Let n be a positive integer, and let a1,…,an be integers satisfying ai≤1 for every i. Suppose
a1+⋯+an=k>0.
For each t∈{0,…,n−1}, consider the cyclic shift
at+1,at+2,…,an,a1,…,at.
Prove that exactly k choices of t make every nonempty prefix of this shift have strictly positive sum. Different starting indices count separately, even when they produce identical sequences.