Let $A_1, A_2, ... , A_k$ be the subsets of $\left\{1,2,3,...,n\right\}$ such that for all $1\leq i,j\leq k$:$A_i\cap A_j \neq \varnothing$. Prove that there are $n$ distinct positive integers $x_1,x_2,...,x_n$ such that for each $1\leq j\leq k$: $$lcm_{i \in A_j}\left\{x_i\right\}>lcm_{i \notin A_j}\left\{x_i\right\}$$Proposed by Morteza Saghafian, Mahyar Sefidgaran
Problem
Source: Iranian TST 2018, first exam day 1, problem 1
Tags: Iranian TST, combinatorics, number theory, Combinatorial Number Theory
08.04.2018 21:09
Pick $k$ distinct primes $p_1, \dotsc, p_k$. Let $x_i$ be the product of all $p_j$ where $i\in A_j$. By assumption, for any $j, m$, some element of $A_j$ is also in $A_m$, so \[\mathrm{lcm}_{i\in A_j}\{x_i\}=p_1\dotsm p_k\]because every prime is represented at least once. On the other hand, $A_j^{c}$ has no element in common with $A_j$, so \[\mathrm{lcm}_{i\not\in A_j}\{x_i\}\leq \frac{p_1\dotsm p_k}{p_j}.\]Hence this works.
22.04.2018 11:57
Let's induct on $k$. The case $k=1$ is trivial; consider the induction step. Suppose we've chosen $x_i$'s so that the LCM condition holds for $A_1,\cdots ,A_k$. Add a new subset $A_{k+1}$. Choose a huge prime $p$. Define new numbers $x'_i$s a as follows: $x'_i=px_i$ if $i\in A_{k+1},$ and $x'_i=x_i$ otherwise. We claim that these work. For $A_i$ with $1\le i\le k$, the LHS of the LCM inequality is now $p$ times as before (since $A_i$ necessarily has some element common with $A_{k+1}$), and the RHS is either unchanged or $p$ times as before, so we're good. It remains to ensure $\operatorname{lcm}_{i\in A_{k+1}}\{x'_i\}>\operatorname{lcm}_{i\not\in A_{k+1}}\{x'_i\}$ i.e. $ p\operatorname{lcm}_{i\in A_{k+1}}\{x_i\}>\operatorname{lcm}_{i\not\in A_{k+1}}\{x_i\}$, but that can be fixed by taking a large enough $p$, so we're done. $\blacksquare$
29.12.2019 20:28
A bit easy for Iran: just induct on $k$ and for $A_{k+1}$ just multiply all elements in $\{x_i\in A_{k+1}\}$ by a sufficiently large prime.
05.06.2020 15:54
a1267ab wrote: Pick $k$ distinct primes $p_1, \dotsc, p_k$. Let $x_i$ be the product of all $p_j$ where $i\in A_j$. By assumption, for any $j, m$, some element of $A_j$ is also in $A_m$, so \[\mathrm{lcm}_{i\in A_j}\{x_i\}=p_1\dotsm p_k\]because every prime is represented at least once. On the other hand, $A_j^{c}$ has no element in common with $A_j$, so \[\mathrm{lcm}_{i\not\in A_j}\{x_i\}\leq \frac{p_1\dotsm p_k}{p_j}.\]Hence this works. One of the most elegant solutions I have ever seen Where did you get the motivation for this solution please tell me