IMO 1988 · Problem 4

Show that set of real numbers \(x\) which satisfy the inequality \[ \sum_{k=1}^{70}\frac{k}{x-k}\geq\frac54 \] is a union of disjoint intervals, the sum of whose lengths is 1988.

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

Solution

Define \[ F(x)=\sum_{k=1}^{70}\frac{k}{x-k}, \qquad x\notin\{1,2,\ldots,70\}. \]

On each interval containing no pole, \(F\) is continuous and strictly decreasing. Indeed, if \(x<y\) lie in the same such interval, then for every \(k\), \[ \frac{k}{x-k}-\frac{k}{y-k} =\frac{k(y-x)}{(x-k)(y-k)}>0, \] because the two denominator factors have the same sign.

For every \(j=1,\ldots,69\), \[ \lim_{x\to j^+}F(x)=+\infty, \qquad \lim_{x\to(j+1)^-}F(x)=-\infty. \] Consequently, continuity and strict monotonicity give a unique \(\alpha_j\in(j,j+1)\) satisfying \(F(\alpha_j)=5/4\). Within this interval, the inequality holds exactly when \[ x\in(j,\alpha_j]. \]

Similarly, \[ \lim_{x\to70^+}F(x)=+\infty, \qquad \lim_{x\to+\infty}F(x)=0, \] so there is a unique \(\alpha_{70}>70\) with \(F(\alpha_{70})=5/4\), and the solutions above \(70\) form \((70,\alpha_{70}]\). For \(x<1\), every summand is negative, so there are no solutions.

Thus the entire solution set is the union of the 70 pairwise disjoint intervals \[ \bigcup_{j=1}^{70}(j,\alpha_j]. \] It remains to calculate their total length.

Put \[ S=\sum_{k=1}^{70}k=\frac{70\cdot71}{2}=2485 \] and introduce the polynomial \[ Q(x)=5\prod_{k=1}^{70}(x-k) -4\sum_{k=1}^{70} k\!\!\prod_{\substack{1\leq m\leq70\\m\ne k}}(x-m). \] Multiplying \(F(\alpha_j)=5/4\) by \(4\prod_{k=1}^{70}(\alpha_j-k)\) shows that \(Q(\alpha_j)=0\).

The polynomial \(Q\) has degree \(70\), leading coefficient \(5\), and the 70 distinct roots \(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_{70}\). Therefore \[ Q(x)=5\prod_{j=1}^{70}(x-\alpha_j). \] In its defining expression, the coefficient of \(x^{69}\) is \[ -5S-4S=-9S. \] Comparing this with the coefficient in the factored expression gives \[ -5\sum_{j=1}^{70}\alpha_j=-9S, \qquad\text{hence}\qquad \sum_{j=1}^{70}\alpha_j=\frac95S. \] The sum of the interval lengths is consequently \[ \sum_{j=1}^{70}(\alpha_j-j) =\frac95S-S =\frac45\cdot2485 =\boxed{1988}. \]

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