IMO 1974 · Problem 1

Three players \(A, B\) and \(C\) play the following game: On each of three cards an integer is written. These three numbers \(p, q, r\) satisfy \(0 < p < q < r\). The three cards are shuffled and one is dealt to each player. Each then receives the number of counters indicated by the card he holds. Then the cards are shuffled again; the counters remain with the players.

This process (shuffling, dealing, giving out counters) takes place for at least two rounds. After the last round, \(A\) has 20 counters in all, \(B\) has 10 and \(C\) has 9. At the last round \(B\) received \(r\) counters. Who received \(q\) counters on the first round?

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

Answer

Player \(C\).

Solution

Let \(n\ge 2\) be the number of rounds. Each round distributes \(p+q+r\) counters, so \[ n(p+q+r)=20+10+9=39. \] Since \(p,q,r\) are distinct positive integers, \(p+q+r\ge 1+2+3=6\). Thus \(2\le n\le 6\). The only divisor of \(39\) in this range is \(3\), hence \[ n=3,\qquad p+q+r=13. \]

Player \(B\) received \(r\) counters in the last round and at least \(p\) in each earlier round. Therefore \[ r+2p\le 10. \] In the last round, \(A\) received at most \(q\), because \(B\) received \(r\). In each earlier round, \(A\) received at most \(r\). Consequently, \[ 20\le 2r+q=13+r-p, \] which gives \(r\ge 7+p\). Combining the bounds, \[ 7+p\le r\le 10-2p, \] so \(3p\le 3\). Since \(p\) is a positive integer, \(p=1\), and the bounds then force \[ r=8,\qquad q=4. \]

Now \(A\)'s total equals its upper bound: \[ 20=8+8+4. \] Thus \(A\) received \(8\) in each of the first two rounds and \(4\) in the last. Similarly, \(B\)'s total equals its lower bound: \[ 10=1+1+8, \] so \(B\) received \(1\) in each of the first two rounds. Therefore \(C\) received the remaining number, \(q=4\), in the first round.

Indeed, the complete distribution is \[ \begin{array}{c|ccc|c} & \text{Round 1} & \text{Round 2} & \text{Round 3} & \text{Total}\\ \hline A&8&8&4&20\\ B&1&1&8&10\\ C&4&4&1&9 \end{array} \] and satisfies all the conditions.

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