Solutions of a particular equation

[A-ManESL]

Hello all... I have a problem which I have been grappling with for some time. Let b be a positive integer and consider the equation z = x + y + b where x,y,z are variables. Suppose the integers {1,2,...4b+5} are partitioned in two classes. I wish to show that at least one of the classes contains a solution to the equation.

I have tried using induction on b. The case b = 1 has been solved entirely by me. But I cannot understand how to use the induction hypothesis to prove the result. The more I think of it, the more I feel that a different approach to the problem is needed, but I can't figure out what. It is sort of a special case of a research problem, which has been solved in a more general way. I have little experience of doing research on my own, and so will be glad if anyone can offer me any advice or hints. Thanks.

 

[disregardthat]

A class C of {1,2,...,4b+5} contains a solution is equivalent to that x,y,z are elements of C ?

 

[ramsey2879]

Hello all... I have a problem which I have been grappling with for some time. Let b be a positive integer and consider the equation z = x + y + b where x,y,z are variables. Suppose the integers {1,2,...4b+5} are partitioned in two classes. I wish to show that at least one of the classes contains a solution to the equation.

I have tried using induction on b. The case b = 1 has been solved entirely by me. But I cannot understand how to use the induction hypothesis to prove the result. The more I think of it, the more I feel that a different approach to the problem is needed, but I can't figure out what. It is sort of a special case of a research problem, which has been solved in a more general way. I have little experience of doing research on my own, and so will be glad if anyone can offer me any advice or hints. Thanks.

If you give us your solution for the case b = 1, maybe someone could generalize it for the other cases. Oddly with one less or one more variable, i.e. z = w+x + y +1 or z = x+1, there is a simple counterexample.