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Algebra Difficulty 5.1 AIME, harder Prove it Estonia

Define a1=1a_1 = 1, and for each n>1n > 1 let an=nan2a_n = n \cdot a_{\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \rfloor}. Prove that for each n12n \ge 12 we have an>n2a_n > n^2.

Solution

As an=nan2a_n = n \cdot a_{\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \rfloor}, it suffices to show that for each n12n \ge 12 we have an2na_{\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \rfloor} \ge n. By the inequalities n2n2+1<3n2n \le 2\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \rfloor + 1 < 3\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \rfloor this reduces to proving that am3ma_m \ge 3m for each m6m \ge 6. By am=mam2a_m = m \cdot a_{\lfloor \frac{m}{2} \rfloor} the latter reduces to proving al3a_l \ge 3 for l3l \ge 3. This is true, since al=lal2la_l = l \cdot a_{\lfloor \frac{l}{2} \rfloor} \ge l.

<table>
<thead>
<tr><th>n</th><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th><th>10</th><th>11</th><th>12</th><th>13</th><th>14</th><th>15</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><th>a_n</th><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>8</td><td>10</td><td>18</td><td>21</td><td>64</td><td>72</td><td>100</td><td>110</td><td>216</td><td>234</td><td>294</td><td>315</td></tr>
<tr><th>n^2</th><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>9</td><td>16</td><td>25</td><td>36</td><td>49</td><td>64</td><td>81</td><td>100</td><td>121</td><td>144</td><td>169</td><td>196</td><td>225</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Hence for 12n<1612 \le n < 16 the claim is true.
For bigger numbers note that for each k4k \ge 4 we have
a2k=2k2k121=2k+(k1)++1=2k(k+1)222(k+1). a_{2k} = 2^k \cdot 2^{k-1} \cdots 2 \cdot 1 = 2^{k+(k-1)+\cdots+1} = 2^{\frac{k(k+1)}{2}} \ge 2^{2(k+1)}.
By simple induction we conclude that ana_n increases as nn increases. For arbitrary n16n \ge 16 pick k4k \ge 4 such that 2kn<2k+12^k \le n < 2^{k+1}, giving
ana2k22(k+1)=(2k+1)2>n2. a_n \ge a_{2k} \ge 2^{2(k+1)} = (2^{k+1})^2 > n^2.

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