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Combinatorics Difficulty 7.5 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Spain

Let S={1,2,,n}S = \{1, 2, \dots, n\}, n2n \ge 2, and let f:SSf : S \to S be a bijective function distinct from the identity. Let u=k=1nf(k)ku = \sum_{k=1}^{n} |f(k) - k| and let vv be the number of ordered pairs (a,b)(a, b) of elements of SS such that a>ba > b and f(a)<f(b)f(a) < f(b). Show that v<u2vv < u \le 2v, and that u=2vu = 2v if and only if there do not exist positive integers a>b>ca > b > c such that f(a)<f(b)<f(c)f(a) < f(b) < f(c).

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

We say a pair (a,b)(a, b) is a-good if a>bf(a)a > b \ge f(a), and b-good if bf(a)<f(b)b \le f(a) < f(b). If f(k)=kf(k) = k, no pair (k,b)(k, b) or (a,k)(a, k) is k-good. If f(k)>kf(k) > k, there are no k-good pairs of the form (k,b)(k, b) and exactly f(k)kf(k) - k of the form (a,k)(a, k). Likewise, if f(k)<kf(k) < k there are exactly kf(k)k - f(k) k-good pairs. In any case, there are exactly f(k)k|f(k) - k| k-good pairs.
For every pair (a,b)(a, b) with a>ba > b and f(a)<f(b)f(a) < f(b), the pair is a-good if f(a)bf(a) \le b, and b-good if f(a)bf(a) \ge b. The number of pairs counted in vv is at most the number of good pairs, which is less than or equal to the sum of the f(k)k|f(k) - k|. So, vk=1nf(k)k=uv \le \sum_{k=1}^{n} |f(k) - k| = u. Let kk be the smallest integer with f(k)kf(k) \ne k. Then f(k)>kf(k) > k, f1(k)>kf^{-1}(k) > k. The pair (f1(k),k)(f^{-1}(k), k) is both f1(k)f^{-1}(k)-good and kk-good. Equality does not hold, and v<uv < u.

Let Ak={f1(1),f1(2),,f1(f(k))}A_k = \{f^{-1}(1), f^{-1}(2), \dots, f^{-1}(f(k))\} and Bk={1,2,,k}B_k = \{1, 2, \dots, k\}. The element xx is in BkB_k and not in AkA_k if and only if (k,x)(k, x) is a pair counted in vv. Similarly, xx is in AkA_k and not in BkB_k if and only if (x,k)(x, k) is a pair counted in vv. Then, 2v=k=1nAkBk+BkAk=k=1nAk+Bk2AkBkk=1nAk+Bk2min{Ak,Bk}=k=1nf(k)+k2min{f(k),k}=k=1nf(k)k=u2v = \sum_{k=1}^{n} |A_k \setminus B_k| + |B_k \setminus A_k| = \sum_{k=1}^{n} |A_k| + |B_k| - 2|A_k \cap B_k| \ge \sum_{k=1}^{n} |A_k| + |B_k| - 2 \min\{|A_k|, |B_k|\} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} f(k) + k - 2 \min\{f(k), k\} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} |f(k) - k| = u.

We look at the equality case. u=2v    AbBb=min{Ab,Bb}u = 2v \iff |A_b \cap B_b| = \min\{|A_b|, |B_b|\} for all b    AbBbb \iff A_b \subseteq B_b or BbAbB_b \subseteq A_b for all b    b \iff There do not exist a,b,ca, b, c such that aAbBba \in A_b \setminus B_b, cBbAb    c \in B_b \setminus A_b \iff There do not exist a,b,ca, b, c such that a>b>ca > b > c, f(a)<f(b)<f(c)f(a) < f(b) < f(c).

Solution 2

For bijective functions in general, we shall prove vu2vv \le u \le 2v, with u=vu = v only for the identity and u=2vu = 2v if and only if there do not exist a>b>ca > b > c such that f(a)<f(b)<f(c)f(a) < f(b) < f(c). We argue by induction on uu.
If u=0u = 0, k=1nf(k)k=0\sum_{k=1}^{n} |f(k) - k| = 0, f(k)k=0|f(k) - k| = 0 for all kk, f(k)=kf(k) = k and ff is the identity. In this case, v=0v = 0, v=u=2vv = u = 2v and there do not exist a>b>ca > b > c with f(a)<f(b)<f(c)f(a) < f(b) < f(c). This satisfies the result.

Now, suppose that the statement is true for 0u<t0 \le u < t, and we have a function ff with u=tu = t. k=1nf(k)k=k=1nf(k)k=1nk=k=1nkk=1nk=0\sum_{k=1}^{n} f(k) - k = \sum_{k=1}^{n} f(k) - \sum_{k=1}^{n} k = \sum_{k=1}^{n} k - \sum_{k=1}^{n} k = 0. Since u=k=1nf(k)k0u = \sum_{k=1}^{n} |f(k) - k| \ne 0, there exists kk with f(k)k<0f(k) - k < 0 (that is, f(k)<kf(k) < k), and kk with f(k)k>0f(k) - k > 0. Let xx be the smallest value of kk with f(k)<kf(k) < k. f(f(x))f(x)f(f(x)) \ne f(x) because if it was equal, then f(x)=xf(x) = x. Since f(x)<xf(x) < x, and by definition of xx, f(f(x))>f(x)f(f(x)) > f(x). There are values of kk less than xx with f(k)>kf(k) > k. Let yy be the greatest one.

We define kˉ\bar{k} as follows: xˉ=y\bar{x} = y, yˉ=x\bar{y} = x and kˉ=k\bar{k} = k for the rest of the values. We define f~\tilde{f} as f~(k)=f(kˉ)\tilde{f}(k) = f(\bar{k}), and define u~\tilde{u} and v~\tilde{v} analogously to uu and vv for ff. Let z=xyz = x - y.
For all kk with y<k<xy < k < x, f(k)f(k) is not less than kk by definition of xx, nor greater than kk by definition of yy. Therefore, f(k)=kf(k) = k. If y<f(x)<xy < f(x) < x, then f(f(x))=f(x)f(f(x)) = f(x), impossible. Hence, f(x)yf(x) \le y. In the same way, f(y)xf(y) \ge x.
uu~=k=1nf(kˉ)kˉk=1nf~(k)k=f(x)xf~(y)y+f(y)yf~(x)x=xyy+x=2z.u - \tilde{u} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} |f(\bar{k}) - \bar{k}| - \sum_{k=1}^{n} |\tilde{f}(k) - k| = |f(x) - x| - |\tilde{f}(y) - y| + |f(y) - y| - |\tilde{f}(x) - x| = x - y - y + x = 2z.
u~<u=t\tilde{u} < u = t, so by induction hypothesis v~u~2v~\tilde{v} \le \tilde{u} \le 2\tilde{v}.

Let us find the value of vv~v - \tilde{v}, by finding the cases when (aˉ,bˉ)(\bar{a}, \bar{b}) is included in vv and (a,b)(a, b) is not included in v~\tilde{v}, and vice versa. The condition for the first case can be written as aˉ>bˉ\bar{a} > \bar{b}, f(aˉ)<f(bˉ)f(\bar{a}) < f(\bar{b}) and a<ba < b. It is clear that one of the terms must be xx or yy. a=ya = y and b=xb = x satisfies this. If only one of the terms appears and it is aa, then aˉ>bˉ=b>a\bar{a} > \bar{b} = b > a, a=ya = y and x>b>yx > b > y. All the values of bb in this interval satisfy the condition because f(y)x>b=f(b)f(y) \ge x > b = f(b). Likewise, if the term that appears is bb, then b=xb = x and x>a>yx > a > y satisfies the conditions. We can check that there are no pairs (a,b)(a, b) counted in v~\tilde{v} but (aˉ,bˉ)(\bar{a}, \bar{b}) not counting in vv. vv~=1+2(z1)=2z1v - \tilde{v} = 1 + 2(z - 1) = 2z - 1.

Using the previous results, v=v~+2z1u~+2z1<u~+2z=u2v~+2z2v~+2(2z1)=2vv = \tilde{v} + 2z - 1 \le \tilde{u} + 2z - 1 < \tilde{u} + 2z = u \le 2\tilde{v} + 2z \le 2\tilde{v} + 2(2z - 1) = 2v. This proves the inequality.

All that remains is finding when u=2vu = 2v holds. This happens whenever u~=2v~\tilde{u} = 2\tilde{v} and z=1z = 1. If z>1z > 1, x>y+1>yx > y + 1 > y and f(x)y<y+1=f(y+1)<xf(y)f(x) \le y < y + 1 = f(y + 1) < x \le f(y). We can therefore suppose z=1z = 1. We need to prove that there exist a>b>ca > b > c with f(a)<f(b)<f(c)f(a) < f(b) < f(c) if and only if there exist a>b>ca > b > c with f~(a)<f~(b)<f~(c)\tilde{f}(a) < \tilde{f}(b) < \tilde{f}(c). f(aˉ)<f(bˉ)<f(cˉ)    f~(a)<f~(b)<f~(c)f(\bar{a}) < f(\bar{b}) < f(\bar{c}) \iff \tilde{f}(a) < \tilde{f}(b) < \tilde{f}(c). If two elements of {a,b,c}\{a, b, c\} are neither xx nor yy, for example aa and cc, then aˉ=a\bar{a} = a, cˉ=c\bar{c} = c and since x=y+1x = y + 1, a>x>c    a>y>ca > x > c \iff a > y > c. If both xx and yy appear, they cannot be aa and cc because xx and yy are consecutive integers. Hence, one of them is bb, for example xx. a>x>ya > x > y and f(a)<f(x)<f(y)f(a) < f(x) < f(y). As f(x)<xf(x) < x, there are more values of kk with k<xk < x and f(k)>f(x)f(k) > f(x) than k>xk > x with f(k)<f(x)f(k) < f(x). Since aa is an example of the latter, there is dd not equal to yy with d<xd < x and f(d)>f(x)f(d) > f(x), and therefore a>x>da > x > d and f(a)<f(x)<f(d)f(a) < f(x) < f(d), where yy does not appear. We reduced the problem to the previous case. The same argument works if f~(a)<f~(x)<f~(y)\tilde{f}(a) < \tilde{f}(x) < \tilde{f}(y) or if b=yb = y, and we are done.

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