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Combinatorics Difficulty 6.8 National Olympiad Prove it Hong Kong

For which natural number nn is it possible to place natural numbers from 11 to 3n3n on the edges of a right nn-angled prism (on each edge there is exactly one number placed and each one is used exactly 1 time) in such a way that the sum of all the numbers that surround each face is the same?

Solution

The only possible nn is 44.
We call those edges which are the sides of a base the base edges, and call the remaining edges the lateral edges. Let ss be the sum of all numbers surrounding each face, and let xx be the sum of all numbers on the lateral edges.

Firstly, we consider the sum of all numbers on the base edges. Since they are the sides of the two bases, this is equal to 2s2s. Also, they are the numbers not used on the lateral edges, and hence this is equal to 1+2++3nx1 + 2 + \cdots + 3n - x. This yields
x+2s=3n(3n+1)2.(1) x + 2s = \frac{3n(3n + 1)}{2}. \qquad (1)
Secondly, we consider the sides of the lateral faces. Each base edge is a side of 11 lateral face, while each lateral edge is a side of 22 lateral faces. The total sum of numbers on all these edges is 1+2++3n+x1 + 2 + \cdots + 3n + x. These edges together surround nn faces, and so the total sum is nsns. It follows that
nsx=3n(3n+1)2.(2) ns - x = \frac{3n(3n + 1)}{2}. \qquad (2)
By (1) and (2), we obtain
s=(x+2s)+(nsx)n+2=3n(3n+1)n+2, s = \frac{(x + 2s) + (ns - x)}{n + 2} = \frac{3n(3n + 1)}{n + 2},
x=3n(3n+1)22s=3n(3n+1)(n2)2(n+2).x = \frac{3n(3n + 1)}{2} - 2s = \frac{3n(3n + 1)(n - 2)}{2(n + 2)}.
As sZs \in \mathbb{Z}, we have n+23n(3n+1)n + 2 \mid 3n(3n + 1). This implies n+230n + 2 \mid 30.

Next, we have the bound x3n+(3n1)++(2n+1)x \le 3n + (3n - 1) + \cdots + (2n + 1) since there are only nn lateral edges. Now,
3n(3n+1)(n2)2(n+2)(5n+1)n23(3n+1)(n2)(5n+1)(n+2)2(2n213n4)0. \begin{align*} \frac{3n(3n + 1)(n - 2)}{2(n + 2)} &\le \frac{(5n + 1)n}{2} \\ \Leftrightarrow \quad 3(3n + 1)(n - 2) &\le (5n + 1)(n + 2) \\ \Leftrightarrow \quad 2(2n^2 - 13n - 4) &\le 0. \end{align*}
Thus, we have n6n \le 6. Together with n+230n + 2 \mid 30 and the trivial bound n3n \ge 3, we easily obtain the only possibilities n=3,4n = 3, 4.

For n=3n = 3, we have s=18s = 18 and x=9x = 9.
* If the numbers on the lateral edges are 11, 22, 66, then the numbers surrounding the three lateral surfaces are 11, 22, aa, bb; 11, 66, cc, dd and 22, 66, ee, ff respectively. Since a+b=s12=15a + b = s - 1 - 2 = 15, we must have a=7a = 7 and b=8b = 8. But then c+d=1816=11c + d = 18 - 1 - 6 = 11 has no solution with c,d{3,4,5,9}c, d \in \{3, 4, 5, 9\}.

* If the numbers on the lateral edges are 11, 33, 55, then the numbers surrounding the three lateral surfaces are 11, 33, aa, bb; 11, 55, cc, dd and 33, 55, ee, ff respectively. Since a+b=14a + b = 14, we must have a=6a = 6 and b=8b = 8. But then c+d=12c + d = 12 has no solution with c,d{2,4,7,9}c, d \in \{2, 4, 7, 9\}.

* If the numbers on the lateral edges are 22, 33, 44, then the numbers surrounding the three lateral surfaces are 22, 33, aa, bb; 22, 44, cc, dd and 33, 44, ee, ff respectively. Since a+b=13a + b = 13, c+d=12c + d = 12 and e+f=11e + f = 11, none of aa, bb, cc, dd, ee, ff is equal to 11, which is impossible.

Therefore, it is not possible to have n=3n = 3.

For n=4n = 4, we have s=26s = 26 and x=26x = 26. An example is given below.

Figure 1

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