MathDB
Balkan Mathematical Olympiad 2018 p2

Source: BMO 2018

May 9, 2018
algebra

Problem Statement

Let qq be a positive rational number. Two ants are initially at the same point XX in the plane. In the nn-th minute (n=1,2,...)(n = 1,2,...) each of them chooses whether to walk due north, east, south or west and then walks the distance of qnq^n metres. After a whole number of minutes, they are at the same point in the plane (not necessarily XX), but have not taken exactly the same route within that time. Determine all possible values of qq.
Proposed by Jeremy King, UK