Find all the integers with the following property: the numbers can be arranged in a line so that, of any two adjacent numbers, one is divisible by the other.
Solution
The values work, as shown by respective examples 1,. We shall show that there are no other possibilities. If is odd, then none of the numbers can divide any other, so no two of these numbers are adjacent. This is only possible if they occupy the 1st, 3rd, th positions in the line, which means every number is adjacent to two of these and hence divides two of them. But only divides one of these numbers when . Thus no odd works. If is even, the numbers again must be mutually nonadjacent, but now this means we can have up to two numbers each of which is adjacent to only one number , and if there are two such numbers, they must be adjacent. If , then each of divides only one of the numbers , so must be adjacent, but this is impossible. Thus no even works, and we are done.