Let a0 be an arbitrary positive integer. Let {an} be an infinite sequence of positive integers such that for every positive integer n the term an is the smallest positive integer such that a0+a1+⋯+an is divisible by n. Prove that there is a positive integer N such that an+1=an for all n≥N.
Let a0 be an arbitrary positive integer. Consider the infinite sequence (an)n≥1, defined inductively as follows: given a0,a1,…,an−1 define the term an as the smallest positive integer such that a0+a1+⋯+an is divisible by n. Prove that there exists a positive integer M such that an+1=an for all n≥M.
Solution
Define bn=na0+a1+⋯+an for every positive integer n. According to condition, bn is a positive integer for every positive integer n. Since an+1 is the smallest positive integer such that n+1a0+a1+⋯+an is a positive integer and n+1a0+a1+⋯+an+bn=n+1a0+a1+⋯+an+na0+a1+⋯+an=na0+a1+⋯+an=bn, which is a positive integer, we get an+1≤bn for every positive integer n. Now from last result we have bn+1=n+1a0+a1+⋯+an+an+1≤n+1a0+a1+⋯+an+bn=bn. Hence the infinite sequence of positive integers b1,b2,… is non-increasing. So there exists a positive integer T such that for all n≥T we have bn+1n(a0+a1+⋯+an+an+1)nan+1=bn⇒n+1a0+a1+⋯+an+an+1=na0+a1+⋯+an=(n+1)(a0+a1+⋯+an)=a0+a1+⋯+an⇒⇒⇒an+1=na0+a1+⋯+an=bn. Similarly we get an+2=bn+1, which follows that an+2=bn+1=bn=an+1. Hence, taking M=T+1, we can state that an+1=an for every n≥M. □
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