Problem

Source: 2018 Brazil EGMO TST 4 / Cono Sur TST 1.4

Tags: combinatorics, lines



In the plane, $n$ lines are drawn in general position (that is, there are neither two of them parallel nor three of them passing through the same point). Prove that it is possible to put a positive integer in each region (finite or infinite) determined by these lines so that for each line the sum of the numbers in the regions of a sdemiplane is equal to the sum of the numbers in the regions of the other semiplane. Note: A region is a set of points such that the straight line connecting any two of them it does not intersect any of the lines. For example, a line divides the plane into $2$ infinite regions and three lines into general position divide the plane into $7$ regions, some finite(s) and others infinite.