Given 93 distinct positive integers , prove that there exist four positive integers such that is a multiple of 1998.
Solution
Since ,
(1) By the pigeonhole principle:
Among the 93 distinct positive integers , there must be two numbers whose remainders are the same when divided by 37. Let these two numbers be and , then is a multiple of 37;
Among the remaining 91 numbers, there must be two numbers whose remainders are the same when divided by 54. Let these two numbers be and , then is a multiple of 54.
Therefore, there must exist four positive integers such that is a multiple of 1998.
(2) By the pigeonhole principle:
Among the 93 distinct positive integers , there must be two numbers whose remainders are the same when divided by 74. Let these two numbers be and , then is a multiple of 74;
Among the remaining 91 numbers, there must be two numbers whose remainders are the same when divided by 27. Let these two numbers be and , then is a multiple of 27.
Therefore, there must exist four positive integers such that is a multiple of 1998.
In conclusion, there must exist four positive integers such that is a multiple of 1998.