IMO 1991 · Problem 3

Let \(S = \{1, 2, 3, \ldots, 280\}\). Find the smallest integer \(n\) such that each \(n\)-element subset of \(S\) contains five numbers which are pairwise relatively prime.

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

Answer

\[ \boxed{217} \]

Solution

Let \[ F=\{m\in S:\text{at least one of }2,3,5,7\text{ divides }m\}. \] By inclusion–exclusion, \[ \begin{aligned} |F| &=(140+93+56+40)\\ &\quad -(46+28+20+18+13+8)\\ &\quad +(9+6+4+2)-1\\ &=216. \end{aligned} \] Among any five members of \(F\), two must have a common divisor from \(\{2,3,5,7\}\), by the pigeonhole principle. Thus \(F\) contains no five pairwise relatively prime numbers, so \(n\ge217\).

We prove that every subset with no five pairwise relatively prime numbers has at most \(216\) elements.

First, determine the composite numbers in \(S\setminus F\). All their prime factors are at least \(11\). Since \(11^3>280\), each such number is a product \(pq\) of two primes, with \(11\le p\le q\). Also \(p^2\le280<17^2\), so \(p=11\) or \(p=13\). The possibilities are exactly \[ 11^2,\quad11\cdot13,\quad11\cdot17,\quad11\cdot19,\quad 11\cdot23,\quad13^2,\quad13\cdot17,\quad13\cdot19. \] Consequently, \(S\setminus F\) consists of these eight numbers, the number \(1\), and all primes from \(11\) to \(280\).

Now construct six sets \(G_1,\ldots,G_6\) using the following table. Each set consists of all entries in its row.

Set Four members of \(F\) Members of \(S\setminus F\)
\(G_1\) \(2,\ 3,\ 5,\ 7\) \(1\), and all primes from \(11\) to \(280\)
\(G_2\) \(2^2,\ 3^2,\ 5^2,\ 7^2\) \(11^2,\ 13^2\)
\(G_3\) \(2^3,\ 3^3,\ 5^3,\ 7\cdot17\) \(11\cdot13\)
\(G_4\) \(2^4,\ 3^4,\ 5\cdot23,\ 7\cdot29\) \(11\cdot17,\ 13\cdot19\)
\(G_5\) \(2^5,\ 3^5,\ 5\cdot29,\ 7\cdot23\) \(11\cdot19,\ 13\cdot17\)
\(G_6\) \(2^6,\ 3\cdot13,\ 5\cdot17,\ 7\cdot19\) \(11\cdot23\)

All displayed numbers belong to \(S\), and the six sets are disjoint. Within each row, no prime divides two different entries, so the members of each \(G_i\) are pairwise relatively prime.

Moreover, these sets cover every element of \(S\setminus F\) and exactly \(24\) elements of \(F\). Therefore, writing \[ U=G_1\cup\cdots\cup G_6, \] we have \[ |S\setminus U|=|F|-24=192. \]

Let \(A\subseteq S\) contain no five pairwise relatively prime numbers. Each \(G_i\) can contain at most four elements of \(A\). Hence \[ |A| =|A\setminus U|+\sum_{i=1}^{6}|A\cap G_i| \le192+6\cdot4 =216. \] Thus every \(217\)-element subset contains five pairwise relatively prime numbers. Together with the example \(F\), this proves that the smallest integer is \(\boxed{217}\).

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