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Algebra Difficulty 6.4 National olympiad Prove it Romania

Let f:[0,)(0,)f: [0, \infty) \to (0, \infty) be a continuous function. Prove that:
a) if nn is a large enough integer, say, n>n0n > n_0, then n0xnf(t)dt=1n \int_0^{x_n} f(t) \, dt = 1 for a unique positive real number xnx_n;
b) the sequence (nxn)n>n0(nx_n)_{n>n_0} is convergent and evaluate its limit.

Solution

Let F:[0,)RF: [0, \infty) \to \mathbb{R} be the antiderivative of ff vanishing at 00. Since ff takes on positive values, FF is strictly increasing, hence injective, and α=supim F>0\alpha = \sup \text{im } F > 0, the supremum being considered on the extended line.

a) Fix a positive integer n0n_0 such that n0α1n_0\alpha \ge 1. If nn is an integer greater than n0n_0, then F(xn)=1/nF(x_n) = 1/n for some xn>0x_n > 0, by the intermediate value theorem. Uniqueness of xnx_n follows from injectivity of FF.

b) Since F(xn+1)=1/(n+1)<1/n=F(xn)F(x_{n+1}) = 1/(n+1) < 1/n = F(x_n), and FF is strictly increasing, (xn)n>n0(x_n)_{n>n_0} is a strictly decreasing sequence of positive real numbers, so it is convergent. By continuity, F(limnxn)=limnF(xn)=0=F(0)F(\lim_{n\to\infty} x_n) = \lim_{n\to\infty} F(x_n) = 0 = F(0), so limnxn=0\lim_{n\to\infty} x_n = 0, by injectivity of FF. For each integer n>n0n > n_0, refer to the first mean value theorem to write 1/n=F(xn)=xnf(tn)1/n = F(x_n) = x_n f(t_n), i.e., nxn=1/f(tn)nx_n = 1/f(t_n), for some positive tn<xnt_n < x_n. Since (xn)n>n0(x_n)_{n>n_0} converges to 00, so does (tn)n>n0(t_n)_{n>n_0}. Consequently, (nxn)n>n0(nx_n)_{n>n_0} converges to 1/f(0)1/f(0), by continuity of ff.

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