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Algebra Difficulty 7.9 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Saudi Arabia

Let a1,a2,a3,…a_{1}, a_{2}, a_{3}, \ldots be a sequence of real numbers which satisfy the relation
an+1=an2+1 a_{n+1}=\sqrt{a_{n}^{2}+1}
Suppose that there exists a positive integer n0n_{0} such that a2n0=3an0a_{2 n_{0}}=3 a_{n_{0}}. Find the value of a46a_{46}.

Solution

We have an+12−an2=1a_{n+1}^{2}-a_{n}^{2}=1 for all natural number nn. Using a telescopic sum we obtain
n0=∑k=n02n0−1(ak+12−ak2)=a2n02−an02=9an02−an02=8an02. n_{0}=\sum_{k=n_{0}}^{2 n_{0}-1}\left(a_{k+1}^{2}-a_{k}^{2}\right)=a_{2 n_{0}}^{2}-a_{n_{0}}^{2}=9 a_{n_{0}}^{2}-a_{n_{0}}^{2}=8 a_{n_{0}}^{2} .
Hence
an02=n08 a_{n_{0}}^{2}=\frac{n_{0}}{8}
On the other hand,
n0−1=∑k=1n0−1(ak+12−ak2)=an02−a12=n08−a12, n_{0}-1=\sum_{k=1}^{n_{0}-1}\left(a_{k+1}^{2}-a_{k}^{2}\right)=a_{n_{0}}^{2}-a_{1}^{2}=\frac{n_{0}}{8}-a_{1}^{2},
or equivalently
a12=8−7n08 a_{1}^{2}=\frac{8-7 n_{0}}{8}
Since a12≥0a_{1}^{2} \geq 0, we deduce that n0=1n_{0}=1 and a12=18a_{1}^{2}=\frac{1}{8}.
Therefore
45=∑k=145(ak+12−ak2)=a462−a12=a462−18, 45=\sum_{k=1}^{45}\left(a_{k+1}^{2}-a_{k}^{2}\right)=a_{46}^{2}-a_{1}^{2}=a_{46}^{2}-\frac{1}{8},
which leads to
a46=1924. a_{46}=\frac{19 \sqrt{2}}{4} .

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