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Algebra Difficulty 6.0 National Olympiad Prove it Mongolia

Given are sequences {xn}\{x_n\} and {yn}\{y_n\} by the following recurrent relations: x1=1x_1 = 1, y1=39y_1 = 39 and
xn+1=23xn+yn+2,yn+1=551xn+24yn+64. x_{n+1} = 23x_n + y_n + 2, \quad y_{n+1} = 551x_n + 24y_n + 64.
Prove that xnx_n is a perfect square for all positive integer nn.

Solution

xn+1=23xn+yn+2x_{n+1} = 23x_n + y_n + 2, yn+1=551xn+24yn+64y_{n+1} = 551x_n + 24y_n + 64. Multiplying the first equation by 2424 then subtracting these two, we get yn+2=24xn+1xn+18y_{n+2} = 24x_{n+1} - x_n + 18. And we have xn+2=23xn+1+yn+1+2x_{n+2} = 23x_{n+1} + y_{n+1} + 2. Adding last two equations, we have
xn+2=47xn+1xn+1() x_{n+2} = 47x_{n+1} - x_n + 1 \quad (*)
Thus, xn+1=47xnxn1+18x_{n+1} = 47x_n - x_{n-1} + 18. Subtracting these two equations, we get
xn+2=48xn+148xn+xn1(). x_{n+2} = 48x_{n+1} - 48x_n + x_{n-1} \quad (**).
Let an=xna_n = \sqrt{x_n}. It suffices to prove that ana_n is integer for nNn \in \mathbb{N}. From x1=1x_1 = 1 and y1=39y_1 = 39, we get x2=64x_2 = 64 and x3=3025x_3 = 3025. Then ()(*) is equivalent to
an+22=48an+1248an2+an12. a_{n+2}^2 = 48a_{n+1}^2 - 48a_n^2 + a_{n-1}^2.
From this,
an+22(49an+1214an+1an+an2)=an12(49an214anan+1+an+12) a_{n+2}^2 - (49a_{n+1}^2 - 14a_{n+1}a_n + a_n^2) = a_{n-1}^2 - (49a_n^2 - 14a_n a_{n+1} + a_{n+1}^2)
and
an+22(7an+1an)2=an12(7anan+1)2,nN. a_{n+2}^2 - (7a_{n+1} - a_n)^2 = a_{n-1}^2 - (7a_n - a_{n+1})^2, \quad n \in \mathbb{N}.
Furthermore,
(an+2+an7an+1)(an+2+7an+1an)=(an17an+an+1)(an1+7anan+1). (a_{n+2} + a_n - 7a_{n+1})(a_{n+2} + 7a_{n+1} - a_n) = (a_{n-1} - 7a_n + a_{n+1})(a_{n-1} + 7a_n - a_{n+1}).
Let bn=an+2+an7an+1b_n = a_{n+2} + a_n - 7a_{n+1}, then b1=a3+a17a2=3025+1764=0b_1 = a_3 + a_1 - 7a_2 = \sqrt{3025} + \sqrt{1} - 7\sqrt{64} = 0. bn(2an+2bn)=bn1(2an1bn1)b_n(2a_{n+2} - b_n) = b_{n-1}(2a_{n-1} - b_{n-1}) holds for nNn \in \mathbb{N} ()(**). Applying for n=2n = 2, we get b2(2a1b2)=b1(2a1b1)=0b_2(2a_1 - b_2) = b_1(2a_1 - b_1) = 0. Thus, b2=0b_2 = 0 or 2a4b2=02a_4 - b_2 = 0. Since xnx_n is monotonically increasing, ana_n is monotonically increasing too. Hence 2an+2bn=an+2+7an+1an>02a_{n+2} - b_n = a_{n+2} + 7a_{n+1} - a_n > 0. Therefore, b2=0b_2 = 0. Applying ()(***) for nNn \in \mathbb{N}, bn=0b_n = 0. Hence an+2=7an+1ana_{n+2} = 7a_{n+1} - a_n, for nNn \in \mathbb{N}. Since a1a_1 and a2a_2 are integers, ana_n is integer for nNn \in \mathbb{N}.

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