CombinatoricsDifficulty 7.9National olympiad, round 2Prove it
A function ψ:Z→Z is said to be zero-requiem if for any positive integer n and any integers a1, …, an (not necessarily distinct), the sums a1+a2+⋯+an and ψ(a1)+ψ(a2)+⋯+ψ(an) are not both zero.
Let f and g be two zero-requiem functions for which f∘g and g∘f are both the identity function (that is, f and g are mutually inverse bijections). Given that f+g is not a zero-requiem function, prove that f∘f and g∘g are both zero-requiem.
Sutanay Bhattacharya
Solution
1. Understanding Zero-Requiem Functions: A function ψ:Z→Z is zero-requiem if for any positive integer n and any integers a1,a2,…,an, the sums a1+a2+⋯+an and ψ(a1)+ψ(a2)+⋯+ψ(an) are not both zero.
2. Given Conditions: - f and g are zero-requiem functions. - f∘g and g∘f are the identity functions, meaning f and g are mutually inverse bijections. - f+g is not a zero-requiem function.
3. Objective: Prove that f∘f and g∘g are both zero-requiem functions.
4. Lemma: Suppose f is a zero-requiem function. Then for all a1+⋯+an=0, f(a1)+⋯+f(an) have the same sign.
Proof: Suppose a1+⋯+an=0 and b1+⋯+bn=0. Assume f(a1)+⋯+f(an)>0 and f(b1)+⋯+f(bn)<0. Let A=f(a1)+⋯+f(an) and B=−(f(b1)+⋯+f(bn)). Then: B(a1+a2+⋯+an)+A(b1+⋯+bn)=0 B(f(a1)+⋯+f(an))+A(f(b1)+⋯+f(bn))=0 This leads to a contradiction since A>0 and B>0. Hence, f(a1)+⋯+f(an) must have the same sign for all a1+⋯+an=0.
5. **Behavior of f and f−1**: Since f is zero-requiem, without loss of generality, assume for all a1+⋯+an=0, f(a1)+⋯+f(an)>0. If for all b1+⋯+bn=0, f−1(b1)+⋯+f−1(bn)>0, then f+f−1 would be zero-requiem, which contradicts the given condition. Therefore, for all b1+⋯+bn=0, f−1(b1)+⋯+f−1(bn)<0.
6. **Sign Behavior of f**: Either f(x)>0 for all x>0 or f(x)>0 for all x<0.
Proof: Suppose f(a)≤0 and f(−b)≤0 where a,b>0. Then: bf(a)+f(a)+⋯+f(a)+af(b)+f(b)+⋯+f(b)=bf(a)+af(b)<0 This inequality holds since f is a bijection.
7. Case Analysis: - Case 1: f(x)>0 for all x>0. - This implies f−1(x)<0 for all x<0. - Let m=infx>0xf(x) and n=supx<0,f(x)<0xf(x). - m>0 and n>0. - If m<n, there exist a>0 and b>0 such that: f(a)≤a(m+3n−m)andf(−b)≤−b(n−3n−m) Thus, af(−b)+bf(a)<0, which is absurd.
- Therefore, m≥n. For a1+⋯+ak=b1+⋯+bl where ai,bi≥0: f(f(ai))≥m2aiandf(f(−bi))≥−n2bi Summing gives: ∑f(f(ai))+∑f(f(−bj))≥m2∑ai−n2∑bj=(∑ai)(m2−n2) This is zero only if m=n and all equalities hold, implying f is not zero-requiem. Hence, in this case, f2 is zero-requiem.
- Case 2: f(x)>0 for all x<0. - This implies f−1(y)<0 for all y>0. - Since f−1(x)<0 for all x>0 or f−1(x)<0 for all x<0, the latter is impossible because it contradicts the previous implication. - Hence, f−1 and f map N+ to Z− and Z− to N+, implying f(0)=0, which is absurd.
8. Conclusion: Both f∘f and g∘g are zero-requiem functions.
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