Suppose 1/(2n+1)=a˙1a2⋯anb1b2⋯b˙n, ai+bi=9, i=1,2,…,n, and 2n is its period. Since
1+102n1+104n1+⋯=1−102n11=102n−1102n
we have
(1)2n+11=102n−1102n(i=1∑n10iai+10n1i=1∑n10ibi)=102n−1102n(i=1∑n10iai+10n1i=1∑n10i9−ai)=102n−1102n[(1−10n1)i=1∑n10iai+10n9i=1∑n10i1]=102n−1102n[(1−10n1)i=1∑n10iai+10n9⋅101⋅1−1011−10n1]=10n+1102n(10n1i=1∑n10iai+102n1)=10n+1∑i=1n10n−iai+1
Therefore,
2n+1∣10n+1.
By (1) and the knowledge of numbers, we guess the sufficient and necessary condition is
(2)2n+1∣10n+1 and 2n+1∤10i+1 for i=1,2,…,n−1.
In fact, since 2n is the period of 1/(2n+1), we have
2n+1∣102n−1 and 2n+1∤10i−1 for i=1,2,…,n−1.
So 2n+1∤(10n+1)+(10n+i−1)=10n(10i+1) for i=1,2,…,n−1. Namely, 2n+1∤10i+1 for i=1,2,…,n−1. The condition (2) is necessary.
Now we assume that 1/(2n+1) satisfies the condition (2). Let
2n+110n+1−1=i=1∑n10n−iai,
where 0≤ai≤9, i=1,…,n are integers. Then
2n+11=10n+1∑i=1n10n−iai+1.
Put bi=9−ai. Using (1) we have
2n+11=a˙1a2⋯anb1b2⋯b˙n.
For 1≤i≤n, because
(10n+1)+(10i−1)=10i(10n−i+1),
so 2n+1∤10i−1.
For n<i<2n, because
(10n+1)+(10i−1)=10n(10i−n+1),
we also have 2n+1∤10i−1.
Therefore the period of 1/(2n+1) is 2n. That is, the condition (2) is sufficient.
By the condition (2), if 1/(2n+1) is a fraction we look for, then 2n+1 does not have factors 3 and 5. So the possible values of 1/(2n+1) are 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, .... Since 11,13∤103+1=1001, 11 and 13 do not satisfy the condition. Consider 17=2×8+1. We have
108+1=(17×4−2)4=24+1=0(mod17).
For i=1,2,3,4 it is obvious that 17∤10i+1. For i=5,6,7, since (108+1)−(10i+1)=10i(108−i−1), it is obvious too that 17∤10i+1. Therefore, 1/17 is a fraction we need.
Similarly, consider 19=2×9+1.
109+1=(53×19−7)3+1=−342=0(mod19).
It is easy to check that 19∤10i+1 for 1≤i<9. So 1/19 is another fraction we want to seek.