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Research notes on every problem, and a library of the papers behind them. Built from the open erdos repository.

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Claim. Theorem 1 (p. 168) of the paper on the library's [[../library/ramsey_theory/gerencser_1967_ramsey_type_problems/_index|source card]], [[../library/ramsey_theory/gerencser_1967_ramsey_type_problems/theorem_1|Theorem 1]]: writing g(k,l)g(k,l) for the least number of vertices of a graph GG that forces a path of length kk in GG or one of length ll in its complement, g(k,l)=k+[(l+1)/2]g(k,l)=k+[(l+1)/2] for k≥lk\ge l. A path of length kk has k+1k+1 vertices, so the diagonal case k=l=n−1k=l=n-1 gives the path PnP_n on nn vertices the Ramsey number

R(Pn)=n−1+⌊n/2⌋,R(P_n)=n-1+\lfloor n/2\rfloor,

which is at most 2n−22n-2 for every n≥2n\ge2. The site's commentary on the problem states the same value for paths and credits the paper.

Covers. The corrected Statement of Problem 547 for every path PnP_n, n≥2n\ge2. Every other tree is outside this claim; the full corrected Statement is settled by the accepted claim page [[problems/ramsey_theory/E0547/claims/2026_09_03_adamczewski|the 2026 claim]].

Depends on. Nothing in this wiki; the result is the paper's own theorem.

Acceptance. Refereed: L. Gerencsér and A. Gyárfás, On Ramsey-type problems, Ann. Univ. Sci. Budapest. Eötvös Sect. Math. 10 (1967), 167--170, a journal of the Eötvös University; the volume is dated 1967, and this page's date is the first day of that year. No reviewed evidence is listed: the site's label DECIDABLE settles neither the problem nor any part of it.