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Algebra Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Prove it China

Given an integer n2n \ge 2, define M0(x0,y0)M_0(x_0, y_0) to be an intersection point of the parabola y2=nx1y^2 = nx - 1 and the line y=xy = x. Prove that for any positive integer mm, there exists an integer k2k \ge 2 such that (x0m,y0m)(x_0^m, y_0^m) is an intersection point of y2=kx1y^2 = kx - 1 and y=xy = x.

Solution

Since M0(x0,y0)M_0(x_0, y_0) is an intersection point of y2=nx1y^2 = nx - 1 and y=xy = x, we get x0=y0=n±n242x_0 = y_0 = \frac{n \pm \sqrt{n^2 - 4}}{2}. Then obviously x0+1x0=nx_0 + \frac{1}{x_0} = n.

Let (x0m,y0m)(x_0^m, y_0^m) be an intersection point of y2=kx1y^2 = kx - 1 and y=xy = x. Then we get
k=x0m+1x0m. k = x_0^m + \frac{1}{x_0^m}.
We denote km=x0m+1x0mk_m = x_0^m + \frac{1}{x_0^m}. Then,
km+1=km(x0+1x0)km1=nkmkm1(m2).1 k_{m+1} = k_m \left(x_0 + \frac{1}{x_0}\right) - k_{m-1} = n k_m - k_{m-1} \quad (m \ge 2). \quad \textcircled{1}
Since k1=nk_1 = n is an integer,
k2=x02+1x02=(x0+1x0)22=n22 k_2 = x_0^2 + \frac{1}{x_0^2} = \left(x_0 + \frac{1}{x_0}\right)^2 - 2 = n^2 - 2
is also an integer. Then, by the principle of mathematical induction and ①, we conclude that for any positive integer mm, km=x0m+1x0mk_m = x_0^m + \frac{1}{x_0^m} is a positive integer too. Let k=x0m+1x0mk = x_0^m + \frac{1}{x_0^m}. So (x0m,y0m)(x_0^m, y_0^m) is an intersection point of y2=kx1y^2 = kx - 1 and y=xy = x.

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