Browse · MathNet
PrintMongolian Mathematical Olympiad
Mongolia number theory
Problem
Initially a needle with length was in vertical position. Can one transfer the needle to horizontal position by passing no more than lattice points?
Solution
By Chinese remainder theorem the system has positive integer solutions for , where are different primes of the form . From this follows that there is no lattice point in the ring . Proceeding by contradiction, if suppose that , , then and , , . It implies and we get . This is a contradiction. If we take then one can locate the needle in the ring and it is possible to rotate the needle inside the ring not passing a lattice point.
Final answer
Yes
Techniques
Chinese remainder theoremQuadratic residuesConstructions and loci