Each vertex of a cube is assigned an 1 or a -1, and each face is assigned the product of the numbers assigned to its vertices. Determine the possible values the sum of these 14 numbers can attain.
Problem
Source: Ibero-American Olympiad 1991, Problem 1
Tags: geometry, 3D geometry, combinatorics proposed, combinatorics
e.lopes
03.05.2007 07:15
See the product of the eight numbers in the faces of the cube.
AV-2
20.09.2010 06:02
Suppose that for a given configuration, the sum of the vertexes and faces is a number $n$. If we change the number in a vertex from $a$ to $-a$, the total sum of the vertexes can vary by $\pm 2$ and the total sum of the faces by $\pm 6, 2$. This means that in total, $n$ can vary by $\pm 8, 4, 0$. Note that the new result is congruent modulo 4 to the old one.
Now, since all results must be congruent modulo 4, and if we place ones in all the vertexes we obtain 14, the only attainable numbers are:
$\pm 2, 6, 10, 14$
Doing some casework:
-All ones, 14.
-One minus one, 6.
-Using two minus ones:
*Opposite corners, -2
*In the same edge, 6
*Same face, different edges, 2
-We have checked the only three cases that could give 10, a higher number of minus ones will always result in a number smaller than 10, therefore 10 is not attainable.
-Five minus ones, -6
-Two ones, in opposite corners, -10.
-Finally, all minus ones, -2. This means that -14 is not attainable.
All the possible values are: -10, -6, -2, 2, 6, 14.