Let (xn)n≥0 be a sequence of integer numbers that fulfills a linear recursion of order k for a fixed positive integer k, i.e., there exists real constant numbers c1,c2,…,ck such that xn+k=∑r=1kcrxn+k−r, ∀n≥0. Suppose k is the minimum positive integer with this property. Prove that cj∈Z, for all j, 1≤j≤k.
Solution
Let (an(i)) be the sequence of integers obtained by shifting an by i positions, i.e., an(i)=an+i. Then (an(0)),(an(1)),…,(an(k)) is a basis for the k-dimensional C-vector space of sequences (bn) satisfying bn+k=ck−1bn+k−1+⋯+c0bn(n≥0)(∗) In fact, any non-trivial C-linear relation among (an(0),…,an(k−1)) would imply that k is not minimal.
Now let f(x)=xk−ck−1xk−1−⋯−c0 and α1,…,αk be the roots of f(x) (listed with multiplicity). First, observe that all coefficients ci are rational since they are solutions to the linear system with integer coefficients a0a1⋮ak−1a1a2⋮ak……⋱…ak−1ak⋮a2k−2c0c1⋮ck−1=akak+1⋮a2k−1
tn=α1n+α2n+⋯+αkn(n≥0) Then all tn∈Q (they are symmetric expression on the roots of f(x)∈Q[x]) and the tn satisfy (∗), hence there are ri such that tn=r0an(0)+r1an(1)+⋯+rk−1an(k−1)
To sum up, if d>0 is an integer such that dri∈Z, i=0,1,…,k−1, then dtn∈Z for all n. Next, we show that this implies that the αi are algebraic integers, which in turn implies that all the ci are integers, finishing the problem. By Newton's identities, we may write the elementary symmetric polynomials in αn as polynomials with rational coefficients of tnt2ntkn=α1n+⋯+αkn=α12n+⋯+αk2n⋮=α1kn+⋯+αkkn Therefore the minimal polynomials of αin over Q have coefficients with bounded denominators, independent of n (they depend only on d and k). Hence there exists an integer Δ>0 such that Δ⋅αin are algebraic integers for all n. But that implies that the ring Z[αi] is contained in the finitely generated Z-module Δ1OQ(αi), where OQ(αi) is the ring of algebraic integers in the field Q(αi). Therefore Z[αi] itself is finitely generated as a Z-module (use the fact that Z is noetherian or that OQ(αi) is a free Z-module, together with the structure theorem of finitely generated modules over a PID). Hence αi is an algebraic integer, as required.
Alternatively, suppose that αi is not an algebraic integer, so that it has prime ideal factorization (αi)=p1e1…pses with ei<0 for some i, say e1. Then (Δαin)=(Δ)⋅p1ne1…psnes would have a negative p1-exponent for n sufficiently large, contradicting the fact that Δ⋅αin is an algebraic integer for all n≥0.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.