There is a sequence of n distinct positive integers. Prove that these numbers can be fixed on a circle such that the sum of any two adjacent numbers is different from the other sums.
Solution
Without loss of generality assume that a1<a2<⋯<an. Consider these numbers on a circle, in the ascending order. All sums, other than a1+an can be ordered as a1+a2<a2+a3<⋯<an−2+an−1<an−1+an We're done if there's no two sums that are equal. But if there is, the only sum that can be equal to another one is a1+an so we would have a1+an=ai−1+ai for some 1<i<n. Now let's replace ai and ai+1.
an+a1=ai−1+ai<ai−1+ai+1<ai+1+ai<ai+2+ai. So the new sums can be ordered as a1+a2<a2+a3<⋯<ai−2+ai−1<an+a1<ai−1+ai+1<ai+1+ai<⋯<an−1+an.
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Source: MathNet,
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