In a directed graph with $2013$ vertices, there is exactly one edge between any two vertices and for every vertex there exists an edge outwards this vertex. We know that whatever the arrangement of the edges, from every vertex we can reach $k$ vertices using at most two edges. Find the maximum value of $k$.
Problem
Source: Turkey JBMO Team Selection Test 2013, P8
Tags: combinatorics proposed, combinatorics
31.05.2013 23:43
I don't understand the quantifiers here. It sounds like it asks for the maximum of $k$ such that (for every directed graph $G$ on 2013 vertices in which every vertex has positive out-degree, for every vertex of $G$ we can reach at least $k$ vertices in at most two steps). But then the problem is basically trivial with answer $k = 2$. So, is something else meant?
01.06.2013 00:08
JBL wrote: I don't understand the quantifiers here. It sounds like it asks for the maximum of $k$ such that (for every directed graph $G$ on 2013 vertices in which every vertex has positive out-degree, for every vertex of $G$ we can reach at least $k$ vertices in at most two steps). But then the problem is basically trivial with answer $k = 2$. So, is something else meant? I think it is true now.
01.06.2013 03:01
I will present a solution to this rephrased statement, which I think correctly represents the problem. In a directed graph with $2013$ vertices, there is exactly one (directed) edge between any two vertices (this is called a tournament). For every vertex its out-degree is positive. From every vertex we can reach (at least) $k$ other vertices using at most two edges. Find the maximum value of $k$. I claim $\max k = 2012$, and I will call a tournament on $n$ vertices suitable if $\max k = n-1$. We can build a suitable tournament on $3$ vertices, say $a,b,c$, by taking as edges $\overrightarrow{ab}, \overrightarrow{bc}, \overrightarrow{ca}$. In general, if tournaments $T_a, T_b, T_c$ are suitable, then we can build a suitable tournament on $|T_a|+|T_b|+|T_c|$ vertices by taking the vertices of $T_a\cup T_b\cup T_c$, the edges from each of them, and all edges $\overrightarrow{ab}, \overrightarrow{bc}, \overrightarrow{ca}$, for all $a\in T_a, b\in T_b, c\in T_c$. Thus, we can build suitable tournaments with $3, 3+3+3=9, 9+3+3=15, 15+3+3=21$, etc., in general with $3+6m$ vertices. Since $2013 = 3 + 335\cdot 6$, we're done. EDIT. In fact, if $T$ is suitable, we can build a suitable tournament on $|T| + 2$ vertices by taking the vertices of $T$ plus two more, say $x$ and $y$, the edge $\overrightarrow{xy}$, the edges from $T$, and all edges $\overrightarrow{tx}, \overrightarrow{yt}$, for all $t\in T$. Thus, we can build suitable tournaments with $3, 3+1+1=5, 5+1+1=7$, etc., in general with odd number of vertices. Since $2013$ is odd, we're done.
01.06.2013 04:13
Using mavropnevma's notation, it is fairly simple to prove that there are no suitable tournaments on $2$ or $4$ vertices, which may lead to the conjecture that there are none for an even number of vertices. So it is somewhat surprising that, for six vertices $v_1v_2v_3v_4v_5v_6$, the tournament consisting of the edges of the form $\overrightarrow{v_iv_{i+1}}$ for all $i$ (indices taken mod 6), $\overrightarrow{v_i v_{i+2}}$ for $i$ odd and $\overrightarrow{v_i v_{i-2}}$ for $i$ even, is suitable. In fact, the three edges of the form $a_{i} a_{i+3}$ are not necessary. Hence, there exists a suitable tournament on $n>1$ vertices for all $n \notin \{2, 4\}.$
12.11.2013 09:33
This is the official English version of the problem: Between any two cities of a country consisting of $2013$ cities one-way flights are organized so that there is at least one departure from each city. Determine the maximal possible value of $k$ such that no matter how these flights are arranged there are $k$ cities reachable from any city of a country by using of at most two flights.