Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /12 of 15

Algebra Difficulty 6.5 National Olympiad Prove it Philippines

Problem:

Suppose that {an}n1\{a_{n}\}_{n \geq 1} is an arithmetic sequence of real numbers such that
a1+a2+a3+a4++a10=20a1+a4+a9+a16++a100=18 \begin{array}{r} a_{1}+a_{2}+a_{3}+a_{4}+\cdots+a_{10}=20 \\ a_{1}+a_{4}+a_{9}+a_{16}+\cdots+a_{100}=18 \end{array}
Compute a1+a8+a27+a64++a1000a_{1}+a_{8}+a_{27}+a_{64}+\cdots+a_{1000}.

Solution

Solution:

Let an=a1+(n1)da_n = a_1 + (n-1)d for some a1a_1 and common difference dd.

First, a1+a2++a10=20a_1 + a_2 + \cdots + a_{10} = 20.

The sum of the first 1010 terms of an arithmetic sequence is:
S10=102(a1+a10)=5(a1+a10) S_{10} = \frac{10}{2}(a_1 + a_{10}) = 5(a_1 + a_{10})
But a10=a1+9da_{10} = a_1 + 9d, so:
S10=5(a1+a1+9d)=5(2a1+9d)=10a1+45d S_{10} = 5(a_1 + a_1 + 9d) = 5(2a_1 + 9d) = 10a_1 + 45d
Set equal to 2020:
10a1+45d=20 10a_1 + 45d = 20

Second, a1+a4+a9+a16++a100a_1 + a_4 + a_9 + a_{16} + \cdots + a_{100}.

These are the terms an2a_{n^2} for n=1n = 1 to 1010 (n2n^2 from 11 to 100100).

an2=a1+(n21)da_{n^2} = a_1 + (n^2 - 1)d

So:
n=110an2=n=110[a1+(n21)d]=10a1+dn=110(n21) \sum_{n=1}^{10} a_{n^2} = \sum_{n=1}^{10} [a_1 + (n^2 - 1)d] = 10a_1 + d \sum_{n=1}^{10} (n^2 - 1)
=10a1+d(n=110n210) = 10a_1 + d \left( \sum_{n=1}^{10} n^2 - 10 \right)
The sum n=110n2=1011216=385\sum_{n=1}^{10} n^2 = \frac{10 \cdot 11 \cdot 21}{6} = 385

So:
10a1+d(38510)=10a1+375d 10a_1 + d(385 - 10) = 10a_1 + 375d
Set equal to 1818:
10a1+375d=18 10a_1 + 375d = 18

Now subtract the first equation from the second:
(10a1+375d)(10a1+45d)=1820 (10a_1 + 375d) - (10a_1 + 45d) = 18 - 20
330d=2 330d = -2
d=2330=1165 d = -\frac{2}{330} = -\frac{1}{165}

Now plug dd back into the first equation:
10a1+45d=20 10a_1 + 45d = 20
10a1+45(1165)=20 10a_1 + 45 \left(-\frac{1}{165}\right) = 20
10a145165=20 10a_1 - \frac{45}{165} = 20
10a1933=20 10a_1 - \frac{9}{33} = 20
10a1=20+933=66033+933=66933 10a_1 = 20 + \frac{9}{33} = \frac{660}{33} + \frac{9}{33} = \frac{669}{33}
a1=669330 a_1 = \frac{669}{330}

Now, compute a1+a8+a27+a64++a1000a_1 + a_8 + a_{27} + a_{64} + \cdots + a_{1000}.

These are an3a_{n^3} for n=1n = 1 to 1010 (n3n^3 from 11 to 10001000).

an3=a1+(n31)da_{n^3} = a_1 + (n^3 - 1)d

So:
n=110an3=10a1+dn=110(n31) \sum_{n=1}^{10} a_{n^3} = 10a_1 + d \sum_{n=1}^{10} (n^3 - 1)
=10a1+d(n=110n310) = 10a_1 + d \left( \sum_{n=1}^{10} n^3 - 10 \right)
The sum n=110n3=(10112)2=552=3025\sum_{n=1}^{10} n^3 = \left( \frac{10 \cdot 11}{2} \right)^2 = 55^2 = 3025

So:
10a1+d(302510)=10a1+3015d 10a_1 + d(3025 - 10) = 10a_1 + 3015d
Now substitute a1=669330a_1 = \frac{669}{330} and d=1165d = -\frac{1}{165}:

10a1=6693310a_1 = \frac{669}{33}

3015d=3015×(1165)=3015165=30151653015d = 3015 \times \left(-\frac{1}{165}\right) = -\frac{3015}{165} = -\frac{3015}{165}

Simplify 3015165\frac{3015}{165}:
3015÷165=18.273015 \div 165 = 18.27 but let's do it exactly:
3015÷165=3015165=3015÷15165÷15=201113015 \div 165 = \frac{3015}{165} = \frac{3015 \div 15}{165 \div 15} = \frac{201}{11}

So 3015d=201113015d = -\frac{201}{11}

Now add:
n=110an3=6693320111 \sum_{n=1}^{10} a_{n^3} = \frac{669}{33} - \frac{201}{11}
Find common denominator:
3333 and 1111; 3333 is common.
20111=201×333=60333\frac{201}{11} = \frac{201 \times 3}{33} = \frac{603}{33}

So:
6693360333=6633=2 \frac{669}{33} - \frac{603}{33} = \frac{66}{33} = 2

Answer: a1+a8+a27+a64++a1000=2a_1 + a_8 + a_{27} + a_{64} + \cdots + a_{1000} = 2

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 reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.