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Classic olympiad problem · Combinatorics

Prove that in any group of n ≥ 2 people, at least two have shaken…

Prove that in any group of n2n \ge 2 people, at least two have shaken hands the same number of times (within the group).
Topic: Combinatorics Difficulty: 3/6 Expected time: ~30 min Progressive hints on Lemma: 3

This is a proof problem — the answer is an argument, not a number. The solution is deliberately not posted here: reading a solution you didn't fight for teaches almost nothing. On Lemma you attempt it cold, take one of the 3 progressive hints only when genuinely stuck, then compare your proof against a full walkthrough and mark yourself with the same rubric a competition coordinator would use.

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