AlgebraDifficulty 7.9National olympiad, round 2Prove itUnited States
Let {an}n≥0 be a sequence of real numbers such that an+1≥an2+51 for all n≥0. Prove that an+5≥an−52 for all n≥5.
Solutions — 3
Solution 1
It suffices to prove that an+5≥an2 for n≥0, for then we would have an+5≥an and an≥an−52 for all n≥5, which implies the desired result. Adding the inequalities an+5an+4an+3an+2an+1≥an+42+51,≥an+32+51,≥an+22+51,≥an+12+51,≥an2+51 yields an+5≥k=1∑4(an+k2−an+k)+1+an2=k=1∑4(an+k2−an+k+41)+an2=k=1∑4(an+k−21)2+an2≥an2, as desired.
Solution 2
(by Alison Miller) For any k, we have the following inequality: ak+1+201≥ak2+51+201=ak2+41≥ak, because (ak−21)2≥0. Summing up this inequalities over k=n+1,…,n+4, we have an+5+51≥an+1≥an2+51, and similarly an≥an−52, so an+5≥an2≥an−54, implying the desired result.
Solution 3
Define the function f(x)=x2+51, which is increasing for x≥0. Also define the function g(x)=f(x)−x=(x−r1)(x−r2), where r1=105−5andr2=105+5. Observe that 0<r1<r2<1. So, for nonnegative x, g(x) is zero for x=r1,r2, negative for x∈(r1,r2), and positive otherwise. Therefore, for nonnegative x, f(x)=x for x=r1,r2, f(x)<x for x∈(r1,r2), and f(x)>x otherwise. Fix n≥5, and write a=∣an−5∣. It suffices to prove that an+5≥an−54. We consider the following cases. (i) a≤r1. For x∈[0,r1], observe that x≤f(x)≤f(r1)=r1. An easy proof by induction on k=0,1,…,9 then shows that f(k)(x)≤f(k+1)(x)≤r1. Therefore, a≤f(a)≤f(2)(a)≤⋯≤f(10)(a)=an+5. Because a<1, we have an+5≥a>a4=an−54, as desired. (ii) a∈(r2,1]. For x>r2, observe that f(x)>x and hence f(x)>x>r2. We can repeat this argument to show that f(k+1)(x)>f(k)(x)>r2 for k=0,1,…,9. Therefore, an+5=f(10)(a)>f(9)(a)>⋯>a≥a4=an−54, as desired. (iii) a>1. Notice that for all k, ak+1>ak2. Therefore, an+5>an−510=a6⋅an−54>an−54, as desired. (iv) a∈(r1,r2). For x∈(r1,r2), observe that r1=f(r1)<f(x)<f(r2)=r2. Therefore, an+5=f(10)(a)>r1. Hence, if we can verify that r1>r24, then we would have an+5>r1>r24>a4=an−54, as desired. Note that r24=10000∑k=04(k4)(5)k54−k, which expands to 1000054+4⋅53⋅5+6⋅52⋅(5)2+4⋅5⋅(5)3+(5)4. Hence r24=(7+35)/50. Then 320<324⟹85<18⟹7+35<5(5−5)⟹507+35<105−5⟹r24<r1, as needed. This completes the proof.
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