Number theoryDifficulty 5.2AIME, harderProve itUnited States
Problem: Let n be a positive integer and let S be the set {1,2,…,n}. Define a function f:S→S by f(x)={2x2n−2x+1 if 2x≤n, otherwise. Define f2(x)=f(f(x)),f3(x)=f(f(f(x))), and so on. If m is a positive integer satisfying fm(1)=1, prove that fm(k)=k for all k∈S.
Solution
Solution: First note that f(x)≡±2xmod2n+1 It follows that fp(x)≡±2pxmod2n+1 Thus if fm(1)=1, 2m≡±1 and so, for any k∈S, fm(k)≡±2mk≡±kmod2n+1 that is, fm(k)±k=j(2n+1) for some integer j and some choice of the sign. Since 0<1+1≤fm(k)+k≤n+n<2n+1, the plus sign is invalid. Thus the minus sign holds, and since −(2n+1)<1−n≤fm(k)−k≤n−1<2n+1, we get j=0, i.e. fm(k)=k.
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