Does every Integermania problem have a solution?
Theorem 3: There exists an Integermania solution, without rounding, for every integer n and every non-empty set of integers A.
Proof: Suppose A = {1}. If n percent signs are used, we have
.
If a negative integer is desired, take opposites. Therefore every Integermania problem can be solved with the set A = {1}.
Since 0! = 1, and Γ(2) = 1, there exists a function
such that
when a is 0 or
2. Then
, so every Integermania problem can be solved
with the set A = {0} or the set A = {2}.
Now suppose A = {a}. The function d(a) is
the number of divisors of the positive integer a.
For
. This implies that
there exists some integer number of compositions of the functions d(a)
for which
.
Therefore, for any non-negative integer a, there exists a function
such that
. And since a can be turned into its opposite by a
negative sign,
exists with
for every integer.
Thus every Integermania problem can be solved for any integer a,
positive, negative, or zero,
in the singleton set A = {a}.
Now suppose
.
If
percent signs are used, we have
.
Therefore every Integermania problem can be solved with any set A of
integers.
Comments: This existence proof used level 6 operations, and by no means gives the most exquisite solutions. All of the sets used on this site can be solved with level 4 operations or below, although the unary surcharges will cause solutions to have higher exquisiteness levels. All of the examples below have n percent signs.
| First Four Composites: | ![]() |
| First Four Naturals: | ![]() |
| First Four Primes: | ![]() |
| Four Fours: | ![]() |
| JCCC Letters: | ![]() |
| JCCC Zips: | ![]() |
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