Let x1, x2, x3, … be a sequence of nonzero real numbers satisfying xn=2xn−2−xn−1xn−2xn−1for n=3,4,5,… Find all pairs (x1,x2) such that xn is an integer for infinitely many n.
Solution
The only possibilities are (x1,x2)=(c,c) for some nonzero integer c.
Rewrite the recurrence relation as xn−12=xn1+xn−21. Let yn=xn1 for all n. This implies yn−1−yn−2=yn−yn−1. Therefore, {yn} is an arithmetic sequence. Let yn=a+nd for some constants a and d. Then we have xn=yn1=a+nd1. If d=0, then we have ∣a+nd∣→∞ when n→∞, and hence xn→0. However, xn=0. This shows xn cannot be an integer for large n. So it suffices to consider d=0. In that case {xn} is a constant sequence. In order that there are infinitely many integer terms, the constant must be an integer. So x1=x2=c for some integer c=0. Note that a constant sequence satisfies the recurrence relation since c=2c−cc2.
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