For positive integer n, an=n5−⌊n5⌋. Compute the maximum value and the minimum value of a1,a2,…,a2009. (For real number x, ⌊x⌋ denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to x.) (Posed by Wang Zhixiong)
Solution
Let b0=0, b1=1, bn=4bn−2+bn−1 (n≥2). Then bn=25(2+5)n−(2−5)n. In particular, b6=1292, b7=5473. For every k=1,2,…,5473, there are unique integers xk,yk such that 1292k=xk+5473yk, and 1≤xk≤5473. Since (1292,5473)=1, x1,x2,…,x5473 is a permutation of {1,2,…,5473}, and it is clear that {yk} is nondecreasing: y1≤y2≤⋯≤y5473=1291. For our convenience, let f(x)=x−⌊x⌋. We have f(xk5)=f(1292k5−5473yk5)=f(2(2+5)6−(2−5)6k−2(2+5)7−(2−5)7yk)=f(−(2−5)6k+(2−5)7yk). Since 0<(2−5)6k−(2−5)7yk≤5473(2−5)6−1291(2−5)7<1, it follows that f(xk5)=1−(2−5)k+(2−5)7yk, and this is strictly decreasing. Now, since x1=1292, x5473=5473, x5472=4181, x5471=2889, x5470=1597, we see that a1292 attains the maximum and a1597 the minimum.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.