Olympiad problems

2001 IMO, 4

Let $n$ be an odd integer greater than 1 and let $c_1, c_2, \ldots, c_n$ be integers. For each permutation $a = (a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_n)$ of $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$, define $S(a) = \sum_{i=1}^n c_i a_i$. Prove that there exist permutations $a \neq b$ of $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$ such that $n!$ is a divisor of $S(a)-S(b)$.

2001 IMO Shortlist, 2

Tags: global , factorial , combinatorics , modular arithmetic

Let $n$ be an odd integer greater than 1 and let $c_1, c_2, \ldots, c_n$ be integers. For each permutation $a = (a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_n)$ of $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$, define $S(a) = \sum_{i=1}^n c_i a_i$. Prove that there exist permutations $a \neq b$ of $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$ such that $n!$ is a divisor of $S(a)-S(b)$.

2014 Contests, 2

Tags: global , combinatorics , pigeonhole principle

Let $n \ge 2$ be an integer. Consider an $n \times n$ chessboard consisting of $n^2$ unit squares. A configuration of $n$ rooks on this board is [i]peaceful[/i] if every row and every column contains exactly one rook. Find the greatest positive integer $k$ such that, for each peaceful configuration of $n$ rooks, there is a $k \times k$ square which does not contain a rook on any of its $k^2$ unit squares.

2023 USEMO, 5

Tags: global , combinatorics

Let $n \ge 2$ be an integer. A cube of size $n \times n \times n$ is dissected into $n^3$ unit cubes. A nonzero real number is written at the center of each unit cube so that the sum of the $n^2$ numbers in each slab of size $1 \times n \times n$, $n \times 1 \times n$, or $n \times n \times 1$ equals zero. (There are a total of $3n$ such slabs, forming three groups of $n$ slabs each such that slabs in the same group are parallel and slabs in different groups are perpendicular.) Could it happen that some plane in three-dimensional space separates the positive and the negative written numbers? (The plane should not pass through any of the numbers.) [i]Nikolai Beluhov[/i]

2014 IMO, 2

Tags: global , pigeonhole principle , combinatorics

Let $n \ge 2$ be an integer. Consider an $n \times n$ chessboard consisting of $n^2$ unit squares. A configuration of $n$ rooks on this board is [i]peaceful[/i] if every row and every column contains exactly one rook. Find the greatest positive integer $k$ such that, for each peaceful configuration of $n$ rooks, there is a $k \times k$ square which does not contain a rook on any of its $k^2$ unit squares.

2014 IMO Shortlist, C3

Tags: combinatorics , pigeonhole principle , global

Let $n \ge 2$ be an integer. Consider an $n \times n$ chessboard consisting of $n^2$ unit squares. A configuration of $n$ rooks on this board is [i]peaceful[/i] if every row and every column contains exactly one rook. Find the greatest positive integer $k$ such that, for each peaceful configuration of $n$ rooks, there is a $k \times k$ square which does not contain a rook on any of its $k^2$ unit squares.

1996 All-Russian Olympiad, 4

Tags: probability , expected value , probabilistic method , double counting , global , combinatorics

In the Duma there are 1600 delegates, who have formed 16000 committees of 80 persons each. Prove that one can find two committees having no fewer than four common members. [i]A. Skopenkov[/i]

2006 Canada National Olympiad, 4

Tags: search , graph theory , global , combinatorics

Consider a round-robin tournament with $2n+1$ teams, where each team plays each other team exactly one. We say that three teams $X,Y$ and $Z$, form a [i]cycle triplet [/i] if $X$ beats $Y$, $Y$ beats $Z$ and $Z$ beats $X$. There are no ties. a)Determine the minimum number of cycle triplets possible. b)Determine the maximum number of cycle triplets possible.