1.
Let us compute (A⋆B)⋆C:
First, A⋆B=AB+1A.
Now, (A⋆B)⋆C=(A⋆B)C+1A⋆B.
Substitute A⋆B:
(A⋆B)⋆C=AB+1A⋅C+1AB+1A
Simplify the denominator:
AB+1A⋅C+1=AB+1AC+1=AB+1AC+AB+1
So,
(A⋆B)⋆C=AB+1AC+AB+1AB+1A=AC+AB+1A
Now, compute A⋆(B+C):
A⋆(B+C)=A(B+C)+1A=AB+AC+1A
Therefore,
(A⋆B)⋆C=A⋆(B+C)
2.
Let us compute ((((⋯(((1⋆2)⋆3)⋆4)⋯)⋆59)⋆60)⋆61).
Let us denote S=(((⋯(((1⋆2)⋆3)⋆4)⋯)⋆59)⋆60)⋆61.
From part (1), we have (A⋆B)⋆C=A⋆(B+C). This means the operation is associative in the following sense:
(((A⋆B)⋆C)⋆D)=A⋆(B+C+D)
Therefore,
S=1⋆(2+3+4+⋯+59+60+61)
The sum 2+3+4+⋯+61 is an arithmetic progression:
The sum from 2 to 61 is:
k=2∑61k=k=1∑61k−1=261⋅62−1=1891−1=1890
Therefore,
S=1⋆1890=1⋅1890+11=18911