A finite collection of positive real numbers (not necessarily distinct) is balanced if each number is less than the sum of the others. Find all $m \ge 3$ such that every balanced finite collection of $m$ numbers can be split into three parts with the property that the sum of the numbers in each part is less than the sum of the numbers in the two other parts.
Problem
Source: Baltic Way 2018, Problem 1
Tags:
Tintarn
04.11.2021 12:41
We claim that all $m \ne 4$ works. Clearly, for $m=4$ we have the counterexample $(1,1,1,1)$.
Now suppose that we are given a balanced collection of $m\ne 4$ integers. W.l.o.g. suppose that the sum of all elements is $2$.
Thus, we are given that all numbers in the collection are less than $1$ and we need to find a partition into three subcollections, all with sum less than $1$.
To start with, let $A$ be one among the subcollections with sum less than $1$ of maximal sum $1-\delta$.
By maximality, all other numbers in the collection are at least $\delta$.
If one of them is $>\delta$, we win since we can choose $B=\{\delta\}$ and $C$ the rest.
So we may suppose that all other numbers are equal to $\delta$. In particular, $\delta=\frac{1}{n}$ for some $n$ and we have at least $n+1$ numbers $\delta$.
Repeating this argument with a collection of $n-1$ numbers $\delta$ in place of $A$, we find that indeed all elements in our collection are equal to $\delta$ whence $m=2n$ and $n \ge 3$.
But then we may just choose our three sets to be $n-1$ times, $n-1$ times and $2$ times $\delta$ and win.
Enthurelx
05.11.2022 20:19
Clearly, $m=4$ doesn't work at all.
Now, assign numbers from $\textit{
balanced}$ with $a_i$ such that $a_{i-1} \leq a_i.$
Now we've got 2 cases:
If elememts' number is $2n+1$ then $
(a_{2n+1}),(a_{2n},\cdots,a_2),(a_{2n-1},\cdots,a_1)$ partition works.
If element's number is $2n$ and if $(a_{2n}),(a_{2n-1},\cdots,a_1),(a_{2n-2},\cdots,a_2)$ works then we are done. But if it doesn't that means $a_{2n}+a_{2n-2}+\cdots+a_2=a_{2n-1}+a_{2n-3}+\cdots+a_1$
Which gives $a_{2n}=a_{2n-1}$
$$a_{2n-2}=a_{2n-3}$$$$\vdots$$$$a_2=a_1$$
So for $n>2$ $a_{2n}+a_1< a_{2n-1}+\cdots+a_2$.
So, $(a_{2n},a_1),(a_{2n-1},\cdots,a_3),(a_{2n-2},\cdots,a_2)$ works.