AlgebraDifficulty 5.3AIME, harderFind the answerIreland
Define f(r)=2r+r−1+r+1, g(r)=2r+r−1−r+1 and h(r)=2r−r−1+r+1. Calculate to two decimal places r=1∑2020f(r)⋅g(r)⋅h(r)1.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
The answer is 0.25 to 2DP (or more accurately, 0.247219). The key observation is that f(r)g(r)h(r)1=41(2r−r−1−r+1). Two see why, we apply the difference of two squares twice: (2r−r−1−r+1)(r−1+2r+r+1)=4r−(r−1+r+1)2=4r−(r−1)−(r+1)−2r−1r+1=2r−2r2−1. Likewise: (2r+r−1−r+1)(2r−r−1+r+1)=4r−(r+1−r−1)2=2r+2r2−1. Multiplying these last two terms, we have f(r)g(r)h(r)⋅(2r−r−1−r+1)=(2r−2r2−1)(2r+2r2−1)=4. This proves the key observation. Then the sum to be computed is: S=41r=1∑2020(2r−r−1−r+1)=42r=1∑2020r−41r=1∑2020r−1−41r=1∑2020r+1=42r=1∑2020r−41(r=1∑2020r−2020)−41(r=1∑2020r−1+2021)=41(2020+1−2021).
To see that S=0.25 to two decimal places, we note that: 0≤41−S=42021−2020=4(2020+2021)1<816001=3201.
Thus the difference does not affect the second decimal place.
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