Prove that every infinite sequence $S$ of distinct positive integers contains either an infinite subsequence such that for every pair of terms, neither term ever divides the other, or an infinite subsequence such that in every pair of terms, one always divides the other.
Problem
Source:
Tags: induction
21.04.2009 15:37
We call two terms $ a_i$ and $ a_j$ friends if $ a_i|a_j$ or $ a_j|a_i$ and enemies otherwise.We call a sequence "good" if any two terms are friends. Assume there is no good infinite sequence. Let $ \displaystyle a_1=a{}_1{}_1, a{}_1{}_2,\dots a{}_1{}_n$ be the longest good sequence containing $ a_1$, where $ 1_1, 1_2, \dots 1_n$ are indices.This means that for any $ \displaystyle i$ distinct from $ \displaystyle \{1_1, 1_2, \dots 1_n\}$, there exists $ j\leq n$ such that $ a_i$ and $ a{}_1{}_j$ are enemies. It's clear that there exists a number $ a{}_1{}_k$ with an infinite number of enemies. Denote $ a{}_1{}_k=b_1.$Therefore there exists an infinite set $ I_1$ of indices such that for any $ i\in I_1$, $ a_i$ and $ b_1$ are enemies. Assume that we have constructed the numbers $ b_1, b_2\dots b_n$ such that any two are enemies and there exists an infinite set $ I_n$ of indices such that for any $ b_i$ and for any $ j\in I_n$, $ b_j$ and $ a_i$ are enemies. Pick a number $ x$ from $ I_n$ such that $ a_x$ is distinct from $ b_i$, for any $ i\leq n$, and let $ a_x=a{}_n{}_1, a{}_n{}_2, \dots a{}_n{}_m$ be the longest good sequence containing $ a_x$, with indices $ a{}_n{}_i\in I_n$, for any $ i\leq m$. Therefore any element $ y$ of $ I_n$, which is not from the set $ \{n_1, n_2\dots n_m\}$, has the property that $ a_y$ is an enemy with some $ a{}_n{}_j$. Since the set $ I_n -\{n_1, n_2\dots n_m\}$ is infinite, there exists an indice $ n_k$ which is an enemy with an infinite number of elements with indices from $ I_n$.. Let $ a{}_n{}_k=b_{n+1}$ and let $ I_{n+1}\subset I_n$ be the set of indices with which $ b_{n+1}$ is an enemy. Therefore we have constructed the number $ b_{n+1}$ which is an enemy with $ b_1, b_2\dots b_n$, and the infinite set of indices $ I_{n+1}$ such that for any $ y\in I_{n+1}$, $ a_y$ is an enemy with any $ b_{i}$, $ \forall$ $ i\leq n+1$. Thus, by induction, we have constructed an infinite subsequence $ \{b_n\}$ of enemies.
29.05.2009 07:48
The problem is just a nice application of Dillworth theorem,which is similar with Romania 2005 TST Day 1 problem 2