For $n\geq 2$ , an equilateral triangle is divided into $n^2$ congruent smaller equilateral triangles. Detemine all ways in which real numbers can be assigned to the $\frac{(n+1)(n+2)}{2}$ vertices so that three such numbers sum to zero whenever the three vertices form a triangle with edges parallel to the sides of the big triangle.
Problem
Source: Baltic Way 2015
Tags: combinatorics, combinatorial geometry
06.01.2016 08:33
Try $n=2$. You will easily see the pattern of the numbers given to each vertex. When $n=3$, you can divide the entire triangle into three triangles whose length of the side is 2. Apply the pattern we found into the case. Easy to see that every vertex should be given 0. $n\ge4$, divide the triangle into small triangles whose length of the side is 3.
07.07.2019 17:14
Vexation wrote: Try $n=2$. You will easily see the pattern of the numbers given to each vertex. When $n=3$, you can divide the entire triangle into three triangles whose length of the side is 2. Apply the pattern we found into the case. Easy to see that every vertex should be given 0. $n\ge4$, divide the triangle into small triangles whose length of the side is 3. I think it works when $n=3$. $$0$$$$-1,+1$$$$+1,0,-1$$$$0,-1,+1,0$$
14.08.2021 00:23
We firstly consider $n=2$. [asy][asy] size(2cm);defaultpen(fontsize(12pt));pen org=magenta;pen med=mediummagenta;pen light=pink;pen deep=deepmagenta;pen dark=darkmagenta;pen heavy=heavymagenta; for(int a=0; a< 2+1; ++a) {for(int b=0; b< 2-a+1; ++b) {dot((a+b/2,b*0.86602540378));}} label("$a$",(0,0),N);label("$b$",(1,0),N); label("$c$",(2,0),N);label("$d$",(0.5,0.86602540378),N);label("$e$",(1.5,0.86602540378),N);label("$f$",(1,2*0.86602540378),N); [/asy][/asy] [asy][asy] size(2cm);defaultpen(fontsize(12pt));pen org=magenta;pen med=mediummagenta;pen light=pink;pen deep=deepmagenta;pen dark=darkmagenta;pen heavy=heavymagenta; for(int a=0; a< 2+1; ++a) {for(int b=0; b< 2-a+1; ++b) {dot((a+b/2,b*0.86602540378));}} label("$a$",(0,0),N);label("$b$",(1,0),N); label("$c$",(2,0),N);label("$c$",(0.5,0.86602540378),N);label("$a$",(1.5,0.86602540378),N);label("$b$",(1,2*0.86602540378),N); [/asy][/asy] Note that we have $5$ different suitable triangles, hence we must have $$\begin{cases} a+b+c=0\\ d+e+f=0\\ a+b+d=0\\ b+c+e=0\\ d+e+f=0.\\ \end{cases}$$Solving this, we obtain that $a=d,b=e,c=f$ with condition $a+b+c=0$. Now consider $n=3$. Due to $n=2$ case, we have all three vertices of big triangle the same, hence they are zeros. Easy to examine that we get the following triangle, [asy][asy] size(4cm);defaultpen(fontsize(12pt));pen org=magenta;pen med=mediummagenta;pen light=pink;pen deep=deepmagenta;pen dark=darkmagenta;pen heavy=heavymagenta; for(int a=0; a< 3+1; ++a) {for(int b=0; b< 3-a+1; ++b) {dot((a+b/2,b*0.86602540378));}} label("$0$",(0,0),N);label("$x$",(1,0),N); label("$-x$",(2,0),N);label("$0$",(3,0),N);label("$-x$",(0.5,0.86602540378),N);label("$0$",(1.5,0.86602540378),N);label("$x$",(2.5,0.86602540378),N); label("$x$",(1,2*0.86602540378),N);label("$-x$",(2,2*0.86602540378),N);label("$0$",(1.5,3*0.86602540378),N); [/asy][/asy] For $n=4$, note that we have three $n=3$ triangles in it, hence this overlapping essentially implies that all vertices must own $0$. For $n\geq 5$, we use one less overlapping triangles, hence here also all vertices own $0$.