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China Girls' Mathematical Olympiad

China geometry

Problem

An integer is called good if and there are lattice points in the coordinate plane satisfying the following conditions: If line segment has a rational length, then there is such that both line segments and have irrational lengths; and if line segment has an irrational length, then there is such that both line segments and have rational lengths. (1) Determine the minimum good number.
Solution
We claim that the minimum good number is , and that is good.

It is not difficult to see that is not a good number. Note that is also not a good number. Assume on the contrary that there are lattice points satisfying the conditions of the problem. Without loss of generality, we assume that is rational and is good. Then must be good. Neither nor is good, violating the condition of the problem. Hence our assumption was wrong and is not a good number.

For , we define the set

It is not difficult to see that all triples are good. Hence is minimum good number.
Final answer
5

Techniques

Cartesian coordinatesDistance chasingColoring schemes, extremal arguments