Let $n>3$ be an integer. Integers $a_1, \dots, a_n$ are given so that $a_k\in \{k, -k\}$ for all $1\leq k\leq n$. Prove that there is a sequence of indices $1\leq k_1, k_2, \dots, k_n\leq n$, not necessarily distinct, for which the sums \[a_{k_1}\]\[a_{k_1}+a_{k_2}\]\[a_{k_1}+a_{k_2}+a_{k_3}\]\[\vdots\]\[a_{k_1}+a_{k_2}+\cdots+a_{k_n}\]have distinct residues modulo $2n+1$, and so that the last one is divisible by $2n+1$.
Problem
Source: 2023 Israel TST Test 7 P2
Tags: TST, combinatorics, modular arithmetic, abstract algebra
PhilippineMonkey
18.10.2023 12:09
bump this...
starchan
18.10.2023 14:35
problem good very, me likey much
Let $m = 2n+1$ and make a directed graph $G$ on $\mathbb{Z}/m\mathbb{Z}$ where $u \mapsto v$ if and only if there exists some $a_j$ congruent to $(v-u) \bmod m$. Note that every vertex in $G$ has outdegree exactly $n$ now, so there are $n(2n+1) = {m \choose 2}$ edges.
Claim: $G$ is a tournament.
Proof: Observe that if $k \in \mathbb{Z}/m\mathbb{Z}$ is present among the $a_i$, then $-k$ cannot be. As a result, if $u \mapsto v$ then we cannot possibly have $v \mapsto u$. So there is at most one edge between any pair of vertices in either direction. Since there are exactly ${m \choose 2}$ edges, $G$ is a tournament.
Claim: $G$ has a cycle containing exactly $n$ vertices.
Proof: Since $G$ is a tournament, by the infamous Twitch Lemma it suffices to show that $G$ has a cycle with at least $n$ vertices. Let \[v_1 \mapsto v_2 \mapsto \dots \mapsto v_{\ell}\]denote the longest path in $G$. Note that since the path cannot be extended any further, all $n$ edges coming out of $v_{\ell}$ lead to some vertex among $v_1, v_2, \dots, v_{\ell-1}$. Consider the edge pointing to the $v_i$ with $i$ minimum. Then $i \leq \ell-n$ and thus the cycle \[v_{i} \mapsto v_{i+1} \mapsto \dots \mapsto v_{\ell} \mapsto v_{i}\]has $\ell-i+1 \geq n+1$ vertices, proving the claim.
Suppose the vertices of the $n$-cycle are $v_1, v_2, \dots, v_n$. For $1 \leq i \leq n$ let $k_i$ denote the index such that $a_{k_i} \equiv v_{i+1}-v_i \pmod m$ where the indices are read modulo $n$. It is now easy to see that these $k_i$ fit the requirements of the condition, since the partial sums above are, in that order \[v_2-v_1, v_3-v_1, \dots, v_{n}-v_1, v_1-v_1\](that is, they all are distinct modulo $m$ and the last sum is divisible by $m$)
This concludes the solution. $\square$