MathDB
sequences with patterns of strict inequalities

Source: 2018 Swedish Mathematical Competition p3

May 1, 2021
combinatoricsSequence

Problem Statement

Let m be a positive integer. An mm-pattern is a sequence of mm symbols of strict inequalities. An mm-pattern is said to be realized by a sequence of m+1m + 1 real numbers when the numbers meet each of the inequalities in the given order. (For example, the 55-pattern <,<,>,<,> <, <,>, < ,> is realized by the sequence of numbers 1,4,7,3,1,01, 4, 7, -3, 1, 0.) Given mm, which is the least integer nn for which there exists any number sequence x1,...,xnx_1,... , x_n such that each mm-pattern is realized by a subsequence xi1,...,xim+1x_{i_1},... , x_{i_{m + 1}} with 1i1<...<im+1n1 \le i_1 <... < i_{m + 1} \le n?