Suppose the first five terms of the sequence are x, y, 20, z, 57.
The sum of the third term, 20, and
the fourth term, z, is equal to the
fifth term, 57.
Thus, 20+z=57, or z=37.
Similarly, y+20=37, and so the
second term is y=37−20=17.
Finally, x=20−y, or x=20−17=3.
(The first five terms of this sequence are 3, 17, 20, 37, 57.)
The first six terms of this Dunbar sequence are a, b, a+b, a+2b, 2a+3b, 3a+5b.
Thus, we want to find all possible ordered pairs of positive integers
(a,b) for which a lt;b and 3a+5b=104.
Since 5b=104−3a, then 104−3a must be a multiple of 5 (since 5b is a multiple of 5).
The smallest positive integer a for
which 104−3a is a multiple of 5 is
a=3.
When a=3, 5b=104−3(3)=95 and so b=595=19.
In this case, the first six terms of the sequence are 3, 19, 22, 41, 63, 104.
The second smallest positive integer a for which 104−3a is a multiple of 5 is a=8.
When a=8, 5b=104−3(8)=80 and so b=16.
In this case, the first six terms of the sequence are 8, 16, 24, 40, 64, 104.
The third smallest positive integer a for which 104−3a is a multiple of 5 is a=13.
When a=13, 5b=104−3(13)=65 and so b=13.
However, (a,b)=(13,13) does not
satisfy the condition a lt;b, and
for all values of a greater than
13, a gt;b.
Thus, there are exactly two ordered pairs (a,b) satisfying the given
conditions.
These are (3,19) and (8,16).
Solution 1:
The first eight terms of this Dunbar sequence are c, d, c+d, c+2d, 2c+3d, 3c+5d, 5c+8d, 8c+13d.
Thus, we want to find all possible ordered pairs of positive integers
(c,d) for which c lt;d and (5c+8d)(8c+13d)=41440.
Suppose that we let the sixth, seventh and eighth terms of the sequence
be the positive integers R, S and T, respectively.
Then R lt;S lt;T and S×T=41440.
Since S lt;T and S×T=41440, then S 2 lt;41 ,440 and so S lt; 41 ,440 or S≤203 (since S is a positive integer).
Also, since R lt;S and T=S+R, then T lt;2S.
So, 41 ,440=S T lt;S (2S)=2S 2, and thus 41 ,440 lt;2S 2 or 41 ,440 2 lt;S, which
gives 144≤S.
Summarizing, we have S×T=41440, where 144≤S≤203.
Since S and T are positive integers, then (S,T) is a factor pair of 41440=25×5×7×37.
If S is a factor of 25×5×7×37 and 144≤S≤203, then the possible
values of S are 22×37=148, 25×5=160, and 5×37=185. Thus, the factor pairs
(S,T) are (148,280), (160,259), and (185,224).
If the seventh term is S=148 and
the eighth term is T=280, then the
sixth term is 280−148=132, the
fifth term is 148−132=16, the
fourth term is 132−16=116, and the
third term is 16−116=−100.
Each term must be a positive integer, and so (S,T)=(148,280).
For each of the two remaining possible factor pairs (S,T), we similarly work backward in an
attempt to determine (c,d), the
first two terms of the sequence.
We summarize this work in the table that follows.
Thus, (c,d)=(8,15) is the only
pair for which the product of the seventh term and the eighth term is
equal to 41440.
Solution 2:
We begin as we did in Solution 1 by letting the seventh term be S=5c+8d and the eighth term be T=8c+13d, so S×T=41440.
Next, we work backward to determine the first term, c, and the second term, d, in terms of S and T.
With the eighth term equal to T and
the seventh term equal to S, the
sixth term is T−S.
Then, the fifth term is S−(T−S)=2S−T, the fourth term is (T−S)−(2S−T)=2T−3S, and the third term is
(2S−T)−(2T−3S)=5S−3T.
Finally, the second term is (2T−3S)−(5S−3T)=5T−8S=d, and the first
term is (5S−3T)−(5T−8S)=13S−8T=c.
Given that c gt;0, it follows
that 13S-8T gt;0 or 13S gt;8T.
Since S×T=41440, then T=S41440. Substituting, we
get 13S gt;8 41 ,440 S.
S is a positive integer and so
simplifying, we get S 2 gt; 8 41 ,440 13 or
S≥160.
Given that c lt;d, it follows
that 13S-8T lt;5T-8S or 21S lt;13T.
Substituting T=S41440,
we get 21S lt;13 41 ,440 S.
S is a positive integer and so
simplifying, we get S 2 lt; 13 41 ,440 21 or
S≤160.
Therefore, S=160 and T=16041440=259.
Substituting the values of S and
T, the first term is c=13S−8T=13(160)−8(259)=8, and the second
term is d=5T−8S=5(259)−8(160)=15.
We can confirm that the first 8
terms of the sequence are 8, 15, 23, 38, 61, 99, 160, 259, and that 160×259=41440.