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Number theory Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it Croatia

Prove that there is no integer n2n \ge 2 such that
f(x)=cos(x1)+cos(x2)++cos(xn) f(x) = \cos(x\sqrt{1}) + \cos(x\sqrt{2}) + \dots + \cos(x\sqrt{n})
is a periodic function.

Solution

Suppose, on the contrary, that the function ff is periodic with the period TT for some integer n2n \ge 2. Hence, f(T)=f(0)=nf(T) = f(0) = n.
Now we have
f(T)=cos(T1)+cos(T2)++cos(Tn)=n, f(T) = \cos(T\sqrt{1}) + \cos(T\sqrt{2}) + \dots + \cos(T\sqrt{n}) = n,
from which we conclude that cos(T1)=cos(T2)==cos(Tn)=1\cos(T\sqrt{1}) = \cos(T\sqrt{2}) = \dots = \cos(T\sqrt{n}) = 1. So, T=2kπT = 2k\pi and T2=2lπT\sqrt{2} = 2l\pi, where k,lNk, l \in \mathbb{N}. Hence, 2=l/kQ\sqrt{2} = l/k \in \mathbb{Q}, which is contradiction. In conclusion, there is no integer n2n \ge 2 such that ff is periodic.

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