Russian Math Olympiad Problems And Solutions Pdf Verified Apr 2026

(From the 1995 Russian Math Olympiad, Grade 9)

(From the 2001 Russian Math Olympiad, Grade 11)

Let $f(x) = x^2 + 4x + 2$. Find all $x$ such that $f(f(x)) = 2$. russian math olympiad problems and solutions pdf verified

Let $x, y, z$ be positive real numbers such that $x + y + z = 1$. Prove that $\frac{x^2}{y} + \frac{y^2}{z} + \frac{z^2}{x} \geq 1$.

Russian Math Olympiad Problems and Solutions (From the 1995 Russian Math Olympiad, Grade 9)

Find all pairs of integers $(x, y)$ such that $x^3 + y^3 = 2007$.

By Cauchy-Schwarz, we have $\left(\frac{x^2}{y} + \frac{y^2}{z} + \frac{z^2}{x}\right)(y + z + x) \geq (x + y + z)^2 = 1$. Since $x + y + z = 1$, we have $\frac{x^2}{y} + \frac{y^2}{z} + \frac{z^2}{x} \geq 1$, as desired. Since $x + y + z = 1$,

We have $f(f(x)) = f(x^2 + 4x + 2) = (x^2 + 4x + 2)^2 + 4(x^2 + 4x + 2) + 2$. Setting this equal to 2, we get $(x^2 + 4x + 2)^2 + 4(x^2 + 4x + 2) = 0$. Factoring, we have $(x^2 + 4x + 2)(x^2 + 4x + 6) = 0$. The quadratic $x^2 + 4x + 6 = 0$ has no real roots, so we must have $x^2 + 4x + 2 = 0$. Applying the quadratic formula, we get $x = -2 \pm \sqrt{2}$.