MathDB
Putnam 1948 B6

Source: Putnam 1948

March 15, 2022
Putnamgeometry3D geometrycomplex numberslinear algebramatrix

Problem Statement

Answer wither (i) or (ii):
(i) Let V,V1,V2V, V_1 , V_2 and V3V_3 denote four vertices of a cube such that V1,V2,V3V_1 , V_2 , V_3 are adjacent to V.V. Project the cube orthogonally on a plane of which the points are marked with complex numbers. Let the projection of VV fall in the origin and the projections of V1,V2,V3V_1 , V_2 , V_3 in points marked with the complex numbers z1,z2,z3z_1 , z_2 , z_3, respectively. Show that z12+z22+z32=0.z_{1}^{2} +z_{2}^{2} +z_{3}^{2}=0.
(ii) Let (aij)(a_{ij}) be a matrix such that aii>ai1+ai2++aii1+aii+1++ain|a_{ii}| > |a_{i1}| + |a_{i2}|+\ldots +|a_{i i-1}|+ |a_{i i+1}| +\ldots +|a_{in}| for all i.i. Show that the determinant is not equal to 0.0.