TOPMATTER
NAVIGATOR
Reading. Sections 1.8 and 2.6 of Larson's textbook.
Next Quiz. Tuesday March 3 on these two sections and this handout.
Problem 1 (Larson's 2.5.11, modified).
- Let $R_n$ denote the number of ways of placing $n$ non-attacking rooks on an $n\times n$ chessboard so that the resulting arrangement is symmetric about a $90^\circ$ clockwise rotation of the board about
its centre. Compute $R_n$.
- Let $S_n$ denote the number of ways of placing $n$ non-attacking rooks on an $n\times n$ chessboard so that the resulting arrangement is symmetric about the centre of the board. Compute $S_n$.
- Let $T_n$ denote the number of ways of placing $n$ non-attacking rooks on an $n\times n$ chessboard so that the resulting arrangement is symmetric about both diagonals. Compute $T_n$.
Problem 2 (Larson's 2.5.13).
- A derangement is a permutation $\sigma\in S_n$ such that for every $i$, $\sigma i\neq i$. Let $g_n$ be the number of derangements in $S_n$. Show that
\[ g_1=0,\quad g_2=1,\quad g_n=(n-1)(g_{n-1}+g_{n-2}). \]
Hint. A derangement interchanges $1$ with some other element, or not.
- Let $f_n$ be the number of permutations in $S_n$ that have exactly one fixed point (namely, exactly one $i$ such that $\sigma i=i$). Show that $|f_n-g_n|=1$.
Problem 3 (Larson's 1.8.1, modified).
- Let $0<\alpha<\pi$. Show that $\frac{\sin\theta + \sin(\theta+\alpha)}{\cos\theta-\cos(\theta+\alpha)}$ is independent of $\theta$ for $0\leq\theta\leq\alpha$.
- Can you find a geometric interpretation for this fact?
Problem 4 (Larson's 1.8.3). In the figure on the right, everything is as it seems: $O$ is the centre, $AB$ is a diameter, $CE$ and $BC$ are tangents, and all lines are straight. Show that $BC=CD$.
The Pigeonhole Principle. If 101 pigeons are put in 100 pigeonholes, at least one of the pigeonholes will be overcrowded. Or more generally,
If $kn+1$ objects are put in $n$ boxes, at least one of the boxes contains at least $k+1$ objects.
Problem 5 (Larson's 2.6.1). Given $n+1$ positive integers, none of which exceeds $2n$, show that one of these integers divides another of these
integers.
Problem 6 (Larson's 2.6.3, modified). The points on a $3\times 7$ rectangular grid are coloured $Q$ and $M$. Show that you can find a rectangle
among these points, whose sides are parallel to the grid axes, and all of whose corners are coloured the same way.
Problem 7 (off topic, but fun). A rectangle is said to be "part whole" if the length of at least one of its sides is a whole number. Prove that
if a rectangle $R$ can be partitioned into part whole subrectangles, then $R$ is part whole.
Hint. Consider $\int e^{2\pi i(x+y)}dx\,dy$. (!?!!)
New! I just learned of an article
that has 14 proofs of this result! Fourteen
Proofs of a Result About Tiling a Rectangle by Stan Wagon,
The American Mathematical Monthly 94-7 (1987) 601-617.
Problem 8 (Larson's 2.6.6). If 20 integers are chosen from within the elements of the arithmetic progression 1,4,7,...,100, show that you can
find two of them whose sum is 104.
Problem 9 (Larson's 2.6.10, expanded).
- Let $X$ be any real number. Prove that among the numbers
\[ X,\ 2X,\ \ldots,\ (n-1)X \]
there is one that differs from an integer by at most $1/n$.
- Let $\alpha$ be an irrational number. Prove that the set $\{\{n\alpha\}\colon n\in\bbZ\}$ is dense in the unit interval $[0,1]$, where for a
real number $x$, $\{x\}$ denotes its "fractional part" - the difference between $x$ and the largest integer $\lfloor x\rfloor$ smaller or equal to $x$.
Problem 10 (Larson's 2.6.11, abbreviated).
- Prove that in any group of six people there are either three mutual friends or three mutual strangers.
- Prove that if all the edges and diagonals of a 17-gon are each coloured red, green, or blue, then you can find a single-colour triangle.