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Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Hong Kong

Suppose {an}\{a_n\} is a sequence in which all the terms are integers, and a2a_2 is odd. For any natural number nn, n(an+1an+3)=an+1+an+3n(a_{n+1} - a_n + 3) = a_{n+1} + a_n + 3. Furthermore, a2009a_{2009} is divisible by 20102010. Find the smallest integer nn, n2n \ge 2, such that ana_n is divisible by 20102010.

Solution

The smallest possible integer is 269269.

For n>1n > 1, we rewrite the recurrence relation as follows.
n(an+1an+3)=an+1+an+3(n1)an+1=(n+1)an3(n1)an+1n(n+1)=ann(n1)3n(n+1) \begin{aligned} n(a_{n+1} - a_n + 3) &= a_{n+1} + a_n + 3 \\ \Rightarrow \quad (n-1)a_{n+1} &= (n+1)a_n - 3(n-1) \\ \Rightarrow \quad \frac{a_{n+1}}{n(n+1)} &= \frac{a_n}{n(n-1)} - \frac{3}{n(n+1)} \end{aligned}
Let bn=an(n1)nb_n = \frac{a_n}{(n-1)n}. This gives bn+1=bn3n(n+1)b_{n+1} = b_n - \frac{3}{n(n+1)}. Therefore, we easily obtain
bn=bn13(n1)n=bn23(n2)(n1)3(n1)n==b2k=2n13k(k+1)=b23k=2n1(1k1k+1)=b23(121n). \begin{aligned} b_n &= b_{n-1} - \frac{3}{(n-1)n} \\ &= b_{n-2} - \frac{3}{(n-2)(n-1)} - \frac{3}{(n-1)n} \\ &= \dots \\ &= b_2 - \sum_{k=2}^{n-1} \frac{3}{k(k+1)} \\ &= b_2 - 3 \sum_{k=2}^{n-1} \left( \frac{1}{k} - \frac{1}{k+1} \right) \\ &= b_2 - 3 \left( \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{n} \right). \end{aligned}
Let a2=2m+1a_2 = 2m + 1. It follows that
an=(n1)n(a223(121n))=(n1)((m1)n+3). a_n = (n-1)n \left( \frac{a_2}{2} - 3 \left( \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{n} \right) \right) = (n-1)((m-1)n + 3).
It is given that 2010a2009=2008(2009(m1)+3)2010 \mid a_{2009} = 2008(2009(m-1) + 3). This can be reduced to 10052009(m1)+31005 \mid 2009(m-1)+3. As 20091(mod1005)2009 \equiv -1 \pmod{1005}, this yields m4(mod1005)m \equiv 4 \pmod{1005}. Let m=1005t+4m = 1005t + 4. Then
an=(n1)((1005t+3)n+3)=3(n1)((335t+1)n+1). a_n = (n-1)((1005t+3)n + 3) = 3(n-1)((335t+1)n + 1).
Note that 2010an2010 \mid a_n if and only if 670(n1)((335t+1)n+1)670 \mid (n-1)((335t+1)n + 1). It suffices to consider odd nn. Therefore, this becomes 670(n1)(n+1)670 \mid (n-1)(n+1).
Now, 670=2×5×67670 = 2 \times 5 \times 67. Therefore, n±1(mod67)n \equiv \pm 1 \pmod{67}. It is routine to check that 670÷(n1)(n+1)670 \div (n-1)(n+1) when n=133,135,267n = 133, 135, 267. The next smallest possible nn is n=269n = 269, where 670268×270670 \mid 268 \times 270. So this is the answer.

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