INSTITUT DES HAUTES ´
ETUDES
POUR LE D´
EVELOPPEMENT DE LA CULTURE, DE LA SCIENCE ET DE LA TECHNOLOGIE EN BULGARIE
http://www.iheb.org
Concours G´en´eral de Math´ematiques
“Minko Balkanski”
May 4th 2008
All the answers must be given in English or in French. The clarity and precision will be taken into
account for the final grade.Time limit : 4 hours.
Exercise 1 Let f:R→R+and g:R+→Rbe two functions, where Rdenotes the set of real
numbers and R+denotes the subset of strictly positive numbers.
Suppose that for all x∈Rand y∈R+:
(i) f(x+g(y)) = f(x)·y
(ii) g(y·f(x)) = g(y) + x
1.a) Show that for all x, x0∈Rwith x6=x0we have f(x)6=f(x0), and that for all y, y0∈R+with
y6=y0, we have g(y)6=g(y0).
1.b) Show that for all x∈Rand y∈R+we have g(f(x)) = xand f(g(y)) = y.
1.c) Show that for all y∈R+, there exists x∈Rsuch that y=f(x), and that for all x∈R, there
exists y∈R+such that x=g(y).
1.d) Show that for all x, x0∈Rwe have f(x+x0) = f(x)·f(x0) and that for all y, y0∈R+we have
g(y·y0) = g(y) + g(y0). Give an example of such non-constant functions fand g.
Exercise 2 Let ABC be a triangle and let Ibe the center of its inscribed circle. Let Pand Qbe
the points where the inscribed circle meets AB and AC, respectively. The lines BI and CI meet the
line P Q at points Kand L, respectively.
2.a) Show that the circumscribed circle of the triangle ILK is tangent to the inscribed circle of the
triangle ABC if, and only if, sin ∠BAC
2= sin ∠CBA
2·sin ∠ACB
2.
2.b) Deduce that the circumscribed circle of the triangle ILK is tangent to the inscribed circle of
the triangle ABC if, and only if, AB +AC = 3 ·BC.
Exercise 3 Let P(x) be a polynomial with integer coefficients and let mbe a positive integer. We
define the sequence of polynomials Pn(x) by P1(x) = P(x) and Pn(x) = Pn−1(P(x)) for n≥2.
3.a) Show that if a≡b(mod m), then P(a)≡P(b) (mod m).
3.b) Deduce that if P(a)≡a(mod m), then for all n,Pn(a)≡a(mod m).
Suppose now that for every strictly positive integer a,P(a)> a and that for every integer m > 1, there
exists at least one term of the sequence P(1), P2(1), P3(1), . . . which is divisible by m.
3.c) Show that P(1) = 2. (Indication : consider the difference P(1) −1)
3.d) Show by induction that for every strictly positive integer a,P(a) = a+ 1.
Suppose now that for every integer a,P(a) is non zero, and that for every integer m > 1, there exists
at least one term of the sequence P(1), P2(1), P3(1), . . . which is divisible by m.
3.e) Show that every integer mdivides infinitely many terms of the above sequence. Deduce that
the terms of the sequence are all distinct.
3.f) Show that P(1) = 2, then show that P(2) = 3.
(Indication : consider P(1) −1,P(P(1)) −P(1) and P(P(1)) −1)
3.g) Show that for all integers a≥1, P(a) = a+1. Deduce that for all real numbers x,P(x) = x+1.
Turn the page