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Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it India

For each positive integer n2n \ge 2, define the polynomial fn(x)f_n(x) by fn(x)=xnxn1xn2x1f_n(x) = x^n - x^{n-1} - x^{n-2} - \cdots - x - 1. Prove that
(a) for each positive integer n2n \ge 2, the equation fn(x)=0f_n(x) = 0 has a unique real positive root, say, αn\alpha_n;
(b) (αn)n2(\alpha_n)_{n \ge 2} is a strictly increasing sequence; and
(c) limnαn=2\lim_{n \to \infty} \alpha_n = 2.

Solution

(a) Since fn(x)f_n(x) has one change of sign, it follows that fn(x)=0f_n(x) = 0 has at most one positive real root by Descartes' Rule. As fn(0)=1<0f_n(0) = -1 < 0 and fn(2)=2n2n12n221=1>0f_n(2) = 2^n - 2^{n-1} - 2^{n-2} - \cdots - 2 - 1 = 1 > 0, we see that fn(x)=0f_n(x) = 0 has at least one root between 00 and 22. Thus fn(x)=0f_n(x) = 0 has exactly one root αn\alpha_n between 00 and 22, n2n \ge 2.

(b) We show that αn<αn+1\alpha_n < \alpha_{n+1}, for n2n \ge 2. Because fn(αn)=0f_n(\alpha_n) = 0, we have αnnαnn1αnn2αn1=0\alpha_n^n - \alpha_n^{n-1} - \alpha_n^{n-2} - \cdots - \alpha_n - 1 = 0. Now fn+1(αn)=αn(αnnαnn1αnn2αn1)1=αn01=1<0f_{n+1}(\alpha_n) = \alpha_n(\alpha_n^n - \alpha_n^{n-1} - \alpha_n^{n-2} - \cdots - \alpha_n - 1) - 1 = \alpha_n \cdot 0 - 1 = -1 < 0. As fn+1(2)=1>0f_{n+1}(2) = 1 > 0, as above, we infer that there is a root of fn+1(x)=0f_{n+1}(x) = 0 between αn\alpha_n and 22. Since αn>0\alpha_n > 0, we conclude that αn<αn+1<2\alpha_n < \alpha_{n+1} < 2, as desired.

(c) Again
(x1)fn(x)=(x1)(xnxn1xn2x1)=xn+12xn+1. (x-1)f_n(x) = (x-1)(x^n - x^{n-1} - x^{n-2} - \cdots - x - 1) = x^{n+1} - 2x^n + 1.
So
αnn+12αnn+1=0, \alpha_n^{n+1} - 2\alpha_n^n + 1 = 0,
giving αn=21αnn21α2n=1+52\alpha_n = 2 - \frac{1}{\alpha_n^n} \ge 2 - \frac{1}{\alpha_2^n} = \frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}, where α2=1+52\alpha_2 = \frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}, being the positive root of x2x1=0x^2 - x - 1 = 0. But α2>1\alpha_2 > 1. So 1α2n0\frac{1}{\alpha_2^n} \to 0, as nn \to \infty. Thus, in 21α2nαn<22 - \frac{1}{\alpha_2^n} \le \alpha_n < 2, we let nn \to \infty, to get
limnαn=2. \lim_{n \to \infty} \alpha_n = 2.

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