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Number theory Difficulty 7.5 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Estonia

For a given positive integer nn one has to choose positive integers a0,a1,a_0, a_1, \dots so that the following conditions hold:
(1) ai=ai+na_i = a_{i+n} for any ii;
(2) aia_i is not divisible by nn for any ii;
(3) ai+aia_{i+a_i} is divisible by aia_i for any ii.

For which positive integers n>1n > 1 is this possible only if the numbers a0,a1,a_0, a_1, \dots are all equal?

Solution

Let nn be a prime. By condition (1) the sequence a0,a1,a_0, a_1, \dots contains only finitely many different numbers. If ama_m is maximal of them, then by condition (3) am+ama_{m+a_m} must also be maximal. Let us prove that if ama_m is maximal of the numbers, then am+kama_{m+k \cdot a_m} is also maximal for any k0k \ge 0. This holds for k=0k=0. If the claim holds for kk, then am+(k+1)am=am+kam+am=am+kam+am+kam=am+kam=ama_{m+(k+1) \cdot a_m} = a_{m+k \cdot a_m + a_m} = a_{m+k \cdot a_m + a_{m+k \cdot a_m}} = a_{m+k \cdot a_m} = a_m. This proves the claim. By condition (2) ama_m is not divisible by nn. Since nn is prime, the numbers ama_m and nn are relatively prime. Hence among the numbers m+kamm+k \cdot a_m, where 0k<n0 \le k < n, there is one in each congruence class modulo nn. Hence all members of the sequence are maximal, i.e. they are equal.

Suppose nn is a composite number; let mm be its divisor with 1<m<n1 < m < n. For any k<mk < m choose ak=m+kna_k = m + k \cdot n and continue the sequence with period mm. Condition (1) holds, since nn is a multiple of mm. Condition (2) holds, since all members of the sequence are congruent to mm modulo nn. For the condition (3) notice that all members of the sequence are divisible by mm. Hence ii and i+aii+a_i are always congruent modulo mm, therefore ai=ai+aia_i = a_{i+a_i}. At the same time not all the numbers are equal.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.