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Ukrainian National Mathematical Olympiad

Algebra Difficulty 6.6 National Olympiad Prove it Ukraine

Let (xn)(x_n) be a sequence of real numbers from the interval (0;1)(0; 1). The sequence of positive integers (an)(a_n) is defined as follows: a1=1a_1 = 1, ai+1=ma_{i+1} = m, where mm is the smallest positive integer for which [x1+x2+⋯+xm]=ai[x_1 + x_2 + \cdots + x_m] = a_i. Prove that for any indexes i,ji, j the inequality ai+j≥ai+aja_{i+j} \ge a_i + a_j holds.
(Nazar Serdyuk)

Solution

Note that we can put a0=0a_0 = 0, then we would get a1=1a_1 = 1. First, let's prove the following lemma:

Lemma. For all i∈Ni \in \mathbb{N} the condition holds: ai+1−ai≥ai−ai−1a_{i+1} - a_i \ge a_i - a_{i-1}.

Proof:
x1+x2+⋯+x2ai−ai−1−1=(x1+x2+⋯+xai)+(xai+1+xai+2+⋯+x2ai−ai−1−1)<<(ai−1+1)+(1+1+⋯+1)(ai−ai−1−1 terms)<(ai−1+1)+(ai−ai−1−1)=ai. x_1 + x_2 + \cdots + x_{2a_i - a_{i-1} - 1} = (x_1 + x_2 + \cdots + x_{a_i}) + (x_{a_i + 1} + x_{a_i + 2} + \cdots + x_{2a_i - a_{i-1} - 1}) < \\ < (a_{i-1} + 1) + (1 + 1 + \cdots + 1)_{\text{($a_i - a_{i-1} - 1$ terms)}} < (a_{i-1} + 1) + (a_i - a_{i-1} - 1) = a_i.
Thus, ai+1a_{i+1} there must be at least 2ai−ai−12a_i - a_{i-1}.

Let's choose some positive integer tt. First, write down the inequalities of the form ai−k−ai−k−1≥ai−k−1−ai−k−2a_{i-k} - a_{i-k-1} \ge a_{i-k-1} - a_{i-k-2}, k=0,…,t−1k = 0, \ldots, t-1.
Add up all these inequalities: ai−ai−t≥ai−1−ai−t−1a_i - a_{i-t} \ge a_{i-1} - a_{i-t-1} and then we have that
ai−ai−t≥ai−1−ai−t−1≥ai−2−ai−t−2≥⋯≥at−a0. a_i - a_{i-t} \ge a_{i-1} - a_{i-t-1} \ge a_{i-2} - a_{i-t-2} \ge \cdots \ge a_t - a_0.
Now we just put i→i+ji \to i+j, t→jt \to j and get the desired inequality from the problem: ai+j≥ai+aja_{i+j} \ge a_i + a_j.

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