Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /1 of 19

Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it Romania

Given x1,x2,,xnx_1, x_2, \dots, x_n real numbers, prove that there exists a real number yy such that
{yx1}+{yx2}++{yxn}n12. \{y - x_1\} + \{y - x_2\} + \dots + \{y - x_n\} \le \frac{n-1}{2}.

Solution

As {a}+{a}1,aR\{a\} + \{-a\} \le 1, \forall a \in \mathbb{R} (with equality if aa is not an integer), we have
1ijn{xixj}n(n1)2, \sum_{1 \le i \ne j \le n} \{x_i - x_j\} \le \frac{n(n-1)}{2},

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.