Problem

Source: RMM Shortlist 2016 C1

Tags: combinatorics, minimum, positive integers



We start with any finite list of distinct positive integers. We may replace any pair $n, n + 1$ (not necessarily adjacent in the list) by the single integer $n-2$, now allowing negatives and repeats in the list. We may also replace any pair $n, n + 4$ by $n - 1$. We may repeat these operations as many times as we wish. Either determine the most negative integer which can appear in a list, or prove that there is no such minimum.