MathDB
Lines in Plane

Source: EGMO 2017 Day 1 P3

April 8, 2017
PlaneLinecombinatoricsEGMOcombinatorial geometryEGMO 2017

Problem Statement

There are 20172017 lines in the plane such that no three of them go through the same point. Turbo the snail sits on a point on exactly one of the lines and starts sliding along the lines in the following fashion: she moves on a given line until she reaches an intersection of two lines. At the intersection, she follows her journey on the other line turning left or right, alternating her choice at each intersection point she reaches. She can only change direction at an intersection point. Can there exist a line segment through which she passes in both directions during her journey?