olymmath

Putnam 1994 A6

  • Session A

Let f1,…,f10f_1, \dots, f_{10} be bijections of the set of integers such that for each integer nn, there is some composition fi1∘fi2∘⋯∘fimf_{i_1} \circ f_{i_2} \circ \cdots \circ f_{i_m} of these functions (allowing repetitions) which maps 0 to nn. Consider the set of 1024 functions F={f1e1∘f2e2∘⋯∘f10e10},\mathcal{F} = \{f_1^{e_1} \circ f_2^{e_2} \circ \cdots \circ f_{10}^{e_{10}}\}, ei=0e_i = 0 or 1 for 1≤i≤101 \leq i \leq 10. (fi0f_i^0 is the identity function and fi1=fif_i^1 = f_i.) Show that if AA is any nonempty finite set of integers, then at most 512 of the functions in F\mathcal{F} map AA to itself.

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