On Bounding Problems on Totally Ordered Commutative Semi-Groups
  The following is shown : Let $S=\{a_1,a_2,..,a_{2n}\}$ be a subset of a totally ordered commutative semi-group $(G,*,\leq)$ with $a_1\leq a_2\leq...\leq a_{2n}$. Provided that a system of $n$ $a_{i_k} * a_{j_k}\ (a_{i_k}, a_{j_k} \in G ;\ 1 \leq k \leq n)$, where all $2n$ elements in $S$ must be used, are less than an element $N\ (\in G)$, then $a_1*a_{2n}, a_2*a_{2n-1},..., a_n*a_{n+1}$ are all less than $N$. This may be called the Upper Bounding Case. Moreover in the same way, we shall treat also the Lower Bounding Case. 
Susumu Oda
math.AC