MathDB
graceful distribution of numbers in circles

Source: III May Olympiad (Olimpiada de Mayo) 1997 L2 P4

September 17, 2022
combinatorics

Problem Statement

In the figures, the vertices are marked with a circle. The segments that join vertices are called paths. Non-negative integers are distributed to the vertices and, to the paths, the differences between the numbers at their ends. https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/d/6/e6fce93719a5b35dbf34d58652b01a8631de57.gif
We will say that a distribution of numbers is graceful if all the numbers from 11 to nn appear in the paths, where nn is the number of paths.
The following is an example of graceful distribution: https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/1/1/a8c2b4fde673ca902b655804c4f5321f9666e9.gif Give -if possible- a graceful distribution for the following figures. If you can't do it, show why.