IMO 1992 · Problem 3

Consider nine points in space, no four of which are coplanar. Each pair of points is joined by an edge (that is, a line segment) and each edge is either colored blue or red or left uncolored. Find the smallest value of \(n\) such that whenever exactly \(n\) edges are colored, the set of colored edges necessarily contains a triangle all of whose edges have the same color.

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

Answer

\[ \boxed{n=33}. \]

Solution

No three of the points are collinear: otherwise those three together with any fourth point would be coplanar. Thus every three points determine a nondegenerate triangle.

First, \(33\) colored edges always suffice. There are \[ \binom{9}{2}=36 \] edges altogether, so exactly three edges are uncolored. Choose one endpoint of each uncolored edge and remove all the chosen points. At most three points are removed, leaving at least six points with every edge between them colored.

Choose six of these points and fix one of them, \(P\). Of the five edges joining \(P\) to the other points, at least three have the same color, say red. Denote their other endpoints by \(A,B,C\). If any of \(AB,BC,CA\) is red, it forms a red triangle with \(P\). Otherwise all three are blue, and \(ABC\) is a blue triangle. Hence \(33\) colored edges guarantee a monochromatic triangle.

Next, \(32\) colored edges need not suffice. Partition the nine points into five groups \[ V_0,V_1,V_2,V_3,V_4 \] of sizes \(2,2,2,2,1\), respectively. Leave edges within each group uncolored. For points in distinct groups \(V_i,V_j\), color their edge:

  • red if \(j-i\equiv \pm1\pmod 5\);
  • blue if \(j-i\equiv \pm2\pmod 5\).

Exactly four edges are uncolored, one within each two-point group. Thus there are \(36-4=32\) colored edges.

Any triangle whose three edges are colored must have its vertices in three distinct groups. Suppose one vertex belongs to \(V_i\).

If the triangle were entirely red, the other two vertices would have to belong to \(V_{i-1}\) and \(V_{i+1}\). But the edge between those groups is blue, since their indices differ by \(2\).

If the triangle were entirely blue, the other two vertices would have to belong to \(V_{i-2}\) and \(V_{i+2}\). But the edge between those groups is red, since their indices differ by \(4\equiv-1\pmod5\).

Consequently this coloring has no monochromatic triangle. Uncoloring further edges gives such an example with any smaller number of colored edges. Therefore the smallest required value is \(\boxed{33}\).

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