Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /19 of 106

Algebra Difficulty 7.9 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it IMO

A sequence of real numbers a1,a2,a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots satisfies the relation
an=maxi+j=n(ai+aj) for all n>2017 a_{n} = -\max_{i+j=n} (a_{i} + a_{j}) \quad \text{ for all } n > 2017
Prove that this sequence is bounded, i.e., there is a constant MM such that anM|a_{n}| \leqslant M for all positive integers nn.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Set D=2017D = 2017. Denote
Mn=maxk<nak and mn=mink<nak=maxk<n(ak). M_{n} = \max_{k < n} a_{k} \quad \text{ and } \quad m_{n} = -\min_{k < n} a_{k} = \max_{k < n} (-a_{k}) .
Clearly, the sequences (mn)(m_{n}) and (Mn)(M_{n}) are nondecreasing. We need to prove that both are bounded.

Consider an arbitrary n>Dn > D; our first aim is to bound ana_{n} in terms of mnm_{n} and MnM_{n}.

i. There exist indices pp and qq such that an=(ap+aq)a_{n} = - (a_{p} + a_{q}) and p+q=np + q = n. Since ap,aqMna_{p}, a_{q} \leqslant M_{n}, we have an2Mna_{n} \geqslant -2 M_{n}.

ii. On the other hand, choose an index k<nk < n such that ak=Mna_{k} = M_{n}. Then, we have
an=max<n(an+a)(ank+ak)=ankMnmnMn. a_{n} = -\max_{\ell < n} (a_{n-\ell} + a_{\ell}) \leqslant - (a_{n-k} + a_{k}) = -a_{n-k} - M_{n} \leqslant m_{n} - M_{n} .
Summarizing (i) and (ii), we get
2MnanmnMn, -2 M_{n} \leqslant a_{n} \leqslant m_{n} - M_{n},
whence
mnmn+1max{mn,2Mn} and MnMn+1max{Mn,mnMn}. \begin{equation*} m_{n} \leqslant m_{n+1} \leqslant \max \{ m_{n}, 2 M_{n} \} \quad \text{ and } \quad M_{n} \leqslant M_{n+1} \leqslant \max \{ M_{n}, m_{n} - M_{n} \} . \tag{1} \end{equation*}

Now, say that an index n>Dn > D is lucky if mn2Mnm_{n} \leqslant 2 M_{n}. Two cases are possible.

Case 1. Assume that there exists a lucky index nn. In this case, (1) yields mn+12Mnm_{n+1} \leqslant 2 M_{n} and MnMn+1MnM_{n} \leqslant M_{n+1} \leqslant M_{n}. Therefore, Mn+1=MnM_{n+1} = M_{n} and mn+12Mn=2Mn+1m_{n+1} \leqslant 2 M_{n} = 2 M_{n+1}. So, the index n+1n+1 is also lucky, and Mn+1=MnM_{n+1} = M_{n}. Applying the same arguments repeatedly, we obtain that all indices k>nk > n are lucky (i.e., mk2Mkm_{k} \leqslant 2 M_{k} for all these indices), and Mk=MnM_{k} = M_{n} for all such indices. Thus, all of the mkm_{k} and MkM_{k} are bounded by 2Mn2 M_{n}.

Case 2. Assume now that there is no lucky index, i.e., 2Mn<mn2 M_{n} < m_{n} for all n>Dn > D. Then (1) shows that for all n>Dn > D we have mnmn+1mnm_{n} \leqslant m_{n+1} \leqslant m_{n}, so mn=mD+1m_{n} = m_{D+1} for all n>Dn > D. Since Mn<mn/2M_{n} < m_{n} / 2 for all such indices, all of the mnm_{n} and MnM_{n} are bounded by mD+1m_{D+1}.

Thus, in both cases the sequences (mn)(m_{n}) and (Mn)(M_{n}) are bounded, as desired.

Solution 2

As in the previous solution, let D=2017D = 2017. If the sequence is bounded above, say, by QQ, then we have that anmin{a1,,aD,2Q}a_{n} \geqslant \min \{ a_{1}, \ldots, a_{D}, -2 Q \} for all nn, so the sequence is bounded. Assume for sake of contradiction that the sequence is not bounded above. Let =min{a1,,aD}\ell = \min \{ a_{1}, \ldots, a_{D} \}, and L=max{a1,,aD}L = \max \{ a_{1}, \ldots, a_{D} \}. Call an index nn good if the following criteria hold:
an>ai for each i<n,an>2, and n>D \begin{equation*} a_{n} > a_{i} \text{ for each } i < n, \quad a_{n} > -2 \ell, \quad \text{ and } \quad n > D \tag{2} \end{equation*}
We first show that there must be some good index nn. By assumption, we may take an index NN such that aN>max{L,2}a_{N} > \max \{ L, -2 \ell \}. Choose nn minimally such that an=max{a1,a2,,aN}a_{n} = \max \{ a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{N} \}. Now, the first condition in (2) is satisfied because of the minimality of nn, and the second and third conditions are satisfied because anaN>L,2a_{n} \geqslant a_{N} > L, -2 \ell, and LaiL \geqslant a_{i} for every ii such that 1iD1 \leqslant i \leqslant D.

Let nn be a good index. We derive a contradiction. We have that
an+au+av0, \begin{equation*} a_{n} + a_{u} + a_{v} \leqslant 0, \tag{3} \end{equation*}
whenever u+v=nu + v = n.

We define the index uu to maximize aua_{u} over 1un11 \leqslant u \leqslant n-1, and let v=nuv = n - u. Then, we note that auava_{u} \geqslant a_{v} by the maximality of aua_{u}.

Assume first that vDv \leqslant D. Then, we have that
aN+20, a_{N} + 2 \ell \leqslant 0,
because auava_{u} \geqslant a_{v} \geqslant \ell. But this contradicts our assumption that an>2a_{n} > -2 \ell in the second criteria of (2).

Now assume that v>Dv > D. Then, there exist some indices w1,w2w_{1}, w_{2} summing up to vv such that
av+aw1+aw2=0 a_{v} + a_{w_{1}} + a_{w_{2}} = 0
But combining this with (3), we have
an+auaw1+aw2. a_{n} + a_{u} \leqslant a_{w_{1}} + a_{w_{2}} .
Because an>aua_{n} > a_{u}, we have that max{aw1,aw2}>au\max \{ a_{w_{1}}, a_{w_{2}} \} > a_{u}. But since each of the wiw_{i} is less than vv, this contradicts the maximality of aua_{u}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.