Olympiad Maths Prep

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Problem 1538

National olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Combinatorics Difficulty 7.3 Find the answer

There are several scientists collaborating in Niichavo. During an 8 8-hour working day, the scientists went to cafeteria, possibly several times.It is known that for every two scientist, the total time in which exactly one of them was in cafeteria is at least x x hours (x>4 x>4).
What is the largest possible number of scientist that could work in Niichavo that day,in terms of x x?

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, read the official solution, then mark yourself honestly — the ladder only means something if the record is true.

Official solution

1. Define the problem and variables:
- Let n n be the number of scientists.
- Let ti,j t_{i,j} represent the time for which exactly one of the scientists i i or j j is in the cafeteria.
- Let T=ti,j T = \sum t_{i,j} be the total time for all pairs of scientists.
- We know that Tn(n1)2x T \geq \frac{n(n-1)}{2} \cdot x because for each pair of scientists, the time ti,jx t_{i,j} \geq x .

2. Break down the 8-hour workday into intervals:
- Consider the workday divided into intervals where the set of scientists in the cafeteria remains constant.
- For each interval with k k scientists and duration w w , the interval contributes wk(nk) w \cdot k \cdot (n-k) to the sum T T .

3. **Maximize the sum T T :**
- To maximize T T , we need to maximize k(nk) k(n-k) .
- The function k(nk) k(n-k) is maximized when k=n2 k = \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor .

4. **Calculate the maximum T T :**
- The total time is 8 hours, so the maximum T T is 8n2(nn2) 8 \cdot \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor \cdot (n - \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor) .

5. **Express min(ti,j) \min(t_{i,j}) :**
- We want to make all ti,j t_{i,j} equal to maximize the minimum.
- Therefore, min(ti,j)=16n2(nn2)n(n1) \min(t_{i,j}) = \frac{16 \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor (n - \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor)}{n(n-1)} .

6. **Relate min(ti,j) \min(t_{i,j}) to x x :**
- Given min(ti,j)x \min(t_{i,j}) \geq x , we have:
16n2(nn2)n(n1)x \frac{16 \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor (n - \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor)}{n(n-1)} \geq x

7. **Solve for n n in terms of x x :**
- Simplify the inequality:
16n2(nn2)xn(n1) 16 \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor (n - \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor) \geq x \cdot n(n-1)
- Let k=n2 k = \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor , then:
16k(nk)xn(n1) 16k(n-k) \geq x \cdot n(n-1)
- For n=2k n = 2k :
16k2x2k(2k1) 16k^2 \geq x \cdot 2k(2k-1)
16k22xk(2k1) 16k^2 \geq 2xk(2k-1)
8kx(2k1) 8k \geq x(2k-1)
8k2kxx 8k \geq 2kx - x
8k+x2kx 8k + x \geq 2kx
k8+x2x2 k \leq \frac{8 + x}{2x - 2}
- For n=2k+1 n = 2k + 1 :
16k(k+1)x(2k+1)(2k) 16k(k+1) \geq x(2k+1)(2k)
16k2+16k2x(2k2+k) 16k^2 + 16k \geq 2x(2k^2 + k)
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
16k2+16k4kx+2kx 16k^2 + 16k \geq 4kx + 2kx
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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.