Find the smallest positive integer for which there exist integers such that every integer from to can be written as a sum of some of the integers from , without repetition.
Solution
The answer is . The integers certainly work. Now we show that does not work.
Suppose on the contrary that the integers satisfy the requirement. They can form sums, not necessarily distinct. There are integers from to . So at most of these sums can be . Now can pair up to form sums. So at least one of the sums is . Therefore .
Let be the sum of some of the integers in . Since , at most one of and can hold. Therefore at most of the sums
can be between and (both inclusive). The integers can form at most different sums. Therefore can form at most sums between and . So is impossible.
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