Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 4 / 260 of 340 #1000 of 2444

Problem 1000

AMC 12 late, AIME early
Combinatorics Difficulty 4.9 Prove it NMO Selection Tests for JBMO · Romania

All the 16 squares of a 4×44 \times 4 array are white. Define a move by selecting a rectangle 1×31 \times 3 or 3×13 \times 1 and switching the colors of each of its squares from white to black or from black to white. Is it possible that all squares turn black after a sequence of moves?

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

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Official solution

<table><tr><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>1</td></tr></table>
to observe that a move will change colors in one square of each number. As initially there are six squares labeled 1, an even number of moves is required to turn black all these squares. On the other hand, five squares were labeled with 2 at the start, requiring an odd number of moves to turn all black, hence the answer is negative.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.