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Combinatorics Difficulty 9.0 IMO level Prove it China

Let mm be a positive integer and AA be a finite set. Let A1,A2,,AmA_1, A_2, \dots, A_m be subsets of AA (not necessarily distinct). It is known that for any nonempty set I{1,2,,m}I \subseteq \{1, 2, \dots, m\},
iIAiI+1. \left| \bigcup_{i \in I} A_i \right| \geq |I| + 1.

Prove: the elements of AA can be coloured black or white, such that every of A1,A2,,AmA_1, A_2, \dots, A_m contains both black and white elements.

Solution

We give three solutions as follows.

Solution 1

Construct a bipartite graph GG whose two parts are X={A1,A2,,Am}X = \{A_1, A_2, \dots, A_m\} and Y=AY = A: for 1im1 \le i \le m and aAa \in A, AiXA_i \in X and aYa \in Y are adjacent if and only if aAia \in A_i. Since for each nonempty I{1,2,,m}I \subseteq \{1, 2, \dots, m\}, iIAiI+1|\bigcup_{i \in I} A_i| \ge |I| + 1, it follows that for any kk vertices of XX, the number of vertices of YY that are neighbouring to one or more of them, is at least k+1k+1. According to Hall's theorem, there exists a transversal ff from XX to YY. For 1im1 \le i \le m, let ai=f(Ai)a_i = f(A_i). Clearly, aiAia_i \in A_i, and a1,a2,,ama_1, a_2, \dots, a_m are distinct elements of AA. Colour all the other elements A{a1,,am}A \setminus \{a_1, \dots, a_m\} white, and determine the colours of a1,a2,,ama_1, a_2, \dots, a_m as follows.

Every time, choose an ii such that aia_i is uncoloured and AiA_i has a coloured neighbour, say bb. Colour aia_i the opposite colour to bb. Suppose, during the process, some elements say a1,a2,,aka_1, a_2, \dots, a_k (1km1 \le k \le m) are uncoloured, but we cannot find another ii and colour aia_i. Based on the algorithm, this means that all the neighbours of A1,A2,,AkA_1, A_2, \dots, A_k are in {a1,,ak}\{a_1, \dots, a_k\}, yet it contradicts A1A2Akk+1|A_1 \cup A_2 \cup \dots \cup A_k| \ge k + 1. Hence, this process can continue until all of a1,a2,,ama_1, a_2, \dots, a_m are coloured. Moreover, for 1im1 \le i \le m, when aia_i is coloured, AiA_i is guaranteed to have black and white neighbours, that is, AiA_i contains both black and white elements. This colouring satisfies the problem requirements. \square

Solution 2

We begin with a lemma.

Lemma The finite sets A1,A2,,AmA_1, A_2, \dots, A_m are called "nice", if the union of any kmk \le m (kk is arbitrary) of them contains at least k+1k+1 elements. If A1,A2,,AmA_1, A_2, \dots, A_m are nice, then there exist 2-element sets B1,B2,,BmB_1, B_2, \dots, B_m, such that BiAiB_i \subseteq A_i, i=1,2,,mi = 1, 2, \dots, m, and B1,B2,,BmB_1, B_2, \dots, B_m are nice.

Proof of lemma Assume the lemma is untrue. Let A1,A2,,AmA_1, A_2, \dots, A_m be a counterexample with the smallest mm value and the smallest A1+A2++Am|A_1| + |A_2| + \dots + |A_m| for such mm. There are three situations.

Case 1, if the union of any kmk \le m (kk is arbitrary) sets does not contain exactly k+1k+1 elements. Take k=1k=1, and apparently every set contains 3 or more elements. Choose an arbitrary set and remove any element from it. The sets are still nice (as a counterexample), yet A1+A2++Am|A_1| + |A_2| + \dots + |A_m| is smaller. A contradiction.

Case 2, if the union of some km1k \le m-1 sets contains exactly k+1k+1 elements. Assume A1A2Ak=k+1|A_1 \cup A_2 \cup \dots \cup A_k| = k+1. Since k<mk<m, there exist 2-element sets B1,B2,,BkB_1, B_2, \dots, B_k such that BiAiB_i \subseteq A_i, i=1,2,,ki=1, 2, \dots, k, and B1,B2,,BkB_1, B_2, \dots, B_k are nice.

Let Ci:=Ai(A1A2Ak)C_i := A_i \setminus (A_1 \cup A_2 \cup \dots \cup A_k), i=k+1,,mi = k+1, \dots, m. It is easy to see that, among Ck+1,Ck+2,,CmC_{k+1}, C_{k+2}, \dots, C_m, the union of any dd (1dmk1 \le d \le m-k, dd is arbitrary) sets contains dd or more elements. By Hall's theorem, there exist xiCix_i \in C_i (i=k+1,,mi = k+1, \dots, m), such that xk+1,xk+2,,xmx_{k+1}, x_{k+2}, \dots, x_m are all distinct. We construct Bk+1,Bk+2,,BmB_{k+1}, B_{k+2}, \dots, B_m in the following way: if for some i{k+1,k+2,,m}i \in \{k+1, k+2, \dots, m\}, BiB_i has not been made yet, but AiA_i contains an element yiy_i that belongs to some BB set already constructed, then let Bi={xi,yi}B_i = \{x_i, y_i\}. Clearly, xix_i is a new element in the constructed BB sets, hence these BB sets are still nice. Suppose, after the construction of several BiB_i's, no more set can be constructed in the above way. Then the remaining AA sets do not contain any element in the constructed BiB_i's. Since mm is minimal, we may construct BjB_j's from those AA sets such that they are nice. Furthermore, BjB_j's and BiB_i's are disjoint, when combined, B1,B2,,BmB_1, B_2, \dots, B_m are nice. So, case 2 is not possible.

Case 3, if the union of any kk (1km11 \le k \le m-1, kk is arbitrary) sets contains k+2k+2 or more elements, while the union of all mm sets contains exactly m+1m+1 elements. Observe that any m1m-1 sets have the same union as that of all mm sets. Hence, every element must belong to at least 2 sets. Meanwhile, each set contains at least 3 elements. Choose any set and remove any element from it. The sets are still nice, but they have a smaller A1+A2++Am|A_1| + |A_2| + \dots + |A_m|, contradiction.

This verifies the lemma.

Return to the original problem. According to the lemma, we may find 2-element subsets B1,B2,,BmB_1, B_2, \dots, B_m of A1,A2,,AmA_1, A_2, \dots, A_m, respectively, such that the union of any kk of them has k+1k+1 or more elements. Treat every element of AA as a vertex, and then for every 1im1 \le i \le m, connect the two elements in BiB_i by an edge. Note that this graph has no cycle (otherwise, the edges in a cycle correspond to BB sets the number of which is the same as the number of elements in their union), and thus it is a forest, which is a bipartite graph. Colour all elements in one part black, and all elements in the other part white. This colouring satisfies the problem condition. \square

Solution 3

Use induction on the number of sets mm. When m=1m = 1, A12|A_1| \ge 2, choose two elements of A1A_1 and colour one black and one white. Suppose the conclusion holds for all mn1m \le n-1. Consider m=nm = n.

Case 1. If for any I{1,,n}I \subseteq \{1, \dots, n\}, iIAiI+2|\cup_{i \in I} A_i| \ge |I| + 2. Take aAna \in A_n. By the induction hypothesis, there is a colouring of A1{a},A2{a},,An1{a}A_1 \setminus \{a\}, A_2 \setminus \{a\}, \dots, A_{n-1} \setminus \{a\} for which each Ai{a}A_i \setminus \{a\} contains black and white elements. As An{a}A_n \setminus \{a\} has been coloured, we can colour aa such that AnA_n has elements of both colours.

Case 2. If for some I{1,2,,n}I \ne \{1, 2, \dots, n\}, iIAi=I+1|\cup_{i \in I} A_i| = |I| + 1. Let II be the largest, J={1,2,,n}IJ = \{1, 2, \dots, n\} \setminus I, and B=iIAiB = \cup_{i \in I} A_i, C=jJAjC = \cup_{j \in J} A_j.

Case 2a. If BC=B \cap C = \emptyset, then colour BB and CC separately. By induction, there is a colouring that guarantees each AiA_i contains black and white elements.

Case 2b. If BCB \cap C \ne \emptyset, take bBCb \in B \cap C, and define Aj=Aj(B{b})A'_j = A_j \setminus (B \setminus \{b\}) (jJj \in J). For any TJT \subseteq J, since II is the largest, it follows that
tTAttITAtiIAi(IT+2)(I+1)=T+1. \left| \bigcup_{t \in T} A'_t \right| \ge \left| \bigcup_{t \in I \cup T} A_t \right| - \left| \bigcup_{i \in I} A_i \right| \ge (|I \cup T| + 2) - (|I| + 1) = |T| + 1.
Similarly,
jJAj=i=1AiB{b}n+1I=J+1. \left| \bigcup_{j \in J} A'_j \right| = \left| \bigcup_{i=1} A_i \right| - |B \setminus \{b\}| \ge n + 1 - |I| = |J| + 1.
By induction, we may colour C(B{b})=jJAjC \setminus (B \setminus \{b\}) = \cup_{j \in J} A'_j and B=iIAiB = \cup_{i \in I} A_i such that Aj(jJ)A'_j(j \in J) and Ai(iI)A_i(i \in I) contain elements of both colours. If bb has different colours in the two colourings, then reverse the colouring of BB. Now they are compatible and give a colouring of AA which meets the problem requirements. \square

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