MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD 2023

Mathematics Association IIT Bombay

Code
Maximum Marks: 60
Time: 2 Hours
A
Please read the following instructions carefully before attempting the question paper.

• Do not open this booklet until instructed by the invigilators.

• Questions must be answered on Candidate Response Sheet (CRS) by darkening
the appropriate bubbles (marked a, b, c, d or 0 − 9) using blue/black ball pen.
• Write your registration number, your name, and the Question Paper code (A, B,
C or D) in the space provided on the CRS.
• The question paper consists of two sections: Section 1 and Section 2.
• For Section 1:
– There are 15 Objective Questions each of which has exactly one correct
answer.
– Each correct answer will be awarded +2 marks and each incorrect answer will
be awarded −1 mark.
– Darken exactly one bubble for each question using black/blue ball pen.
• For Section 2:
– There are 15 Numerical Answer Type Questions of which the answer is
an integer between 000 and 999 (both inclusive).
– Each correct answer will be awarded +2 marks and there will be no negative
marking.
– Darken three bubbles for each digit for each question using black/blue ball
pen, e.g., 9 should be bubbled as 009, 10 should be bubbled as 010, 831 should
be bubbled as 831.
• In case of ties, the following order will be followed to rank the candidates:
1. Higher number of correct asterisk(∗) questions.
2. Lower number of wrong answers in Section 1.
3. Higher score in Section 2.
• This question paper contains 10 printed pages. Please check all pages and report
if there is any discrepancy.
• You won’t be allowed to leave the examination hall during the exam.

Name:
Roll Number: Invigilator’s signature
 Notation
• N = the set of all natural numbers = {1, 2, 3, . . .}.

• Z = the set of all integers = {0, −1, 1, −2, 2, . . .}.

• R = the set of all real numbers.

• x ∈ A means “x is an element of the set A” or “x belongs to the set A”.

√
• For a complex number z = a + ib where a, b ∈ R and i = −1, Re(z) = a = real
part of z and Im(z) = b = imaginary part of z.

• For a, b ∈ R,

(i) [a, b] = {x ∈ R | a ≤ x ≤ b}.

(ii) [a, b) = {x ∈ R | a ≤ x < b}.
(iii) (a, b] = {x ∈ R | a < x ≤ b}.
(iv) (a, b) = {x ∈ R | a < x < b}.

• The base−b representation of a number n is the unique representation ak ak−1 · · · a1 a0

where each digit ai is in between 0 and b − 1 (both inclusive), and

n = a0 b0 + a1 b1 + · · · + ak−1 bk−1 + ak bk .

In particular, the base−2 (binary) representation of a number uses only the digits
0 and 1. For instance, the binary representation of the decimal number 29 is 11101
because
29 = 1 · 20 + 0 · 21 + 1 · 22 + 1 · 23 + 1 · 24 .

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 Section 1
1. Assume that the quadratic equations

ax2 + bx + c = 0

and
dx2 + ex + f = 0
have exactly one solution α in common, then α = .
af − cd bf − ce
(a) (b)
bd − ae bd − ae
af − cd
(c) (d) None of the above
bf − ce
2. Let r > 0 be a fixed real number. Let a, b ∈ R be such that b < 0 and the roots of
the polynomial p(x) = x3 + ax + b lie on the unique circle with center z0 and radius
r in the complex plane. Then the set of all possible values of Re(z0 ) is .
(a) (−r, r) (b) (−r/3, r/3) (c) (−r, r/3) (d) (−r/3, r)

3. Let a0 , a1 , . . . , a13 be such that

1 − x + x2 − x3 + · · · + x12 − x13 = a0 + a1 · y + · · · + a13 · y 13

where y = x + 1. Then a2 = .
(a) −1001 (b) −364 (c) 364 (d) 1001

4. Consider a circle with center O. Let P T be the tangent to the circle at T and R be
the point diametrically opposite to T . See Figure 1.

Figure 1

If P T = 72 cm, P A = 54 cm and T Q = 54 cm, then the radius of the circle is

cm.
(a) 27 (b) 28 (c) 29 (d) 30

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5. On one flip of a coin if you get heads you win 1 Rupee, else you lose 3 Rupees. After
exactly 42023 flips, which of the following is possible?
(a) You win 2023 Rupees. (b) You win 2024 Rupees.
(c) You lose 2022 Rupees. (d) You lose 42023 + 2 Rupees.

6. Consider four concentric circles p, q, r, s with center O, as shown in Figure 2. Assume

that tangents to the circles r, q, p form chords of length 5 cm, 7 cm, 5 cm on the
circles s, s, r respectively. Then the length of the chord of circle q tangent to circle p
is .

Figure 2

√ √
(a) 1 cm (b) 2 cm (c) 3 cm (d) 2 5 − 7 cm

7. Consider the following statements.

4 1 1 1
I. For each integer n > 1 there exist x, y, z ∈ Z such that = + + .
n x y z
II. There is an odd integer n > 1 for which there do not exist x, y, z ∈ Z such that
4 1 1 1
= + + .
n x y z
III. There are infinitely many integers n > 1 for which there exist x, y, z ∈ N such
4 1 1 1
that = + + .
n x y z
Then
(a) Only statement I is correct
(b) Only statement II is correct
(c) Only statements I and III are correct
(d) Only statements II and III are correct

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 8. In the Cartesian plane, what is the length of the shortest path from (0, 0) to (8, 6)
75
that does not go inside the circle (x − 4)2 + (y − 3)2 = ?
4
5 √ √ 5 5π 5π
(a) + 2 3π (b) 5 + 2 3π (c) + √ (d) 5 + √
2 2 3 3
9. Consider the following statements.

I. Any continuous function f : (0, 1) → R can be extended to a continuous function

f˜ : R → R such that f˜(x) = f (x) for all x ∈ (0, 1).
II. Any continuous function f : [0, 1] → R can be extended to a continuous function
f˜ : R → R such that f˜(x) = f (x) for all x ∈ [0, 1].
III. For any continuous function f : [0, 1] → [0, 1], there exists an x ∈ [0, 1] such
that f (x) = x.
IV. For any continuous function f : (0, 1) → (0, 1), there exists an x ∈ (0, 1) such
that f (x) = x.

Which of the following is true?

(a) Only statements II and III are correct
(b) Only statements I and IV are correct
(c) Only statements I, II and III are correct
(d) All four statements are correct

10. Let C1 and C2 be circles whose centers are 12 cm apart, and whose radii are 2 cm
and 4 cm respectively. Let x cm2 be the area of the region formed by all points M
for which there exist points X on C1 and Y on C2 such that M is the midpoint of the
line segment XY . Then the largest integer which is less than or equal to x is .
(a) 25 (b) 26 (c) 27 (d) 28

11. Let f (x) = x4 + 21x3 + 56x2 + 84x + 7. Consider the following statements.

S : f (x) can be expressed as a product of two polynomials p(x) and q(x) with integer
coefficients such that deg (p(x)) = 2 and deg (q(x)) = 2.
T : f (x) can be expressed as a product of two polynomials p(x) and q(x) with integer
coefficients such that deg (p(x)) = 1 and deg (q(x)) = 3.

(a) Both S and T are true (b) S is true, but T is false

(c) T is true, but S is false (d) Both S and T are false

12. A polynomial P with real coefficients is called good if it satisfies

P (x2 + 1) = P (x)2 + 1 for all x ∈ R.

For which of the following numbers n does there exist a good polynomial with P (1) =
n?
(a) 677 (b) 578 (c) 626 (d) 512

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13. An octagon is inscribed inside a circle with center O. All the angles except ∠A and
∠B are given in Figure 3. Then ∠B − ∠A is

Figure 3

(a) 0◦ (b) 5◦ (c) 10◦ (d) 15◦

14. Mahavir plays a game on the number line. He starts at zero. At each second, he
either stays where he is, or jumps some distance left or right. The distance he can
jump at second s is 3s units (he does not have to jump every second, but when he
does, he jumps exactly 3s units left or right). His time starts at s = 0. His goal is to
reach the point 2023. He has devised a path to do the same in the minimum amount
of time. How many times will he jump left on this path?
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4
(n times)
z }| {
2 + 22 + . . . + 22 . . . 2
15. The value of lim is .
n→∞ 10n
2 20
(a) (b)
81 81
2
(c) (d) None of the above
9

Section 2
1. Three people, Adityendra, Deep, Omkar, can finish a job in x, y, z days respectively,
where x, y, z are positive integers. It is known that even if they work together, they
can’t finish the job in one day or less. Suppose the minimum number of days required
p
for them to complete the job together is , where gcd(p, q) = 1. Then find the value
q
of p + q.

2. Let r be the number of real solutions and l be the largest real solution of the equation
|x2 − 9| + |x − 4| + |x + 16| − 27 = 0. Then find l + r.

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3. Let a1 , a2 , . . . , a100 ∈ [0, 2) be real numbers such that
100
X
(ai + a3i ) = 100.
i=1

Find the minimum possible value of

100
X 1
.
i=1
2 − ai

4. The product of two of the four roots of the following equation

x4 − 6x3 + kx2 + 30x − 63 = 0

is −21. Find k 2 .

5. Assume that x, y ∈ R satisfy the following system of equations given by

x2 + y 2
2x − 3y = ,
5
8p 2
3x + 2y = x + y 2 + 4.
3
If x2 + y 2 ≤ 21, determine x + y.

6. What is the maximum number of regions in which three dimensional space can be
divided by four planes?

7. Consider a regular tetrahedron such that the length of the altitude from a vertex to
the opposite face is 240 cm. We construct the in-sphere, that is the sphere tangent
to all four faces of the tetrahedron internally. Then we construct a sphere tangent
to the in-sphere and three faces of the tetrahedron internally, see Figure 4. Find the
radius of this smaller sphere.

Figure 4

8. Let m1 be the largest 4 digit number such that 2157m1 + 8834n1 = 1 for some integer
n1 , and let m2 be the largest 4 digit number such that 2157n2 + 8834m2 = 1 for some
integer n2 . Then find the last three digits of m2 − m1 .

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 9. Find the sum of the numbers in the 12th row in Figure 5.

1
2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9 10
− − − − − − − − −
− − − − − − − − − − −

Figure 5

10. When some standard six-sided dice are rolled, the probability of obtaining a sum of
2023 is greater than zero and is same as the probability of obtaining a sum of S.
What is the smallest possible value of S?
11. Recall that the chess knight moves in an ‘L’ shape, that is, it can move two squares
in any direction vertically followed by one square horizontally, or two squares in any
direction horizontally followed by one square vertically. The chess knights are placed
as in Figure 6 and we want to swap the positions of the black and white knights using
only legal moves. Any knight of any colour can be moved in a turn, and two knights
cannot occupy the same square. Knights cannot move out of the grid. What is the
minimum number of moves needed?
Hint: Think about the connections between squares that knights can move between.

Figure 6

12. We can write

2023
X 1 a
=
k=1
k b
where a, b are coprime positive integers. Let m be the number of trailing zeroes of b
when it is written in binary, and let n be the number of trailing zeroes of b when it
is written in decimal. Find the value of m + n.
(Trailing zeroes of a number are the zeroes that appear at the end when it is written
out, e.g., 10100 has 2 trailing zeroes and 230500060 has one trailing zero.)
∗
13. It is given that 32023 is a 966 digit number with 1 being the leftmost digit in its
decimal representation. Find the number of positive integers n ≤ 2023 such that 9 is
the leftmost digit in the decimal representation of 3n .

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 ∗
14. Madhur starts with a list of 24 numbers with the first entry being 100, last entry
being 200 and all other entries being zero. Then he performs a sequence of moves
with each move consisting of picking two distinct integers i, j such that 1 ≤ i, j ≤ 24
and adding i to the j th entry and subtracting j from the ith entry. The absolute value
of a list of numbers is defined as the square root of sum of squares of numbers in the
list. Find the minimum possible absolute value of the list that Madhur can reach.
∗
15. Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral which is also a trapezoid such that AB and
CD are parallel. Let AE be the angle bisector of ∠CAD intersecting CD at E and
let M be the midpoint of DC. Suppose that D − E − M − C is the position of
points on the line
psegment DC as shown in Figure 7 and AB > 2EM . If CD =
√ √ √
2 3 cm, BM = 5 + 2 3 cm, EM = 2 − 3 cm and r is the radius of the ! circle,
√
3−1
then r2 + (AB)2 + (CD)2 = cm2 . You may use tan(15◦ ) = √ .
3+1

Figure 7

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Space for rough work

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