Problem

Source: 2019 Austrian Federal Competition For Advanced Students, Part 2 p3

Tags: combinatorics



In Oddland there are stamps with values of $1$ cent, $3$ cents, $5$ cents, etc., each for odd number there is exactly one stamp type. Oddland Post dictates: For two different values on a letter must be the number of stamps of the lower one value must be at least as large as the number of tokens of the higher value. In Squareland, on the other hand, there are stamps with values of $1$ cent, $4$ cents, $9$ cents, etc. there is exactly one stamp type for each square number. Brands can be found in Squareland can be combined as required without further regulations. Prove for every positive integer $n$: there are the same number in the two countries possibilities to send a letter with stamps worth a total of $n$ cents. It makes no difference if you have the same stamps on arrange a letter differently. (Stephan Wagner)