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Combinatorics Difficulty 6.5 National olympiad Prove it China

The set of the permutation X=(x1,x2,,x9)X = (x_1, x_2, \dots, x_9) of 1,2,,91, 2, \dots, 9 is AA. XA\forall X \in A, and let f(X)=x1+2x2+3x3++9x9f(X) = x_1 + 2x_2 + 3x_3 + \dots + 9x_9, M={f(X)XA}M = \{f(X) \mid X \in A\}. Find the value of M|M|. (Posed by Xiong Bin)

Solution

We prove for n4n \ge 4. If the permutations Xn=(x1,x2,,xn)X_n = (x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n) of 1,2,,n1, 2, \dots, n consist of a set AA, and f(Xn)=x1+2x2+3x3++nxnf(X_n) = x_1 + 2x_2 + 3x_3 + \dots + nx_n, Mn={f(X)XA}M_n = \{f(X) \mid X \in A\}, then Mn=n3n+66|M_n| = \frac{n^3 - n + 6}{6}.

Using mathematical induction on nn, we see that
Mn={n(n+1)(n+2)6,n(n+1)(n+2)6+1,,n(n+1)(2n+1)6} M_n = \left\{ \frac{n(n+1)(n+2)}{6}, \frac{n(n+1)(n+2)}{6} + 1, \dots, \frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6} \right\}
For n=4n=4, by arranging inequality, one can see the smallest number of MM is f({4,3,2,1})=20f(\{4, 3, 2, 1\}) = 20, and the biggest number is f({1,2,3,4})=30f(\{1, 2, 3, 4\}) = 30. Because
f({3,4,2,1})=21,f({3,4,1,2})=22,f({4,2,1,3})=23,f({3,2,4,1})=24,f({2,4,1,3})=25,f({1,4,3,2})=26,f({1,4,2,3})=27,f({2,1,4,3})=28,f({1,2,4,3})=29, \begin{align*} f(\{3, 4, 2, 1\}) &= 21, \quad f(\{3, 4, 1, 2\}) = 22, \\ f(\{4, 2, 1, 3\}) &= 23, \quad f(\{3, 2, 4, 1\}) = 24, \\ f(\{2, 4, 1, 3\}) &= 25, \quad f(\{1, 4, 3, 2\}) = 26, \\ f(\{1, 4, 2, 3\}) &= 27, \quad f(\{2, 1, 4, 3\}) = 28, \\ f(\{1, 2, 4, 3\}) &= 29, \end{align*}
we have, M4={20,21,,30}=11=434+66|M_4| = |\{20, 21, \dots, 30\}| = 11 = \frac{4^3 - 4 + 6}{6}.

Suppose that the statement is true for n1n-1 (n5n \ge 5). In the case of nn, for a permutation Xn1=(x1,x2,,xn1)X_{n-1} = (x_1, x_2, \dots, x_{n-1}) of 1,2,,n11, 2, \dots, n-1, let xn=nx_n = n; then we get a permutation (x1,x2,,xn1,n)(x_1, x_2, \dots, x_{n-1}, n) of 1,2,,n1, 2, \dots, n, and so
k=1nkxk=n2+k=1n1kxk. \sum_{k=1}^{n} kx_k = n^2 + \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} kx_k.
According to the supposition, the value of k=1nkxk\sum_{k=1}^{n} kx_k can be every integer number in the interval
[n2+(n1)n(n+1)6,n2+(n1)n(2n1)6]=[n(n2+5)6,n(n+1)(2n+1)6]. \left[ n^2 + \frac{(n-1)n(n+1)}{6}, n^2 + \frac{(n-1)n(2n-1)}{6} \right] = \left[ \frac{n(n^2+5)}{6}, \frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6} \right].
Let xn=1x_n = 1. Then
k=1nkxk=n+k=1n1kxk=n+k=1n1k(xk1)+n(n1)2=n(n+1)2+k=1n1k(xk1). \begin{aligned} \sum_{k=1}^{n} kx_k &= n + \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} kx_k \\ &= n + \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k(x_k - 1) + \frac{n(n-1)}{2} \\ &= \frac{n(n+1)}{2} + \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k(x_k - 1). \end{aligned}
According to the supposition, the value of k=1nkxk\sum_{k=1}^{n} kx_k can be every integer number in the interval
[n(n+1)2+(n1)n(n+1)6,n(n+1)2+n(n1)(2n1)6]=[n(n+1)(n+2)6,2n(n2+2)6]. \left[ \frac{n(n+1)}{2} + \frac{(n-1)n(n+1)}{6}, \frac{n(n+1)}{2} + \frac{n(n-1)(2n-1)}{6} \right] = \left[ \frac{n(n+1)(n+2)}{6}, \frac{2n(n^2+2)}{6} \right].
Because 2n(n2+2)6n(n2+5)6\frac{2n(n^2+2)}{6} \ge \frac{n(n^2+5)}{6}, according to the supposition the value of k=1nkxk\sum_{k=1}^{n} kx_k can be every integer number in the interval
[n(n+1)(n+2)6,n(n+1)(2n+1)6]. \left[ \frac{n(n+1)(n+2)}{6} , \frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6} \right].
The statement is also true for nn. Since
n(n+1)(2n+1)6n(n+1)(n+2)6=n3n+66, \frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6} - \frac{n(n+1)(n+2)}{6} = \frac{n^3 - n + 6}{6},
one can see that Mn=n3n+66+1|M_n| = \frac{n^3 - n + 6}{6} + 1.

In particular, M9=121|M_9| = 121.

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