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Algebra Difficulty 6.3 National Olympiad Prove it Romania

Let (xn)n1(x_n)_{n \ge 1} be a sequence of real numbers from [1,)[1, \infty). It is known that the sequences (yn(k))n1(y_n^{(k)})_{n \ge 1}, defined by yn(k)=xnky_n^{(k)} = \lfloor x_n^k \rfloor, n1n \ge 1, are convergent for every kNk \in \mathbb{N}^*. Prove that the sequence (xn)n1(x_n)_{n \ge 1} is convergent.

Mihai Piticari, Vlad Cerbu

Solution

For kNk \in \mathbb{N}^*, the sequence (yn(k))n1(y_n^{(k)})_{n \ge 1} is convergent and its terms are integers. Then there exist nk,akNn_k, a_k \in \mathbb{N}^* so that yn(k)=ak,nnky_n^{(k)} = a_k, \forall n \ge n_k. Consequently, xnk[ak,ak+1),nnkx_n^k \in [a_k, a_k + 1), \forall n \ge n_k. In particular, xn[a1,a1+1),nn1x_n \in [a_1, a_1 + 1), \forall n \ge n_1. It follows that the sequence (xn)n1(x_n)_{n \ge 1} is bounded.

Suppose, by contradiction, that the sequence (xn)n1(x_n)_{n \ge 1} has two limit points aa and bb, with 1a<b1 \le a < b. Then there exist two subsequences (xin)n1(x_{i_n})_{n \ge 1} and (xjn)n1(x_{j_n})_{n \ge 1} of (xn)n1(x_n)_{n \ge 1} such that limnxin=a\lim_{n \to \infty} x_{i_n} = a and limnxjn=b\lim_{n \to \infty} x_{j_n} = b. Let kNk \in \mathbb{N}^*. From in,jnni_n, j_n \ge n, nN\forall n \in \mathbb{N}^*, we get xink,xjnk[ak,ak+1),nnkx_{i_n}^k, x_{j_n}^k \in [a_k, a_k + 1), \forall n \ge n_k. It follows xjnkxink<1,nnkx_{j_n}^k - x_{i_n}^k < 1, \forall n \ge n_k. Taking the limit for nn \to \infty gives bkak1b^k - a^k \le 1. Therefore bkak1,kNb^k - a^k \le 1, \forall k \in \mathbb{N}^*. On the other hand, 1a<b1 \le a < b implies limk(bkak)=\lim_{k \to \infty} (b^k - a^k) = \infty, in contradiction with the previous inequality.

This shows that the sequence (xn)n1(x_n)_{n \ge 1} is convergent.

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