A real number is written next to each vertex of a regular pentagon. All five numbers are different. A triple of vertices is called successful if they form an isosceles triangle for which the number written on the top vertex is either larger than both numbers written on the base vertices, or smaller than both. Find the maximum possible number of successful triples.
Problem
Source: 2023 Israel TST Test 1 P1
Tags: TST, combinatorics, pentagon
24.03.2023 22:02
Let be $A_0,A_1,A_2,A_3,A_4$ the vertices of the regular pentagon, in this order. For each $k\in\{0,1,2,3,4\}$, there are exactly $2$ isosceles triangles with the top vertex $A_k:\; A_kA_{k-1}A_{k+1}$ and $ A_kA_{k-2}A_{k+2}$ (we consider the indexes modulo $5$). Denote $a_k$ the number associated to the vertex $A_k$. WLOG, we can consider $\{a_0,a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4\}=\{1,2,3,4,5\}$. The isosceles triangles with the top vertex with the associated number $1$ are both successful ($1$ is the smallest number). The isosceles triangles with the top vertex with the associated number $5$ are both successful ($5$ is the greatest number). Exactly one of the isosceles triangles with the top vertex with the associated number $2$ is successful ($1$ is smaller than $2$, the other $3$ numbers are greater). Exactly one of the isosceles triangles with the top vertex with the associated number $4$ is successful ($5$ is greater than $4$, the other $3$ numbers are smaller). The isosceles triangles with the top vertex with the associated number $3$ can be both successful (the triangles with the numbers $312$, respectively $345$). Hence, the maximum possible number of successful triples is $2+2+1+1+2=8$. A configuration with this property is $(a_0,a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4)=(3,2,5,4,1)$.