Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / Taiwan IMO 2J /4 of 6

Taiwan IMO 2J, 2020

Number theory Difficulty 8.8 Shortlist Prove it Taiwan

Let ff be a positive integer valued function that satisfies (a+f(b))∣(a2+bf(a))(a+f(b)) | (a^2+bf(a)) for all positive integers aa and bb. Prove that there is a positive integer kk such that f(n)=knf(n) = kn for all positive integers nn.

Solution

Easy to see that f(n)≤f(1)nf(n) \leq f(1)n by substituting a=1a = 1. By substituting a=nb−f(b)a = nb - f(b) in the inequality for any large enough nn, we have
nb∣(nb−f(b))2+bf(nb−f(b)) nb \mid (nb - f(b))^2 + b f(nb - f(b))
and hence b∣f(b)2b \mid f(b)^2. In particular, for every prime pp, f(p)=kppf(p) = k_p p for some integer 0<kp≤f(1)0 < k_p \leq f(1). Therefore, there must be an integer kk, such that f(p)=kpf(p) = kp for infinitely many prime pp. Thus, for infinitely many pp,
a+kp∣(a2+pf(a))−a(a+kp)=pf(a)−pka a + kp \mid (a^2 + p f(a)) - a(a + kp) = p f(a) - p k a
thus a+kp∣f(a)−kaa + kp \mid f(a) - k a. Since pp can be infinitely large, we must have f(a)=kaf(a) = k a.

Substitute b=1b = 1 and rearrange to find that
f(a)+f(1)2a+f(1)=f(1)−a+a2+f(a)a+f(1) \frac{f(a) + f(1)^2}{a + f(1)} = f(1) - a + \frac{a^2 + f(a)}{a + f(1)}
is a positive integer and since f(a)≤af(1)f(a) \leq a f(1), follows that f(a)+f(1)2a+f(1)≤f(1)\frac{f(a) + f(1)^2}{a + f(1)} \leq f(1), hence for some positive integer kk, f(a)+f(1)2a+f(1)=k\frac{f(a) + f(1)^2}{a + f(1)} = k, i.e., f(n)=kn+f(1)(k−f(1))f(n) = k n + f(1)(k - f(1)) for infinitely many nn. Fixing an arbitrary aa, rearrange the given inequality, we have
a2+nf(a)a+kn+f(1)(k−f(1)) \frac{a^2 + n f(a)}{a + k n + f(1)(k - f(1))}
is an integer for infinitely many nn. Since
a2+nf(a)a+kn+f(1)(k−f(1))→f(a)k \frac{a^2 + n f(a)}{a + k n + f(1)(k - f(1))} \rightarrow \frac{f(a)}{k}
as n→∞n \to \infty, we have
a2+nf(a)a+kn+f(1)(k−f(1))=f(a)k \frac{a^2 + n f(a)}{a + k n + f(1)(k - f(1))} = \frac{f(a)}{k}
for infinitely many nn. Thus
f(a)k(a+f(1)(k−f(1)))=a2.(1) \frac{f(a)}{k}(a + f(1)(k - f(1))) = a^2. \qquad (1)
Let X=f(1)(k−f(1))X = f(1)(k - f(1)), we have a+X∣a2+(X+a)(X−a)=X2a + X \mid a^2 + (X + a)(X - a) = X^2 holds for arbitrary aa. Thus X=0X = 0, that is, k=f(1)k = f(1). By equation (1), f(a)=kaf(a) = k a. □\square

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