On a variation of Schur numbers (Q1576570)

Given \(k\geq 3\) the authors calculate the least integer \(n=R(L_2(k))\) (resp. \(n=R(L_3(k))\)) such that for every 2-coloring of the set \(S=\{1,2,\dots,n\}\) the inequality \(x_1+x_2+\dots+x_{k-1}<x_k\) has a solution \(x_1,x_2,\dots,x_k\) in \(S\) (such that \(x_1<x_2<\dots<x_k\)). It is shown that \(R(L_2(k))=k^2-k+1\) while \(R(L_3(k))={9\over 16}k^3-k^2+a_ik+b_i\), where \(i\equiv k\pmod 4\) and \(a_0=a_2=1\), \(a_1={13\over 16}\), \(a_3={17\over 16}\), \(b_0=1\), \(b_1={13\over 8}\), \(b_2={1\over 2}\), \(b_3={5\over 8}\). Moreover, it is shown that, up to a switching of the colors, there exists a unique 2-coloring of the set \(\{1,2,\dots,R(L_i(k))-1\}\), \(i=2,3\), that avoids a monochromatic solution of the considered inequalities.