olymmath

Putnam 2000 B5

  • Session B

Let S0S_0 be a finite set of positive integers. We define finite sets S1,S2,…S_1,S_2,\ldots of positive integers as follows: the integer aa is in Sn+1S_{n+1} if and only if exactly one of a−1a-1 or aa is in SnS_n. Show that there exist infinitely many integers NN for which SN=S0∪{N+a:a∈S0}S_N=S_0\cup\{N+a: a\in S_0\}.

Curated text Kedlaya Putnam archive. Quoted with source.

Solutions

Human solution Solution 1 by Manjul Bhargava, Kiran Kedlaya and Lenny Ng

The terms of the source let olymmath link to this solution but not copy it. Read the solution (Kedlaya Putnam archive).

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