1925SpecialistCombinatoricsAlgebraSequences & Series
2009 Shortlist JBMO · 2009
A group of $n>1$ pirates of different ages owned a total of 2009 coins. Initially each pirate (except the youngest one) had one coin more than the next younger.
a) Find all possible values of $n$.
b) Every day a pirate was chosen. The chosen pirate gave a coin to each of the other pirates. If $n=7$, find the largest possible number of coins a pirate can have after several days.