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Algebra Difficulty 9.0 Shortlist Prove it China

Let C={zCz=1}C = \{z \in \mathbb{C} \mid |z| = 1\} be the unit circle in the complex plane. 240 complex numbers z1,z2,,z240Cz_1, z_2, \dots, z_{240} \in C (can be repeated) satisfy the following conditions:
(1) for any open arc Γ\Gamma of length π\pi on CC, there are at most 200 jj's (1j240)(1 \le j \le 240) such that zjΓz_j \in \Gamma;
(2) for any open arc γ\gamma of length π3\frac{\pi}{3} on CC, there are at most 120 jj's (1j240)(1 \le j \le 240) such that zjγz_j \in \gamma.

Find the maximum of z1+z2++z240|z_1 + z_2 + \dots + z_{240}|.

Solution

The maximum is 80+40380 + 40\sqrt{3}. Take 80 of 1's, 40 of each of exp(π6i)\exp(\frac{\pi}{6}i), exp(π6i)\exp(-\frac{\pi}{6}i), ii, i-i. It is straightforward to check that they satisfy (1), (2), and their sum equals 80+40380 + 40\sqrt{3}. We need to show this is the maximum value.

Let z1,z2,,z240z_1, z_2, \dots, z_{240} satisfy (1), (2). By rotation if necessary, we may assume that S=z1+z2++z240S = z_1 + z_2 + \dots + z_{240} is a nonnegative real number; starting from 1-1 (included) along CC, in the counterclockwise order, let the numbers be z1,z2,,z240z_1, z_2, \dots, z_{240}.

Condition (1) indicates that for 1j401 \le j \le 40, to go from zjz_j to zj+200z_{j+200} along CC, at least an arc of length π\pi is needed, that is to say, there exists 2παπ2\pi \ge \alpha \ge \pi such that zj+200=zjexp(αi)z_{j+200} = z_j \cdot \exp(\alpha i). Let zj=(1)exp(βi)z_j = (-1) \cdot \exp(\beta i), β[0,2π)\beta \in [0, 2\pi). From argzj+200\arg z_{j+200} we see β+α<2π\beta + \alpha < 2\pi, and thus
Re(zj+zj+200)=cosβcos(β+α)=2cosα2cos(β+α2)0(because α2[π2,π],β+α2[π2,3π2]). Summing up 1j40, weobtain \operatorname{Re}(z_j + z_{j+200}) = -\cos \beta - \cos(\beta + \alpha) = -2 \cos \frac{\alpha}{2} \cos \left(\beta + \frac{\alpha}{2}\right) \le 0 \\ \left( \text{because } \frac{\alpha}{2} \in \left[\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi\right], \beta + \frac{\alpha}{2} \in \left[\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{3\pi}{2}\right] \right). \text{ Summing up } 1 \le j \le 40, \text{ we} \\ \text{obtain}
Re(z1+z2++z40+z201+z202++z240)0.1 \operatorname{Re}(z_1 + z_2 + \cdots + z_{40} + z_{201} + z_{202} + \cdots + z_{240}) \le 0. \quad \textcircled{1}

Similarly, condition (2) indicates that for 41j8041 \le j \le 80, to go from zjz_j to zj+120z_{j+120} along CC, at least an arc of length π3\frac{\pi}{3} is needed. So there exists 2παπ32\pi \ge \alpha \ge \frac{\pi}{3}, such that zj+120=zjexp(αi)z_{j+120} = z_j \cdot \exp(\alpha i). Let zj=(1)exp(βi)z_j = (-1) \cdot \exp(\beta i), β[0,2π)\beta \in [0, 2\pi). From argzj+120\arg z_{j+120} we see β+α<2π\beta + \alpha < 2\pi, and thus
Re(zj+zj+120)=cosβcos(β+α)=2cosα2cos(β+α2). \operatorname{Re}(z_j + z_{j+120}) = -\cos \beta - \cos(\beta + \alpha) = -2 \cos \frac{\alpha}{2} \cos \left(\beta + \frac{\alpha}{2}\right).
If απ\alpha \ge \pi, the above quantity is non-positive; if α[π3,π)\alpha \in [\frac{\pi}{3}, \pi), then
2cosα2cos(β+α2)2×cosπ6×1=3, \left| 2 \cos \frac{\alpha}{2} \cos \left( \beta + \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \right| \le 2 \times \cos \frac{\pi}{6} \times 1 = \sqrt{3},
so the real part is 3\le \sqrt{3}. Summing up for 41j8041 \le j \le 80, we obtain
Re(z41+z42++z80+z161+z162++z200)403.2 \operatorname{Re}(z_{41} + z_{42} + \cdots + z_{80} + z_{161} + z_{162} + \cdots + z_{200}) \le 40\sqrt{3}. \quad \textcircled{2}

The inequalities (1) and (2) lead to an estimate of the sum
z1+z2++z240=Re(j=140(zj+z200+j))+Re(j=4180(zj+z120+j))+Re(j=81120zj)0+403+80=80+403. \begin{aligned} & |z_1 + z_2 + \cdots + z_{240}| \\ &= \operatorname{Re} \left( \sum_{j=1}^{40} (z_j + z_{200+j}) \right) + \operatorname{Re} \left( \sum_{j=41}^{80} (z_j + z_{120+j}) \right) + \operatorname{Re} \left( \sum_{j=81}^{120} z_j \right) \\ &\le 0 + 40\sqrt{3} + 80 = 80 + 40\sqrt{3}. \end{aligned}

Here, the maximum is attained only when the numbers are: 80 of 1's, 40 of each of exp(π6i)\exp(\frac{\pi}{6}i), exp(π6i)\exp(-\frac{\pi}{6}i), ii, i-i (or by any rotation). \square

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