# Eight distinct numbers in the table

While I was working on Ten distinct numbers in the table, I found that odd-sized tables will all work. Additionally, the technique @xnor used to prove a 10x10 doesn't work does not automatically rule out 4x4 and 8x8 tables from working. A 4x4 table doesn't work, but what about an 8x8 table?

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| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
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| 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
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| 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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| 5 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
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| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
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Same rules as before - can you pick the numbers 0 through 7 such that you have one of each number, with every column and row being represented exactly once each?

If this doesn't work, are there any even-sized tables that do? If it does, is there a general rule for which ones work and which don't?

Parity check: 0-7 add up to 28, so numbers+rows+columns adds up to 84. Even number passes the parity check.

This is impossible for an $n\times n$ table whenever $n$ is even.
If we number the rows $0,1,\ldots,n-1$ and the columns similarly, the entry in row $i$, column $j$ is congruent to $j-i$ modulo $n$. It follows that if we pick $n$ entries, one from each row and column, the sum of these entries must be divisible by $n$ (modulo $n$, each number $0,1,\ldots,n-1$ gets added once as a column number and subtracted once as a row number). So if it is possible to pick our $n$ numbers to be $0,1,\ldots,n-1$, is must be the case that $0+1+\ldots+(n-1)$ is divisible by $n$. We can compute $$0+1+\ldots+(n-1)=n\frac{n-1}{2}.$$ This sum is divisible by $n$ if and only if $(n-1)/2$ is an integer, i.e. if and only if $n$ is odd.