Problem

Source: Romanian TST 1979 Day 1 P3

Tags: algebra, permutations



Let $M_n$ be the set of permutations $\sigma\in S_n$ for which there exists $\tau\in S_n$ such that the numbers \[\sigma (1)+\tau(1),\, \sigma(2)+\tau(2),\ldots,\sigma(n)+\tau(n),\]are consecutive. Show that \((M_n\neq \emptyset\Leftrightarrow n\text{ is odd})\) and in this case for each $\sigma_1,\sigma_2\in M_n$ the following equality holds: \[\sum_{k=1}^n k\sigma_1(k)=\sum_{k=1}^n k\sigma_2(k).\] Dan Schwarz