IMC 2019 · Problem 8

Day 226th IMC · Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Statement

Let x1,…,xnx_1, \ldots, x_n be real numbers. For any set I⊂{1,2,…,n}I \subset \{1, 2, \ldots, n\} let s(I)=∑i∈Ixis(I) = \sum_{i \in I} x_i. Assume that the function I↦s(I)I \mapsto s(I) takes on at least 1.8n1.8^n values where II runs over all 2n2^n subsets of {1,2,…,n}\{1, 2, \ldots, n\}. Prove that the number of sets I⊂{1,2,…,n}I \subset \{1, 2, \ldots, n\} for which s(I)=2019s(I) = 2019 does not exceed 1.7n1.7^n.

Official solution

Hidden so you can work on the problem first.