Try this beautiful problem from the American Invitational Mathematics Examination, AIME, 2015 based on Arithmetic Mean.
Consider all 1000-element subsets of the set {1, 2, 3, … , 2015}. From each such subset choose the least element. The arithmetic mean of all of these least elements is \(\frac{p}{q}\), where \(p\) and \(q\) are relatively prime positive integers. Find \(p + q\).
Inequalities
Algebra
Number Theory
But try the problem first...
Answer: is 431.
AIME, 2015, Question 12
Elementary Number Theory by David Burton
First hint
Each 1000-element subset \({ a_1, a_2,a_3,…,a_{1000}}\) of \({1,2,3,…,2015}\) with \(a_1<a_2<a_3<…<a_{1000}\) contributes \(a_1\) to sum of least element of each subset and set \({a_1+1,a_2+1,a_3+1,…,a_{1000}+1}\). \(a_1\) ways to choose a positive integer \(k\) such that \(k<a_1+1<a_2+1,a_3+1<…<a_{1000}+1\) (\(k\) can be anything from \(1\) to \(a_1\) inclusive
Second Hint
Thus, the number of ways to choose the set \({k,a_1+1,a_2+1,a_3+1,…,a_{1000}+1}\) is equal to the sum. But choosing a set \({k,a_1+1,a_2+1,a_3+1,…,a_{1000}+1}\) is same as choosing a 1001-element subset from \({1,2,3,…,2016}\)!
Final Step
average =\(\frac{2016}{1001}\)=\(\frac{288}{143}\). Then \(p+q=288+143={431}\)
Math Olympiad Program... taught by Olympians and researchers
From the video below, let's learn from Dr. Ashani Dasgupta (a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin and Founder-Faculty of Cheenta) how you can shape your career in Mathematics and pursue it after 12th in India and Abroad. These are some of the key questions that we are discussing here:
