Let be a positive integer divisible by all the integers and numbers in such that
Prove that we can select from some numbers so that the sum of these selected numbers is equal to .
, 2015
Solution
Notice that because is divisible by , and , we have .
Assume that each integer appears at most times in the list of numbers . We have
which is a contradiction.
Therefore, there exists an integer which appears at least times in the list of numbers . Put of this number aside from the list. The sum of the remaining numbers in the list is equal to .
Start from the empty set and choose randomly integers from the remaining numbers in the list. If there exists such that is divisible by , put in the set and put back the other numbers in the remaining list of numbers. If not, by the pigeonhole principle, there exist such that and therefore is divisible by . In this case, put in the set and put back the other numbers in the remaining list of numbers. Keep repeating this process whenever the sum of the numbers in the set is less or equal to .
Notice that each time the sum of the numbers in the set is divisible by and each time it increases by a number which is less or equal to . Moreover, whenever the sum of the numbers in the set is less or equal to it is always possible to choose randomly integers from the remaining numbers. Indeed, the sum of the remaining numbers is less or equal to .
Once the sum of the numbers in the set is strictly greater than , in this case we have . Because both and are divisible by , we have where . Take from the of the number put aside and put them in the set to obtain a sum equal to .