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Combinatorics Difficulty 8.7 Shortlist Prove it Romania

Let nn be an integer greater than 11. The set SS of all diagonals of a (4n1)(4n-1)-gon is partitioned into kk sets, S1,,SkS_1, \dots, S_k, so that, for every pair of distinct indices ii and jj, some diagonal in SiS_i crosses some diagonal in SjS_j; that is, the two diagonals share an interior point. Determine the largest possible value of kk in terms of nn.

Solution

The required maximum is k=(n1)(4n1)k = (n-1)(4n-1). Clearly, S=2(n1)(4n1)|S| = 2(n-1)(4n-1). To begin, we show that k(n1)(4n1)k \le (n-1)(4n-1). Otherwise, some SiS_i is a singleton set, say Si={δ}S_i = \{\delta\}. Let mm be the number of vertices on one side of δ\delta, so the number of vertices on the other side is 4nm34n - m - 3, and the total number of diagonals crossing δ\delta is m(4nm3)2(n1)(2n1)m(4n - m - 3) \le 2(n-1)(2n-1). Notice that each SjS_j, jij \ne i, contains such a diagonal, to infer that k2(n1)(2n1)+1=(n1)(4n1)(n2)(n1)(4n1)k \le 2(n-1)(2n-1)+1 = (n-1)(4n-1)-(n-2) \le (n-1)(4n-1) and thereby reach a contradiction.

To exhibit a partition of SS into (n1)(4n1)(n-1)(4n-1) sets satisfying the condition in the statement, label the vertices of the (4n1)(4n-1)-gon in circular order, A1,A2,,A4n1A_1, A_2, \dots, A_{4n-1}, and set
Si,j={AiAi+j,Ai+j1Ai+2n},i=1,2,,4n1,j=2,3,,n, S_{i,j} = \{A_i A_{i+j}, A_{i+j-1} A_{i+2n}\}, \quad i = 1, 2, \dots, 4n-1, \quad j = 2, 3, \dots, n,
where indices are reduced modulo 4n14n-1.

It is easily seen that the Si,jS_{i,j} form a partition of SS. To show that they satisfy the condition in the statement, consider two such, say Si,jS_{i,j} and Si,jS_{i',j'}. By cyclic symmetry, we may (and will) assume that i=0i = 0. Notice that for a diagonal δ\delta to cross no diagonal in S0,jS_{0,j} it is necessary and sufficient that its endpoints both fall in one of the sets below:
{A0,A1,,Ai1},{Ai,Ai+1,,A2n},{A2n,A2n+1,,A4n1}() \{A_0, A_1, \dots, A_{i-1}\}, \quad \{A_i, A_{i+1}, \dots, A_{2n}\}, \quad \{A_{2n}, A_{2n+1}, \dots, A_{4n-1}\} \quad (*)
(recall that A4n1=A0A_{4n-1} = A_0); if this is the case, we say that that set covers δ\delta. Now, since each set ()(*) encompasses at most 2n2n consecutive vertices, none of these sets can cover both diagonals in Si,jS_{i',j'}. On the other hand, since the latter cross one another, they cannot be covered by different sets ()(*) each either. Consequently, some diagonal in S0,jS_{0,j} must cross some diagonal in Si,jS_{i',j'} and the conclusion follows.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.