IMC 2007 · Problem 2

Day 114th IMC · Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Statement

Let n2n \ge 2 be an integer. What is the minimal and maximal possible rank of an n×nn \times n matrix whose n2n^2 entries are precisely the numbers 1,2,,n21, 2, \dots, n^2?

Official solution

Hidden so you can work on the problem first.