Problem

Source: Israel Grosman Memorial Mathematical Olympiad 1995 p3

Tags: combinatorics



Two thieves stole an open chain with $2k$ white beads and $2m$ black beads. They want to share the loot equally, by cutting the chain to pieces in such a way that each one gets $k$ white beads and $m$ black beads. What is the minimal number of cuts that is always sufficient?