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Algebra Difficulty 4.5 AIME Prove it

Given a sequence {an}\{a_n\} with the sum of its first nn terms denoted as SnS_n, and it is known that Sn+1=4an+2S_{n+1}=4a_n+2, a1=1a_1=1.
1. For bn=an+12anb_n=a_{n+1}-2a_n, prove that the sequence {bn}\{b_n\} is a geometric sequence;
2. Let cn=an2nc_n= \frac {a_n}{2^n}, prove that the sequence {cn}\{c_n\} is an arithmetic sequence;
3. Find the general term formula for the sequence {an}\{a_n\} and the sum of its first nn terms SnS_n.

Solution

1. Proof: Given Sn+1=4an+2S_{n+1}=4a_n+2 and Sn+2=4an+1+2S_{n+2}=4a_{n+1}+2, subtracting these two equations yields Sn+2Sn+1=4(an+1an)=4an+14anS_{n+2}-S_{n+1}=4(a_{n+1}-a_n)=4a_{n+1}-4a_n. Therefore, an+22an+1=2(an+12an)a_{n+2}-2a_{n+1}=2(a_{n+1}-2a_n). Since bn=an+12anb_n=a_{n+1}-2a_n, we have bn+1=2bnb_{n+1}=2b_n. Given 1+a2=4+2=61+a_2=4+2=6, we find a2=5a_2=5. Thus, b1=a22a1=3b_1=a_2-2a_1=3. Therefore, the sequence {bn}\{b_n\} is a geometric sequence with the first term 33 and common ratio 22, so The sequence {bn} is a geometric sequence with the first term 3 and common ratio 2\boxed{\text{The sequence } \{b_n\} \text{ is a geometric sequence with the first term } 3 \text{ and common ratio } 2}.

2. Proof: From (1), we have bn=32n1b_n=3\cdot 2^{n-1}. Therefore, bn=an+12an=32n1b_n=a_{n+1}-2a_n=3\cdot 2^{n-1}. This leads to an+12n+1an2n=34\frac {a_{n+1}}{2^{n+1}}- \frac {a_n}{2^n}= \frac {3}{4}, which means cn+1cn=34c_{n+1}-c_n= \frac {3}{4}. Therefore, the sequence {cn}\{c_n\} is an arithmetic sequence with the first term 12\frac {1}{2} and common difference 34\frac {3}{4}, so The sequence {cn} is an arithmetic sequence with the first term 12 and common difference 34\boxed{\text{The sequence } \{c_n\} \text{ is an arithmetic sequence with the first term } \frac {1}{2} \text{ and common difference } \frac {3}{4}}.

3. Solution: From (2), we have cn=12+34(n1)=34n14c_n= \frac {1}{2}+ \frac {3}{4}(n-1)= \frac {3}{4}n- \frac {1}{4}. This implies an2n=34n14\frac {a_n}{2^n}= \frac {3}{4}n- \frac {1}{4}, therefore an=(3n1)2n2a_n=(3n-1)2^{n-2}. The sum of the first nn terms Sn=4an1+2=(3n4)2n1+2S_n=4a_{n-1}+2=(3n-4)\cdot 2^{n-1}+2. Thus, the general term formula for the sequence {an}\{a_n\} is an=(3n1)2n2\boxed{a_n=(3n-1)2^{n-2}} and the sum of its first nn terms is Sn=(3n4)2n1+2\boxed{S_n=(3n-4)\cdot 2^{n-1}+2}.

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.