Means of neighboring squares

combinatoricsmeansrectanglessequences-and-series

mn squares of equal size are arranged to form a rectangle of dimension m by n where m and n are natural numbers. Two squares will be called 'neighbours' if they have exactly one common side. A natural number is written in each square such that the number in written any square is the arithmetic mean of the numbers written in its neighbouring squares. Show that this is possible only if all the numbers used are equal.

We can assume this

      B
   C  A  D
      E

Therefore $A= (B+C+D+E)/4$

$4A = B+C+D+E$

What does mean ? Please solve the question.

Best Answer

Take the minimal number $A$ in the rectangle.

Thus, by the given any neighbour numbers are equal to $A$.

Can you end it now?

About your new question. We can not solve this equation.

For example, $$4\cdot5=1+2+3+14=2+4+5+9=...$$