Problem

Source: Peru EGMO TST 2019 p3

Tags: Sum, Difference, inequalities, combinatorics, algebra



For a finite set $A$ of integers, define $s(A)$ as the number of values obtained by adding any two elements of $A$, not necessarily different. Analogously, define $r (A)$ as the number of values obtained by subtracting any two elements of $A$, not necessarily different. For example, if $A = \{3,1,-1\}$ $\bullet$ The values obtained by adding any two elements of $A$ are $\{6,4,2,0,-2\}$ and so $s (A) = 5$. $\bullet$ The values obtained by subtracting any two elements of $A$ are $\{4,2,0,-2,-4\}$ and as $r (A) = 5$. Prove that for each positive integer $n$ there is a finite set $A$ of integers such that $r (A) \ge n s (A)$.