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Combinatorics Difficulty 6.2 National olympiad Prove it China

For a given positive integer nn, find the greatest positive integer kk, such that there exist three sets of kk distinct nonnegative integers, A={x1,x2,,xk}A = \{x_1, x_2, \dots, x_k\}, B={y1,y2,,yk}B = \{y_1, y_2, \dots, y_k\} and C={z1,z2,,zk}C = \{z_1, z_2, \dots, z_k\} with xj+yj+zj=nx_j + y_j + z_j = n for any 1jk1 \leq j \leq k.

Solution

By the given condition, we have
kni=1k(xi+yi+zi)3i=0k1i=3k(k1)2, kn \geq \sum_{i=1}^{k} (x_i + y_i + z_i) \geq 3 \sum_{i=0}^{k-1} i = \frac{3k(k-1)}{2},
and then k2n3+1k \leq \lfloor \frac{2n}{3} \rfloor + 1.

The following illustrates the case of k=2n3+1k = \lfloor \frac{2n}{3} \rfloor + 1:

Set mZ+m \in \mathbb{Z}^+.

When n=3mn = 3m, for 1jm+11 \leq j \leq m+1, let xj=j1x_j = j-1, yj=m+j1y_j = m + j - 1, zj=2m2j+2z_j = 2m - 2j + 2; for m+2j2m+1m + 2 \leq j \leq 2m + 1, let xj=j1x_j = j - 1, yj=jm2y_j = j - m - 2, zj=4m2j+3z_j = 4m - 2j + 3, and the result is obvious.

When n=3m+1n = 3m + 1, for 1jm1 \leq j \leq m, let xj=j1x_j = j - 1, yj=m+jy_j = m + j, zj=2m2j+2z_j = 2m - 2j + 2; for m+1j2mm + 1 \leq j \leq 2m, let xj=j+1x_j = j + 1, yj=jm1y_j = j - m - 1, zj=4m+12jz_j = 4m + 1 - 2j; and x2m+1=mx_{2m+1} = m, y2m+1=2m+1y_{2m+1} = 2m + 1, z2m+1=0z_{2m+1} = 0 will lead to the expected result.

When n=3m+2n = 3m + 2, for 1jm+11 \leq j \leq m + 1, let xj=j1x_j = j - 1, yj=m+jy_j = m + j, zj=2m2j+3z_j = 2m - 2j + 3; for m+2j2m+1m + 2 \leq j \leq 2m + 1, let xj=jx_j = j, yj=jm2y_j = j - m - 2, zj=4m2j+4z_j = 4m - 2j + 4; and x2m+2=2m+2x_{2m+2} = 2m + 2, y2m+2=my_{2m+2} = m, z2m+2=0z_{2m+2} = 0, and the result follows.

In summary, the maximum value of kk is 2n3+1\lfloor \frac{2n}{3} \rfloor + 1.

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