Problem:
Let be a monotonically increasing sequence of positive integers. A positive integer is called reliable if there exists a positive integer index with .
Prove: If 2013 is reliable, then 20 is also reliable.
Problem:
Let be a monotonically increasing sequence of positive integers. A positive integer is called reliable if there exists a positive integer index with .
Prove: If 2013 is reliable, then 20 is also reliable.
Solution:
If 2013 is reliable, then there exists a positive integer index with . In particular, the set of all positive integers for which holds is non-empty. Thus contains a smallest element , and this satisfies on the one hand
and on the other hand . The latter means that either must hold, or and . However, because of , it follows from (2) that , which rules out the first of these two alternatives; hence it must be that , and combining this with (2) we obtain the chain of inequalities
This can only hold if equality holds throughout. Because , the index witnesses that 20 is, as claimed, reliable.