Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Singapore

Let a1,a2,a_1, a_2, \dots be a sequence of positive numbers satisfying, for any positive integers k,l,m,nk, l, m, n such that k+n=m+lk + n = m + l,
ak+an1+akan=am+al1+amal. \frac{a_k + a_n}{1 + a_k a_n} = \frac{a_m + a_l}{1 + a_m a_l}.
Show that there exist positive numbers b,cb, c so that bancb \le a_n \le c for any positive integer nn.

Solution

Let Ak+n=ak+an1+akanA_{k+n} = \frac{a_k+a_n}{1+a_k a_n}. So for any nn, An=a1+an11+a1an1A_n = \frac{a_1+a_{n-1}}{1+a_1 a_{n-1}}. Consider the function
f(x)=a1+x1+a1x f(x) = \frac{a_1 + x}{1 + a_1 x}
where x>0x > 0. Since f(x)=1a1a12+a1x1+a1x=a1(a1+a1x)a1+a12xf(x) = \frac{1}{a_1} \frac{a_1^2+a_1x}{1+a_1x} = \frac{a_1(a_1+a_1x)}{a_1+a_1^2x}, it follows that
f(x){1/a1if a11a1if 0<a1<1. f(x) \geq \begin{cases} 1/a_1 & \text{if } a_1 \geq 1 \\ a_1 & \text{if } 0 < a_1 < 1. \end{cases}
So for any value of a1a_1, there exists 0<t10 < t \le 1 so that f(x)tf(x) \ge t. (In fact just take tt to be the smaller of a1a_1 and 1/a11/a_1.)
Thus for any nn, A(n)tA(n) \ge t and so
A2n=An+n=2an1+an2ttan22an+t0 A_{2n} = A_{n+n} = \frac{2a_n}{1+a_n^2} \ge t \\ \therefore ta_n^2 - 2a_n + t \le 0
Thus ana_n lies between the 2 roots of the equation tx22x+t=0tx^2 - 2x + t = 0. The roots are 1±1t2t\frac{1\pm\sqrt{1-t^2}}{t}. Letting b=11t2tb = \frac{1-\sqrt{1-t^2}}{t} and c=1+1t2tc = \frac{1+\sqrt{1-t^2}}{t} and we are done.

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