IMO 1967 · Problem 6

In a sports contest, there were \(m\) medals awarded on \(n\) successive days (\(n > 1\)). On the first day, one medal and \(1/7\) of the remaining \(m - 1\) medals were awarded. On the second day, two medals and \(1/7\) of the now remaining medals were awarded; and so on. On the \(n\)-th and last day, the remaining \(n\) medals were awarded. How many days did the contest last, and how many medals were awarded altogether?

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Answer

The contest lasted \(\boxed{6}\) days, and \(\boxed{36}\) medals were awarded altogether.

Solution

Let \(a_k\) be the number of medals awarded on day \(k\). After the first \(k\) medals are awarded that day, one seventh of those remaining is awarded. This seventh equals \(a_k-k\), so the number left at the end of day \(k\) is \[ 6(a_k-k). \] Consequently, for \(1\le k<n\), \[ a_{k+1} =(k+1)+\frac{6(a_k-k)-(k+1)}7 =\frac{6(a_k+1)}7. \] This also applies when \(k+1=n\), since on the last day the initial \(n\) medals exhaust the supply, leaving a seventh of zero.

Thus \[ 7(a_{k+1}-6)=6(a_k-6). \] Iterating and using \(a_n=n\), we obtain \[ 7^{\,n-1}(n-6)=6^{\,n-1}(a_1-6). \] All medal counts are integers, and \(6^{n-1}\) and \(7^{n-1}\) are coprime. Therefore \[ 6^{\,n-1}\mid n-6. \]

However, for every integer \(n\ge2\), the binomial theorem gives \[ 6^{\,n-1}=(1+5)^{n-1}\ge 1+5(n-1)=5n-4>|n-6|. \] For the last inequality, if \(2\le n\le6\), the difference is \(6n-10>0\); if \(n\ge6\), it is \(4n+2>0\). The only multiple of \(6^{n-1}\) with smaller absolute value is zero. Hence \(n=6\).

The iterated identity now gives \(a_1=6\), so \[ 1+\frac{m-1}{7}=6, \] which yields \(m=36\).

Finally, these values satisfy every requirement. If six medals are awarded each day, then before day \(k\) there are \(36-6(k-1)\) medals. After the first \(k\) are awarded, there remain \[ 36-6(k-1)-k=7(6-k) \] medals, a nonnegative multiple of seven for \(1\le k\le6\). The day's total is therefore \(k+(6-k)=6\). On the sixth day exactly six medals remain, and all are awarded.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).