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Number theory Difficulty 8.4 Shortlist Prove it China

Given integer a12a_1 \ge 2, for n2n \ge 2, define ana_n to be the least positive integer not coprime to an1a_{n-1} and not equal to a1a_1, a2,,an1a_2, \dots, a_{n-1}. Prove that every integer except 11 appears in the sequence {an}\{a_n\}. (Posed by Yu Hongbing)

Solution

Step 1: We prove that there are infinitely many even numbers in this sequence.
Suppose on the contrary that there are only finitely many even numbers, and there is an integer EE, such that all even numbers greater than EE do not appear in the sequence. It follows that there exists a positive integer KK such that ana_n is an odd number greater than EE for any nKn \ge K. Then there is some n1>Kn_1 > K such that an1+1>an1a_{n_1+1} > a_{n_1} (otherwise the sequence is strictly decreasing after an1a_{n_1}, a contradiction).
Let pp be the smallest prime divisor of an1a_{n_1}, p3p \ge 3. Since
(an1+1an1,an1)=(an1+1,an1)>1, (a_{n_1+1} - a_{n_1}, a_{n_1}) = (a_{n_1+1}, a_{n_1}) > 1,
we have an1+1an1pa_{n_1+1} - a_{n_1} \ge p, i.e. an1+1an1+pa_{n_1+1} \ge a_{n_1} + p.
On the other hand, an1+pa_{n_1} + p is even and greater than EE, so it does not appear before an1a_{n_1}, and therefore an1+1=an1+pa_{n_1+1} = a_{n_1} + p, which is even — a contradiction.

Step 2: We prove that all even numbers are in this sequence.
Suppose on the contrary that 2k2k is not in this sequence and is the smallest such even number. Let {ani}\{a_{n_i}\} be the subsequence of {an}\{a_n\} consisting of all even numbers. By step 1, it is an infinite sequence. Since (ani,2k)>1(a_{n_i}, 2k) > 1 and 2k{an}2k \notin \{a_n\}, we have ani+12ka_{n_i+1} \le 2k by definition.
However, {an1+1}\{a_{n_1+1}\} is infinite — a contradiction. Thus, {an}\{a_n\} contains all even numbers.

Step 3: We prove that {an}\{a_n\} contains all odd numbers greater than 11.
Suppose on the contrary that 2k+12k+1 is an odd integer greater than 11 which is not in {an}\{a_n\}, and is the smallest such number. By step 2, there is an infinite subsequence {ami}\{a_{m_i}\} of {an}\{a_n\} consisting of even numbers that are multiples of 2k+12k+1. Arguing analogously as in step 2, we have ami+12k+1a_{m_i+1} \le 2k+1, i=1,2,i=1, 2, \dots, a contradiction.

We have shown that {an}\{a_n\} contains all positive integers except 11.

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