Problem

Source: Indian IMOTC 2013, Team Selection Test 1, Problem 1

Tags: counting, derangement, function, combinatorics proposed, combinatorics, permutations, Permutation cycles



Let $n \ge 2$ be an integer. There are $n$ beads numbered $1, 2, \ldots, n$. Two necklaces made out of some of these beads are considered the same if we can get one by rotating the other (with no flipping allowed). For example, with $n \ge 5$, the necklace with four beads $1, 5, 3, 2$ in the clockwise order is same as the one with $5, 3, 2, 1$ in the clockwise order, but is different from the one with $1, 2, 3, 5$ in the clockwise order. We denote by $D_0(n)$ (respectively $D_1(n)$) the number of ways in which we can use all the beads to make an even number (resp. an odd number) of necklaces each of length at least $3$. Prove that $n - 1$ divides $D_1(n) - D_0(n)$.