Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /18 of 33

Algebra Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Prove it Turkey

Let a0,a1,,a100a_0, a_1, \dots, a_{100} and b1,b2,,b100b_1, b_2, \dots, b_{100} be two real sequences such that for all n=0,1,,99n = 0, 1, \dots, 99
an+1=an2,bn+1=12anoran+1=2an2,bn+1=an a_{n+1} = \frac{a_n}{2}, \quad b_{n+1} = \frac{1}{2} - a_n \quad \text{or} \quad a_{n+1} = 2a_n^2, \quad b_{n+1} = a_n
holds. If a100a0a_{100} \le a_0, find the maximal value of b1+b2++b100b_1 + b_2 + \dots + b_{100}.

Solution

The answer is 5050. If a0<0a_0 < 0 then it is clear that a100>a0a_{100} > a_0. If a0=0a_0 = 0, then bn{0,1/2}b_n \in \{0, 1/2\} and hence S=b1+b2++b10050S = b_1 + b_2 + \dots + b_{100} \le 50. Assume that a0>0a_0 > 0. In this case all terms of the sequence (an)(a_n) are positive. We have
(anan12)(an2an12)=0anda100a0. (a_n - \frac{a_{n-1}}{2})(a_n - 2a_{n-1}^2) = 0 \quad \text{and} \quad a_{100} \le a_0.
This equation can be expressed as
anan1+an12an=2an1+12. \frac{a_n}{a_{n-1}} + \frac{a_{n-1}^2}{a_n} = 2a_{n-1} + \frac{1}{2}.

Summing up the equations for n=1,2,...,100n = 1, 2, ..., 100 side by side, we get
n=1100anan1+n=1100an12an=2n=1100an1+50. \sum_{n=1}^{100} \frac{a_n}{a_{n-1}} + \sum_{n=1}^{100} \frac{a_{n-1}^2}{a_n} = 2 \sum_{n=1}^{100} a_{n-1} + 50.
Using Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality
n=1100an12an(a0+a1++a99)2a1+a2++a100a0+a2++a99=n=1100an1. \sum_{n=1}^{100} \frac{a_{n-1}^2}{a_n} \ge \frac{(a_0 + a_1 + \dots + a_{99})^2}{a_1 + a_2 + \dots + a_{100}} \ge a_0 + a_2 + \dots + a_{99} = \sum_{n=1}^{100} a_{n-1}.
This yields that
n=1100(anan1an1)50. \sum_{n=1}^{100} \left( \frac{a_n}{a_{n-1}} - a_{n-1} \right) \le 50.
The rule given in the problem implies that bn=anan1an1b_n = \frac{a_n}{a_{n-1}} - a_{n-1} for all n=1,2,...,100n = 1, 2, ..., 100. Hence S50S \le 50.
The equality holds when ai=1/2,i=0,1,...,100,bi=1/2,i=1,2,...,100a_i = 1/2, i = 0, 1, ..., 100, b_i = 1/2, i = 1, 2, ..., 100.

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.