NMC 1998

Determine all functions $f$ defined in the set of rational numbers and taking their values in the same set such that the equation $f(x+y)+f(x-y)=2 f(x)+2 f(y)$ holds for all rational numbers $x$ and $y$.

Let $C_{1}$ and $C_{2}$ be two circles intersecting at $A$ and $B$. Let $S$ and $T$ be the centres of $C_{1}$ and $C_{2}$, respectively. Let $P$ be a point on the segment $A B$ such that $|A P| \neq|B P|$ and $P \neq A, P \neq B$. We draw a line perpendicular to $S P$ through $P$ and denote by $C$ and $D$ the points at which this line intersects $C_{1}$. We likewise draw a line perpendicular to TP through $P$ and denote by $E$ and $F$ the points at which this line intersects $C_{2}$. Show that $C, D, E$, and $F$ are the vertices of a rectangle.

(a) For which positive numbers $n$ does there exist a sequence $x_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots, x_{n}$, which contains each of the numbers 1, 2, ..., $n$ exactly once and for which $x_{1}+x_{2}+\cdots+x_{k}$ is divisible by $k$ for each $k=1,2, \ldots, n$ ?

(b) Does there exist an infinite sequence $x_{1}, x_{2}, x_{3}, \ldots$, which contains every positive integer exactly once and such that $x_{1}+x_{2}+\cdots+x_{k}$ is divisible by $k$ for every positive integer $k$ ?

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Count the number of numbers $k \in\{0,1,2, \ldots, n\}$ such that $\binom{n}{k}$ is odd. Show that this number is a power of two, i.e. of the form $2^{p}$ for some nonnegative integer $p$.