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Aiden Barry

Aiden Barry

Answered question

2022-05-21

There is a subset T S with | T | = k + 1 such that for every a , b T, the number a 2 b 2 is divisible by 10.
Let k 1 be an integer.
If S is a set of positive integers with | S | = N, then there is a subset T S with | T | = k + 1 such that for every a , b T, the number a 2 b 2 is divisible by 10.
What is the smallest value of N as a function of k so that the above statement is true?
Step 2
I have observed that perfect squares end with 0,1,4,5,6 and 9. If we have two perfect squares that end with the same as one of 0,1,4,5,6 and 9, then we are done.
I think by PHP we should have N k = 6

Answer & Explanation

Liberty Gates

Liberty Gates

Beginner2022-05-22Added 11 answers

Step 1
Let N k be the smallest value of N with this property.
As observed, perfect squares end with 0,1,4,5,6 or 9, and then by the Pigeonhole Principle, every set S of size 6 k + 1 has a subset T such that for every a , b T, 10 | a 2 b 2 .
This shows that N k 6 k + 1.
Step 2
Let's prove that in fact N k = 6 k + 1, that is, there is a set S with | S | = 6 k such that for every T S with T = k + 1 there is a , b T with a 2 b 2 not a multiple of 10.
Then we can define S to be a set such that for each i { 0 , 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 }, S has exactly k numbers such that its square ends with i.
Thus, every subset of size k + 1 of S has a, b with a 2 b 2 not a multiple of 10.
The only thing we are using to construct S is that this families F i = { n N : n 2 i  (mod 10) } are infinity for every i { 0 , 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 }.

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