MathDB
sets

Source: Ireland 1998

July 4, 2009
modular arithmeticcombinatorics proposedcombinatorics

Problem Statement

(a) (a) Prove that N \mathbb{N} can be partitioned into three (mutually disjoint) sets such that, if m,nN m,n \in \mathbb{N} and |m\minus{}n| is 2 2 or 5 5, then m m and n n are in different sets. (b) (b) Prove that N \mathbb{N} can be partitioned into four sets such that, if m,nN m,n \in \mathbb{N} and |m\minus{}n| is 2,3, 2,3, or 5 5, then m m and n n are in different sets. Show, however, that N \mathbb{N} cannot be partitioned into three sets with this property.