IMO 2014 · Problem 6

A set of lines in the plane is in general position if no two are parallel and no three pass through the same point. A set of lines in general position cuts the plane into regions, some of which have finite area; we call these its finite regions. Prove that for all sufficiently large \(n\), in any set of \(n\) lines in general position it is possible to colour at least \(\sqrt{n}\) of the lines blue in such a way that none of its finite regions has a completely blue boundary.

Note: Results with \(\sqrt{n}\) replaced by \(c\sqrt{n}\) will be awarded points depending on the value of the constant \(c\).

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

Solution

We prove the stronger assertion that the required colouring exists for every positive integer \(n\). Throughout the proof, regions refer to the regions of the original arrangement of all \(n\) lines.

Choose an inclusion-maximal set \(B\) of lines such that no finite region has all its boundary lines in \(B\). Such a set exists because the empty set has this property and there are only finitely many subsets of lines. Colour the lines in \(B\) blue and all remaining lines red, and put \(k=|B|\).

For every red line \(r\), maximality implies that changing \(r\) to blue would produce a finite region with a completely blue boundary. Consequently, there is a finite region \(F_r\) whose only red boundary line is \(r\). Choose one such region for each red line and call these regions marked. There are exactly \(n-k\) marked regions, and their red boundary lines are pairwise distinct.

Every finite region is a convex polygon: it is the intersection of the half-planes determined by its boundary lines. Each line contributes at most one side. Thus a marked region with \(s\) sides has one red side and \(s-1\) blue sides. The two endpoints of its red side are intersections of a red and a blue line, while its other \(s-2\) vertices are intersections of two blue lines. Call these latter intersections blue vertices.

We first establish a restriction on marked triangles. Let \(T\) be a marked triangle, let \(r\) be its red boundary line, and let \(v\) be its unique blue vertex. Consider either blue side of \(T\), and the region immediately across that side. At the endpoint different from \(v\), the blue side meets \(r\). Because no third line passes through this point, \(r\) also supplies a boundary side of the adjacent region. If that region were marked, its unique red boundary line would therefore be \(r\), contradicting the fact that distinct marked regions have distinct red boundary lines.

Hence, at the blue vertex of a marked triangle, the two neighbouring sectors belong to unmarked regions.

Now assign weights to blue vertices as follows:

  • Each marked triangle contributes weight \(2\) to its unique blue vertex.
  • Each marked region with at least four sides contributes weight \(1\) to each of its blue vertices.

A marked region with \(s\geq4\) sides has \(s-2\geq2\) blue vertices. Therefore every marked region contributes total weight at least \(2\), and the total weight is at least \[ 2(n-k). \]

On the other hand, the weight received by any blue vertex is at most \(4\). Indeed, exactly four regions meet there, one in each sector.

  • If none is a marked triangle, each contributes at most \(1\), giving total weight at most \(4\).
  • If exactly one is a marked triangle, its two neighbouring sectors are unmarked. Only the opposite sector can contribute further weight, so the total is at most \(2+1=3\).
  • If two are marked triangles, they must occupy opposite sectors, and the other two sectors are unmarked. The total weight is \(2+2=4\).

More than two marked triangles are impossible by the same neighbouring-sector restriction.

Since the blue lines are in general position, they determine exactly \(\binom{k}{2}\) distinct blue vertices. Summing the weight bounds gives \[ 2(n-k)\leq 4\binom{k}{2}=2k(k-1). \] Thus \[ n-k\leq k^2-k, \qquad\text{so}\qquad n\leq k^2. \] Therefore \(k\geq\sqrt n\). By the defining property of \(B\), these blue lines give the required colouring. \(\square\)

The solution was checked against the official IMO shortlist solutions.