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Combinatorics Difficulty 8.6 Shortlist Prove it Turkey

Let NN denote a society of voters where each voter is endowed with preferences over a set of alternatives AA with N=n>2|N| = n > 2, A=m>2|A| = m > 2. A preference profile RR is an nn-tuple of linear orderings on AA representing the preferences of voters on AA. Given some k{1,2,...,m}k \in \{1, 2, ..., m\}, the kk-plurality choice rule chooses the alternatives achieving the highest vote after each voter assigns equal votes for all top kk alternatives in his preference ordering regardless of their ranking. Let RR and RR' be any two preference profiles and aAa \in A. We say that RR' aa-dominates RR iff for every iNi \in N, all alternatives which are ranked below aa in RiR_i are also ranked below aa in RiR'_i. The kk-plurality choice rule is said to be monotone iff for any RR and any RR' which aa-dominates RR, if aAa \in A is chosen by the kk-plurality choice rule in RR, aa is still chosen in RR'. Assume (m,n)(3,4)(m, n) \ne (3, 4), prove that k>m(n1)nk > \frac{m(n-1)}{n} is necessary and sufficient condition for the monotonicity of kk-plurality choice rule. (Semih Koray).

Solution

Let k>m(n1)nk > \frac{m(n-1)}{n}. Since knm>n1\frac{kn}{m} > n - 1 at least one alternative obtained all nn votes. Therefore, any chosen aa obtained nn votes in profile RR and by definitions obtains also nn votes in profile RR'. Thus, the condition k>m(n1)nk > \frac{m(n-1)}{n} is sufficient for monotonicity.

Let 2km(n1)n2 \le k \le \frac{m(n-1)}{n}. We construct a profile RR: for the first voter aa is the first, bb is the last. For the second, bb is the second, aa is the last. For all other voters, aa is the first, bb is the second. Each of aa and bb are not selected by exactly one voter. In our profile each alternative also is not selected by at least one voter. It is possible, since n(mk)mn(m-k) \ge m. No alternative obtained nn votes, aa and bb are chosen by getting n1n-1 votes.

The only difference between profiles RR' and RR is that the first voter charged the positions of the second alternative and bb. Obviously, RR' aa-dominates RR, but bb obtained nn votes, aa obtained n1n-1 votes and is not selected. Thus, kk-plurality choice rule is not monotonic.

Let 1=km(n1)n1 = k \le \frac{m(n-1)}{n}. 1-plurality choice rule is monotonic if n=4,m=3n = 4, m = 3: if aa is chosen, aa obtained at least 2 votes, in any other profile aa also gets at least 2 votes and other alternatives also get at most 2 votes! In other cases an example similar to the example above shows that the 1-plurality choice rule is not monotonic. Done.

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