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Combinatorics Difficulty 6.4 National olympiad Find the answer

Does there exist a bijection f:N+N+f:\mathbb{N}^{+} \rightarrow \mathbb{N}^{+}, such that there exist a positive integer kk, and it's possible to have each positive integer colored by one of kk chosen colors, such that for any xyx \neq y , f(x)+yf(x)+y and f(y)+xf(y)+x are not the same color?

Solution

1. Define the problem and initial setup:
We need to find a bijection f:N+N+ f: \mathbb{N}^{+} \rightarrow \mathbb{N}^{+} such that there exists a positive integer k k (in this case, k=2 k = 2 ) and a coloring of the positive integers with k k colors such that for any xy x \neq y , f(x)+y f(x) + y and f(y)+x f(y) + x are not the same color.

2. Reformulate the condition:
Let u=f(x)+y u = f(x) + y and v=x+f(y) v = x + f(y) . The condition u u and v v not being the same color translates to requiring x+y x + y and f(x)+f1(y) f(x) + f^{-1}(y) to be of different colors, provided yf(x) y \neq f(x) .

3. Initial assignments and coloring:
- Set f(1)=2 f(1) = 2 and f(3)=1 f(3) = 1 .
- This imposes that the color of f(1)+f1(1)=2+3=5 f(1) + f^{-1}(1) = 2 + 3 = 5 must be different from the color of 1+1=2 1 + 1 = 2 .
- Color 2 2 white and 5 5 black.

4. Define the extension step:
- Let n n be the first natural number where f f is not fully defined (i.e., either f(n) f(n) or f1(n) f^{-1}(n) or both are not defined).
- Consider the case where f(n) f(n) does not exist. Let D D be the subset of naturals where f1 f^{-1} is defined.
- Ensure that f(n)+f1(x) f(n) + f^{-1}(x) and n+x n + x are of different colors for any xD x \in D .
- Denote D:={n+x:xD} D' := \{n + x : x \in D\} .

5. **Coloring and defining f f :**
- If there exists yD y \in D' which is not yet colored, color it arbitrarily.
- Choose N N big enough such that the minimal element of the set {N+f1(x):xD} \{N + f^{-1}(x) : x \in D\} is bigger than the maximal colored natural number.
- Define f(n):=N f(n) := N and for any xD x \in D , color f(n)+f1(x) f(n) + f^{-1}(x) in the color opposite to the color of n+x n + x .

6. **Handle the case when f1(n) f^{-1}(n) is not defined:**
- Ensure f1(n)+f(x) f^{-1}(n) + f(x) is of a different color compared to n+x n + x .

7. **Handle the case when both f(n) f(n) and f1(n) f^{-1}(n) are not defined:**
- First define f(n) f(n) as above.
- Then apply the same step to define f1(n) f^{-1}(n) .

8. Iterate the extension step:
- Apply the extension step consecutively to define f f over N+ \mathbb{N}^{+} .
- If there are still uncolored naturals, color them arbitrarily.

By following these steps, we ensure that f f is a bijection and the coloring condition is satisfied.

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.