IMTC

In 2020, I co-founded a math competition called IMTC. I continued to co-direct it until 2025. We reached over 2500 participants worldwide. I acquired sponsorships (20k+ per competition), came up with some of our problems, and helped maintain our website and write internal tools.

Selected problems

Problem 1

Given that the distinct real numbers r1r_1, r2r_2, and r3r_3 are roots of the equation

12r1x3+72r2x2+432r3x=0,12\,r_1 x^3 + 72\,r_2 x^2 + 432\,r_3 x = 0,

what is the value of r12+r22+r32r_1^2 + r_2^2 + r_3^2?

Proposed by Govind Velamoor

Show solution

Let f(x)=12r1x3+72r2x2+432r3xf(x) = 12\,r_1 x^3 + 72\,r_2 x^2 + 432\,r_3 x. Clearly f(0)=0f(0) = 0, so one of r1,r2,r3r_1, r_2, r_3 is equal to zero. If r1=0r_1 = 0, ff is quadratic and cannot have three distinct roots. If r3=0r_3 = 0, then x2x^2 divides f(x)f(x) and ff must have a root 00 with multiplicity two — forbidden by the distinctness condition. Thus r2=0r_2 = 0.

Now f(x)=12x(r1x2+36r3)f(x) = 12x(r_1 x^2 + 36\,r_3). The factor of xx gives the root 00, so r1,r3r_1, r_3 must be roots of r1x2+36r3=0r_1 x^2 + 36\,r_3 = 0. By Vieta's r1+r3=0r_1 + r_3 = 0, so let r3=r1r_3 = -r_1. Substituting gives r1(x236)=0r_1(x^2 - 36) = 0, and plugging x=r1x = r_1 yields r1=±6r_1 = \pm 6, so r3=6r_3 = \mp 6.

The answer is 02+(±6)2+(6)2=720^2 + (\pm 6)^2 + (\mp 6)^2 = \boxed{72}.

Problem 2

Define a sequence of rational numbers a0,a1,a2,a_0, a_1, a_2, \dots so that ak+1=11aka_{k+1} = \left| 1 - \tfrac{1}{a_k} \right|. Find the number of possible values of a0a_0 so that a12=0a_{12} = 0.

Proposed by Govind Velamoor, Tanishq Pauskar

Show solution

We work backwards. For any ana_n, either

an=11an1oran=11an1.a_n = 1 - \tfrac{1}{a_{n-1}} \quad \text{or} \quad -a_n = 1 - \tfrac{1}{a_{n-1}}.

Case 1: an>1a_n > 1. The first equation gives a negative an1a_{n-1}, which is impossible for n11n-1 \geq 1 since every later term is an absolute value. The second gives a positive result less than 11.

Case 2: an<1a_n < 1. The first equation gives a positive solution greater than 11, the second a positive solution less than 11.

Case 3: an=1a_n = 1. Always an1=12a_{n-1} = \tfrac{1}{2}. And it is impossible for any ana_n other than a11a_{11} to equal 11, because that would force an+1=0a_{n+1} = 0 too early.

So for 2n112 \leq n \leq 11: if an>1a_n > 1 there is exactly one valid an1a_{n-1} (with an1<1a_{n-1} < 1); if 0<an<10 < a_n < 1 there are two, one satisfying an1>1a_{n-1} > 1 and one satisfying 0<an1<10 < a_{n-1} < 1.

We know a12=0a_{12} = 0, so a11=1a_{11} = 1 and a10=12a_{10} = \tfrac{1}{2}. Let gng_n and lnl_n be the number of valid ana_n greater than and less than 11 respectively, for 1n111 \leq n \leq 11. Then gn1=lng_{n-1} = l_n and ln1=ln+gnl_{n-1} = l_n + g_n, so ln1=ln+ln+1l_{n-1} = l_n + l_{n+1} — the Fibonacci recurrence in reverse.

With l11=0l_{11} = 0 and l10=1l_{10} = 1, we get l1=55l_1 = 55 (10th Fibonacci) and g1=34g_1 = 34 (9th Fibonacci). So a1a_1 has 55+34=8955 + 34 = 89 total solutions. Recalling that a0a_0 can be positive or negative, we double: 892=17889 \cdot 2 = \boxed{178}.

Problem 3

Let ABCABC be an isosceles triangle with AB=BC=70AB = BC = 70. Circles ω1\omega_1 and ω2\omega_2 are externally tangent at point TT, and are tangent to ABAB and BCBC at AA and CC respectively. The center of ω1\omega_1 is equidistant from BB and CC. The median from CC to ABAB intersects ω2\omega_2 at ECE \neq C. Given that AT=52AT = 52, find ECEC.

Proposed by Govind Velamoor

Show solution

Let MM be the midpoint of ABAB. Since tangents BABA and BCBC have equal length, the power of BB with respect to ω1\omega_1 and ω2\omega_2 is equal, so BB lies on the radical axis of ω1,ω2\omega_1, \omega_2. Call the center of ω1\omega_1 the point JJ.

Let ω3\omega_3 be the degenerate circle of radius 00 centered at BB, and let rr be the radius of ω1\omega_1. Since BB lies on the radical axis of ω1,ω2\omega_1, \omega_2, we have BJ2r2=CB2BJ^2 - r^2 = CB^2. But BJ=CJBJ = CJ, so CJ2r2=CB2CJ^2 - r^2 = CB^2. The power of CC w.r.t. ω3\omega_3 is CB2CB^2, and w.r.t. ω1\omega_1 is CJ2r2CJ^2 - r^2. These being equal, CC lies on the radical axis of ω1,ω3\omega_1, \omega_3. Since MM is the midpoint of ABAB its powers w.r.t. ω1\omega_1 and ω3\omega_3 also match, so CMCM is the radical axis of ω1,ω3\omega_1, \omega_3.

Construct TBTB and let it meet MCMC at RR. Since TBTB is the radical axis of ω1,ω2\omega_1, \omega_2, RR is the radical center of ω1,ω2,ω3\omega_1, \omega_2, \omega_3. So BR=RTBR = RT, making MRMR a midsegment of BAT\triangle BAT with MR=AT2=26MR = \tfrac{AT}{2} = 26.

Let the altitude from BB to ATAT meet MRMR at FF and ATAT at GG. Since ABT\triangle ABT is isosceles (equal tangents AB,TBAB, TB),

BF=BG2=12AB2(AT2)2=466.BF = \tfrac{BG}{2} = \tfrac{1}{2}\sqrt{AB^2 - \left(\tfrac{AT}{2}\right)^2} = 4\sqrt{66}.

Then FC=BC2BF2=62FC = \sqrt{BC^2 - BF^2} = 62, FR=MR2=13FR = \tfrac{MR}{2} = 13, and so RC=49RC = 49. Power of a point at RR w.r.t. ω2\omega_2 gives RT2=RERCRT^2 = RE \cdot RC, i.e. RE=35249=25RE = \tfrac{35^2}{49} = 25. Finally,

EC=RCRE=24.EC = RC - RE = \boxed{24}.
Diagram for IMTC Problem 3