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Algebra Difficulty 6.1 National olympiad Prove it Romania

Let n2n \ge 2 be a positive integer and let a1,a2,,ana_1, a_2, \dots, a_n be positive numbers such that a1a2a_1 \le a_2, a1+a2a3a_1 + a_2 \le a_3, a1+a2+a3a4a_1 + a_2 + a_3 \le a_4, \dots, a1+a2++an1ana_1 + a_2 + \dots + a_{n-1} \le a_n. Prove that
a1a2+a2a3+a3a4++an1ann2. \frac{a_1}{a_2} + \frac{a_2}{a_3} + \frac{a_3}{a_4} + \dots + \frac{a_{n-1}}{a_n} \le \frac{n}{2}.

Solution

Denote x1=a1x_1 = a_1, xk=ak(ak1++a1)x_k = a_k - (a_{k-1} + \dots + a_1), k=2,nk = \overline{2, n}, and observe that xk+1xk=ak+12akx_{k+1} - x_k = a_{k+1} - 2a_k, k=1,n1k = \overline{1, n-1}. It results
2(a1a2+a2a3+a3a4++an1an)=i=1n1(1xi+1xiai+1). 2 \left( \frac{a_1}{a_2} + \frac{a_2}{a_3} + \frac{a_3}{a_4} + \dots + \frac{a_{n-1}}{a_n} \right) = \sum_{i=1}^{n-1} \left( 1 - \frac{x_{i+1} - x_i}{a_{i+1}} \right).

nx1a1i=1n1xi+1xiai+1=nxnani=1n1xi(1ai1ai+1)n, n - \frac{x_1}{a_1} - \sum_{i=1}^{n-1} \frac{x_{i+1} - x_i}{a_{i+1}} = n - \frac{x_n}{a_n} - \sum_{i=1}^{n-1} x_i \left( \frac{1}{a_i} - \frac{1}{a_{i+1}} \right) \le n,
since xi0,i=1,nx_i \ge 0, \forall i = \overline{1, n} and aiai+1,i=1,n1a_i \le a_{i+1}, \forall i = \overline{1, n-1}.

Equality holds if and only if x2=x3==xn=0x_2 = x_3 = \dots = x_n = 0, that is, a2=a1a_2 = a_1, a3=2a1,,an=2n2a1a_3 = 2a_1, \dots, a_n = 2^{n-2}a_1.

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