Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 218 of 400 #1218 of 2000

Problem 1218

National olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.3 Prove it

9.5. Given 10 distinct non-zero numbers, the sum or product of any two of them is a rational number. Prove: the square of each number is a rational number.

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

9.5. Proof 1: If all the numbers are rational, the proposition naturally holds.

Now suppose that among the 10 numbers, there is an irrational number aa, then the other numbers are of the form pap-a or pa\frac{p}{a}, where pp is a rational number.
We will prove that there are no more than 2 numbers of the form pap-a.
Indeed, if there are 3 different numbers of this form, let's assume b1=p1a,b2=p2a,b3=p3ab_{1}=p_{1}-a, b_{2}=p_{2}-a, b_{3}=p_{3}-a. Then, it is easy to see that b1+b2=p1+p˙22ab_{1}+b_{2}=p_{1}+\dot{p}_{2}-2 a is not a rational number. Therefore, b1b2=p1p2a(p1+p2)+a2b_{1} b_{2}=p_{1} p_{2}-a\left(p_{1}+p_{2}\right)+a^{2} should be a rational number.
Similarly, b2b3b_{2} b_{3} and b1b3b_{1} b_{3} are also rational numbers.
This means,
A3=a2a(p1+p2),A2=a2a(p1+p3),A1=a2a(p2+p3) \begin{array}{l} A_{3}=a^{2}-a\left(p_{1}+p_{2}\right), \\ A_{2}=a^{2}-a\left(p_{1}+p_{3}\right), \\ A_{1}=a^{2}-a\left(p_{2}+p_{3}\right) \end{array}

are all rational numbers, thus, A3A2=a(p3p2)A_{3}-A_{2}=a\left(p_{3}-p_{2}\right) is a rational number. This is only possible when p3p2=0p_{3}-p_{2}=0. Therefore, b2=b3b_{2}=b_{3}, which is a contradiction.
From the above, we know that there are more than 2 numbers of the form pa\frac{p}{a}.
Let c1=p1a,c2=p2a,c3=p3ac_{1}=\frac{p_{1}}{a}, c_{2}=\frac{p_{2}}{a}, c_{3}=\frac{p_{3}}{a} be 3 such numbers. Clearly, only when p1+p2=0p_{1}+p_{2}=0, c1+c2=p1+p2ac_{1}+c_{2}=\frac{p_{1}+p_{2}}{a} can be a rational number, and p1p3p_{1} \neq p_{3}, so c3+c2=p3+p2ac_{3}+c_{2}=\frac{p_{3}+p_{2}}{a} is an irrational number. Therefore, c3c2=p3p2a2c_{3} c_{2}=\frac{p_{3} p_{2}}{a^{2}} is a rational number, which implies that a2a^{2} is a rational number.
Proof 2: Consider any 6 of the numbers.
Construct a graph, placing these 6 numbers on its 6 vertices. If the sum of any 2 numbers is a rational number, connect the corresponding 2 vertices with a blue edge; if the product of any 2 numbers is a rational number, connect the corresponding 2 vertices with a red edge. It is well known that in such a graph, there exists a triangle with all three sides of the same color. We will discuss the various cases.
(1) If there is a blue triangle, then there exist 3 numbers x,y,zx, y, z such that x+y,y+z,z+xx+y, y+z, z+x are all rational numbers. Therefore,
(x+y)+(z+x)(y+z)=2x (x+y)+(z+x)-(y+z)=2 x

is a rational number, i.e., xx is a rational number.
Similarly, y,zy, z are also rational numbers.
Now consider any other number tt. Clearly, whether by the rationality of xtx t (the problem states that all numbers are non-zero), or by the rationality of x+tx+t, it can be deduced that tt is a rational number.
Therefore, in this case, all 10 numbers are rational.
(2) If there is a red triangle, then there exist 3 numbers x,y,zx, y, z such that xy,yz,zxx y, y z, z x are all rational numbers. Therefore, (xy)(zx)yz=x2\frac{(x y)(z x)}{y z}=x^{2} is a rational number.
Similarly, y2,z2y^{2}, z^{2} are also rational numbers.
If at least one of x,y,zx, y, z is a rational number, then by discussing the previous case, it can be concluded that all 10 numbers are rational.
Now assume x=max=m \sqrt{a}, where aa is a rational number, and m=±1m= \pm 1.
Since xy=may=bx y=m \sqrt{a} y=b is a rational number, we have,
y=bma=bama=ca, y=\frac{b}{m \sqrt{a}}=\frac{b \sqrt{a}}{m a}=c \sqrt{a},

where cmc \neq m is a rational number.
Now consider any other number tt. If xtx t or yty t is a rational number, then after a similar discussion, it can be concluded that t=dat=d \sqrt{a}, where dd is a rational number. Therefore, t2t^{2} is a rational number.
If x+t,y+tx+t, y+t are both rational numbers, then
(x+t)(y+t) (x+t)-(y+t)

is a rational number. But in fact,
(x+t)(y+t)=(mc)a (x+t)-(y+t)=(m-c) \sqrt{a}

is an irrational number, which is a contradiction.
In summary, either each number is a rational number, or the square of each number is a rational number, which is exactly what we need to prove.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.