2018x + 1$. Let $f_1(x)=f(x)$ and $f_k(x)=f(f_{k-1}(x))$ for all $k\geqslant 2$. Prove that for any positive integer $n{}$, the equation $f_n(x)=0$ has at least two distinct real roots.

Let $k$ be a given even positive integer. Sarah first picks a positive integer $N$ greater than $1$ and proceeds to alter it as follows: every minute, she chooses a prime divisor $p$ of the current value of $N$, and multiplies the current $N$ by $p^k -p^{-1}$ to produce the next value of $N$. Prove that there are infinitely many even positive integers $k$ such that, no matter what choices Sarah makes, her number $N$ will at some point be divisible by $2018$.

Let $x,y,z \in\mathbb{Q}$,such that $(x+y+z)^3=9(x^2y+y^2z+z^2x).$ Prove that $x=y=z$

There are $2^n$ airports, numbered with binary strings of length $n{}$. Any two stations whose numbers differ in exactly one digit are connected by a flight that has a price (which is the same in both directions). The sum of the prices of all $n{}$ flights leaving any station does not exceed 1. Prove that one can travel between any two airports by paying no more than 1.

A spider built a web on the unit circle. The web is a planar graph with straight edges inside the circle, bounded by the circumference of the circle. Each vertex of the graph lying on the circle belongs to a unique edge, which goes perpendicularly inward to the circle. For each vertex of the graph inside the circle, the sum of the unit outgoing vectors along the edges of the graph is zero. Prove that the total length of the web is equal to the number of its vertices on the circle.

Let $ABC$ be an isosceles triangle with $AB = AC$. Let P be a point in the interior of $ABC$ such that $PB > PC$ and $\angle PBA = \angle PCB$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of the side $BC$. Let $O$ be the circumcenter of the triangle $APM$. Prove that $\angle OAC=2 \angle BPM$ .

The sequence $\left(a_{n}\right)_{n\in\mathbb{N}}$ is defined recursively as $a_{0}=a_{1}=1$, $a_{n+2}=5a_{n+1}-a_{n}-1$, $\forall n\in\mathbb{N}$ Prove that $$a_{n}\mid a_{n+1}^{2}+a_{n+1}+1$$for any $n\in\mathbb{N}$

Let $a_1,\ldots,a_{n+1}$ be positive real numbers satisfying $1/(a_1+1)+\cdots+1/(a_{n+1}+1)=n$. Prove that \[\sum_{i=1}^{n+1}\prod_{j\neq i}\sqrt[n]{a_j}\leqslant\frac{n+1}{n}.\]

Functions $f,g:\mathbb{Z}\to\mathbb{Z}$ satisfy $$f(g(x)+y)=g(f(y)+x)$$for any integers $x,y$. If $f$ is bounded, prove that $g$ is periodic.

The point $K{}$ is the middle of the arc $BAC$ of the circumcircle of the triangle $ABC$. The point $I{}$ is the center of its inscribed circle $\omega$. The line $KI$ intersects the circumcircle of the triangle $ABC$ at $T{}$ for the second time. Prove that the circle passing through the midpoints of the segments $BC, BT$ and $CT$ is tangent to the circle which is symmetric to $\omega$ with respect to $BC$.

Kirill has $n{}$ identical footballs and two infinite rows of baskets, each numbered with consecutive natural numbers. In one row the baskets are red, in the other they are blue. Kirill puts all the balls into baskets so that the number of balls in the either row of baskets does not increase. Denote by $A{}$ the number of ways to arrange the balls so that the first blue basket contains more balls than any red one, and by $B{}$ the number of arrangements so that the number of some blue basket corresponds with the number of balls in it. Prove that $A = B$.

The natural numbers $a > b$ are such that $a-b=5b^2-4a^2$. Prove that the number $8b + 1$ is composite.

There are 300 children in a camp. Everyone has no more than $k-1$ friends. What is the smallest $k{}$ for which it might be impossible to create some new friendships so that everyone has exactly $k{}$ friends?

Let $n$ be an odd positive integer, and consider an infinite square grid. Prove that it is impossible to fill in one of $1,2$ or $3$ in every cell, which simultaneously satisfies the following conditions: (1) Any two cells which share a common side does not have the same number filled in them. (2) For any $1\times 3$ or $3\times 1$ subgrid, the numbers filled does not contain $1,2,3$ in that order be it reading from top to bottom, bottom to top, or left to right, or right to left. (3) The sum of numbers of any $n\times n$ subgrid is the same.

Determine whether or not two polynomials $P, Q$ with degree no less than 2018 and with integer coefficients exist such that $$P(Q(x))=3Q(P(x))+1$$for all real numbers $x$.

Alice and Bob play a game. First, Alice secretly picks a finite set $S$ of lattice points in the Cartesian plane. Then, for every line $\ell$ in the plane which is horizontal, vertical, or has slope $+1$ or $-1$, she tells Bob the number of points of $S$ that lie on $\ell$. Bob wins if he can determine the set $S$. Prove that if Alice picks $S$ to be of the form \[S = \{(x, y) \in \mathbb{Z}^2 \mid m \le x^2 + y^2 \le n\}\]for some positive integers $m$ and $n$, then Bob can win. (Bob does not know in advance that $S$ is of this form.) Proposed by Mark Sellke

Let $a,b,c{}$ be positive real numbers. Prove that \[108\cdot(ab+bc+ca)\leqslant(\sqrt{a+b}+\sqrt{b+c}+\sqrt{c+a})^4.\]

Mojtaba and Hooman are playing a game. Initially Mojtaba draws $2018$ vectors with zero sum. Then in each turn, starting with Mojtaba, the player takes a vector and puts it on the plane. After the first move, the players must put their vector next to the previous vector (the beginning of the vector must lie on the end of the previous vector). At last, there will be a closed polygon. If this polygon is not self-intersecting, Mojtaba wins. Otherwise Hooman. Who has the winning strategy? Proposed by Mahyar Sefidgaran, Jafar Namdar

The natural numbers $k \geqslant n$ are given. Peter has $n{}$ objects and $N{}$ special ways in which he likes to lay them out in a row from left to right. He noticed that for any non-empty subset $A{}$ of these objects containing $|A| \leqslant k$ objects, and any element $a\in A$, there are exactly $N/|A|$ special ways for which element $a{}$ is the leftmost in the set $A{}$. Prove that, under the same conditions on $A{}$ and $a{}$, for any integer $m =1,2,\ldots,|A|$ there are exactly $N/|A|$ special ways for which the element $a{}$ is the $m^{\text{th}}$ from the left in the set $A{}$.