Given the sequence of real numbers x0=1, x1=1, xn=2n+xn−1xn−2,for n≥2, determine whether there exists a real number A such that An<xn<An+1 for all n∈N?
Solution
Note that all members of the sequence are positive real numbers. The recursive relation gives 2xn2=n+2xn−1xn−2≤xn−12+xn−22+n.
2xn22xn−122x322x22≤xn−12+xn−22+n,≤xn−22+xn−32+n−1,⋮≤x22+x12+3,≤x12+x02+2. Adding all these inequalities gives 2xn2+xn−12≤2x12+x02+[n+(n−1)+⋯+3+2], i.e. 2xn2+xn−12≤2n2+n+4.(∗) If there exists a sought number A, the left hand side of this inequality is at least 2A2n2+A2(n−1)2, thus 2A2n2+A2(n−1)2≤2n2+n+4, i.e. 6A2n2−4A2n+2A2≤n2+n+4. This inequality holds for every n∈N only if 6A2≤1, i.e. A≤66. We prove that A=66 satisfies the conditions of the problem. First, we show inductively that xn>6n6, for all n∈N0. Statement is true for n=0 and n=1. Let us assume xn−1>6(n−1)6 and xn−2>6(n−2)6. Then xn2=2n+xn−1xn−2>2n+6(n−1)6⋅6(n−2)6=6n2+2>6n2, i.e. xn>6n6, and this finishes the inductive step. Next, we prove that xn<6n6+1, for all n∈N. The statement is true for n=1 and n=2 by inspection. Inequality (∗) and the fact xn−12>6(n−1)2 imply 2xn2≤2n2+n+4−xn−12<2n2+n+4−6(n−1)2=62n2+5n+11. It remains to show 62n2+5n+11<2(6n6+1)2, but this inequality is equivalent to 5n−1<4n6 which holds for n≥3.
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