Let \(a(n)\) be the number of unordered factorizations of \(n\) into divisors larger than \(1\). Prove that \(\sum_{n=2}^{\infty} \frac{a(n)}{n^2} = 1\).
Author Archives: Jaehoon Kim
2022-15 A determinant of Stirling numbers of second kind
Let \(S(n,k)\) be the Stirling number of the second kind that is the number of ways to partition a set of \(n\) objects into \(k\) non-empty subsets. Prove the following equality \[ \det\left( \begin{matrix} S(m+1,1) & S(m+1,2) & \cdots & S(m+1,n) \\
S(m+2,1) & S(m+2,2) & \cdots & S(m+2,n) \\
\cdots & \cdots & \cdots & \cdots \\
S(m+n,1) & S(m+n,2) & \cdots & S(m+n,n) \end{matrix} \right) = (n!)^m \]
2022-12 A partition of the power set of a set
Consider the power set \(P([n])\) consisting of \(2^n\) subsets of \([n]=\{1,\dots,n\}\).
Find the smallest \(k\) such that the following holds: there exists a partition \(Q_1,\dots, Q_k\) of \(P([n])\) so that there do not exist two distinct sets \(A,B\in P([n])\) and \(i\in [k]\) with \(A,B,A\cup B, A\cap B \in Q_i\).
2022-09 A chaotic election
Let \(A_1,\dots, A_k\) be presidential candidates in a country with \(n \geq 1\) voters with \(k\geq 2\). Candidates themselves are not voters. Each voter has her/his own preference on those \(k\) candidates.
Find maximum \(m\) such that the following scenario is possible where \(A_{k+1}\) indicates the candidate \(A_1\): for each \(i\in [k]\), there are at least \(m\) voters who prefers \(A_i\) to \(A_{i+1}\).
2022-06 A way of putting parentheses
We have an expression \(x_0 \div x_1 \div x_2 \div \dots \div x_n\). A way of putting \(n-1\) left parentheses and \(n-1\) right parenthese is called ‘parenthesization’ if it is valid and completely clarify the order of operations. For example, when \(n=3\), we have the following five parenthesizations.
\[ ((x_0\div x_1)\div x_2)\div x_3, \enspace (x_0\div (x_1\div x_2))\div x_3, \enspace (x_0\div x_1)\div (x_2\div x_3),\]
\[x_0\div ((x_1\div x_2)\div x_3), \enspace x_0\div (x_1\div (x_2\div x_3)).
\]
(a) For an integer \(n\), how many parenthesizations are there?
(b) For each parenthesization, we can compute the expression to obtain a fraction with some variables in the numerator and some variable in the denominator. For an integer \(n\), determine which fraction occur most often. How many times does it occur?
2022-03 Sum of vectors
For \(k,n\geq 1\), let \(v_1,\dots, v_n\) be unit vectors in \(\mathbb{R}^k\). Prove that we can always choose signs \(\varepsilon_1,\dots,\varepsilon_n\in \{-1, +1\}\) such that \(|\sum_{i=1}^{n} \varepsilon_i v_i |\leq \sqrt{n} \).
2021-24 The squares of wins and losses
There are \(n\) people participating to a chess tournament and every two players play one game. There are no draws. Let \(a_i\) be the number of wins of the \(i\)-th player and \(b_i\) be the number of losses of the \(i\)-th player. Prove that
\[\sum_{i\in [n]} a_i^2 = \sum_{i\in [n]} b_i^2.\]
Notice on 2021-21
The problem on 2021-21 was written in an ambiguous way, which led the contestants to misunderstand the problem. The problem is updated to be more clear, and anyone is again welcome to submit a solution for the problem.
2021-21 Different unions
Let \(F\) be a family of nonempty subsets of \([n]=\{1,\dots,n\}\) such that no two disjoint subsets of \(F\) have the same union. In other words, for \(F =\{ A_1,A_2,\dots, A_k\},\) there exists no two sets \(I, J\subseteq [k]\) with \(I\cap J =\emptyset\) and \(\bigcup_{i\in I}A_i = \bigcup_{j\in J} A_j\). Determine the maximum possible size of \(F\).
2021-18 Independent sets in a tree
Let \(T\) be a tree (an acyclic connected graph) on the vertex set \([n]=\{1,\dots, n\}\).
Let \(A\) be the adjacency matrix of \(T\), i.e., the \(n\times n\) matrix with \(A_{ij} = 1\) if \(i\) and \(j\) are adjacent in \(T\) and \(A_{ij}=0\) otherwise. Prove that the number of nonnegative eigenvalues of \(A\) equals to the size of the largest independent set of \(T\). Here, an independent set is a set of vertices where no two vertices in the set are adjacent.
