a) We will prove that the polynomial P(x)=−51x2+x satisfies the required properties. Obviously b1=54=P(1)=P(11), so we only need to consider the case n>1.
Notice that, for each non-integer real number x, then [−x]=−[x]−1. Thus, for each positive integer m>1, let t be a natural number such that 4t<m≤4t+1, we have
* If m=4t+1, then [−log4m]=−t−1 and therefore am=4t+1.
* If 4t<m<4t+1, then we have t<log4m<t+1. Thus log4m not integer, and so
[−log4m]=−[log4m]−1=−t−1=4t+1.
In short, we always have am=4t+1, where t is a natural number such that 4t<m≤4t+1. Now, we consider the following cases.
Case 1: n is a power of 4. In this case, we have n=4s where s is some positive integer. Then an=n and
a1+a2+⋯+an=a1+(a2+a3+a4)+(a5+a6+⋯+a16)+⋯+(a4s−1+1)+⋯+a4s.=40⋅40+(41−40)⋅41+⋯+(4s−4s−1)⋅4s=542s+1+1=54n2+1.
This implies that
bn=n21(54n2+1−51)=54=−51(nan)2+nan=P(nan).
Case 2: n is not a power of 4. In this case, there exists a natural number s such that 4s<n<4s+1. Then we deduce that an=4s+1 and
a1+a2+⋯+an=a1+(a2+a3+a4)+⋯+(a4s−1+1)+⋯+a4s+(a4s+1+⋯+an)=40⋅40+(41−40)⋅41+⋯+(4s−4s−1)⋅4s+(n−4s)⋅4s+1=542s+1+1+(n−4s)⋅4s+1=55n⋅4s+1−42s+2+1=55nan−an2+1.
This implies that
bn=n21(55nan−an2+1−51)=5n25nan−an2=−51(nan)2+nan=P(nan).
In short, the polynomial P(x)=−51x2+x satisfies the requirements of the problem.
b) According to the result of part a), with n not being a power of 4, we have
a1+a2+⋯+an=542s+1+1+(n−4s)⋅4s+1,
where s is a natural number such that 4s<n<4s+1.
Let n′=n−4s (1≤n′<3⋅4s), we have
bn=5(4s+n′)242s+1+5n′⋅4s+1=5(1+4sn′)24+20⋅4sn′.
Note that the function f(x)=5(1+x)24+20x is continuous on the segment [0,43] and f(0)<20252024<f(43) so there exists a real number x0∈(0,43) such that f(x0)=20252024. In addition, it is easy to see that there exists a positive integer s0 such that 1≤⌊4sx0⌋<3⋅4s for all positive integers s≥s0. Now, choosing n′=⌊4sx0⌋, we have 4sn′≤x0 and 4sn′>4s4sx0−1=x0−4s1 so lims→∞4sn′=x0. We deduce that
s→∞limb4s+⌊4sx0⌋=f(x0)=20252024.
The statement is proved. □