Problem

Source: Cono Sur 2003 #5

Tags: combinatorics, cono sur



Let $n=3k+1$, where $k$ is a positive integer. A triangular arrangement of side $n$ is formed using circles with the same radius, as is shown in the figure for $n=7$. Determine, for each $k$, the largest number of circles that can be colored red in such a way that there are no two mutually tangent circles that are both colored red.


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