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Number theory Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Prove it Ibero-American Mathematical Olympiad

Problem:

n>2n > 2 is an integer. Consider the pairs (a,b)(a, b) of relatively prime positive integers, such that a<bna < b \leq n and a+b>na + b > n. Show that the sum of 1/ab1 / ab taken over all such pairs is 1/21 / 2.

Solution

Solution:

Induction on nn. It is obvious for n=3n = 3, because the only pairs are (1,3)(1, 3) and (2,3)(2, 3), and 1/3+1/6=1/21 / 3 + 1 / 6 = 1 / 2.

Now suppose it is true for nn. As we move to n+1n + 1, we introduce the new pairs (a,n+1)(a, n + 1) with aa relatively prime to n+1n + 1 and we lose the pairs (a,n+1a)(a, n + 1 - a) with aa relatively prime to n+1an + 1 - a and hence to n+1n + 1.

So for each aa relatively prime to n+1n + 1 and a<(n+1)/2a < (n + 1) / 2 we gain (a,n+1)(a, n + 1) and (n+1a,n+1)(n + 1 - a, n + 1) and lose (a,n+1a)(a, n + 1 - a). But

1a(n+1)+1(n+1a)(n+1)=n+1a+aa(n+1a)(n+1)=1a(n+1a). \frac{1}{a(n + 1)} + \frac{1}{(n + 1 - a)(n + 1)} = \frac{n + 1 - a + a}{a(n + 1 - a)(n + 1)} = \frac{1}{a(n + 1 - a)}.

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