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Source: Rioplatense L3 2023 #3

December 6, 2023
combinatorics

Problem Statement

The water city of Platense consists of many platforms and bridges between them. Each bridge connects two platforms and there is not two bridges connecting the same two platforms. The mayor wants to switch some bridges by a series of moves in the following way: if there are three platforms A,B,CA,B,C and bridges ABAB and ACAC (no bridge BCBC), he can switch bridge ABAB to a bridge BCBC. A configuration of bridges is good if it is possible to go to any platfom from any platform using only bridges. Starting in a good configuration, prove that the mayor can reach any other good configuration, whose the quantity of bridges is the same, using the allowed moves.