Solution:
a) A possible example for n≥3 is e1=e2=1, ei=0 for 3≤i≤n. This forces k2=kn=1 and ki=0 otherwise. Clearly all conditions are satisfied.
b) We prove that always n=m+2. The proof proceeds in two steps.
i) We have n≥m+2: Since the number 0 occurs in (k1,k2,…,kn), two elements of (e1,e2,…,en) must be equal. Since, moreover, each of the m+1 natural numbers from 0 to m must occur at least once, it follows that n≥m+2.
ii) We give an example for n=m+2≥3: Let (e1,e2,…,en)=(0,m,1,m−1,…). In this n-tuple the numbers are continued alternately, decreasing down to the difference 0, so that en−1=en holds. Thus every natural number from 0 to m occurs exactly once, and the number en occurs exactly twice. The absolute values of the differences clearly occur once each, going downward from m to 0; the difference ∣en−0∣=en occurs twice, because en<m. This establishes properties (1) and (2).