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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it

Given the sequence {a_n}\{a\_n\} that satisfies: a_1=2e3a\_1=2e-3, an+1+1=(2en+12)(an+1)an+1+2en2(nN)a_{n+1}+1= \frac{(2e^{n+1}-2)(a_{n}+1)}{a_{n}+1+2e^{n}-2} (n\in\mathbb{N}^*).

(1) Prove that the sequence {en1an+1}\{\frac{e^{n}-1}{a_{n}+1}\} is an arithmetic sequence.
(2) Prove that the sequence {an}\{a_{n}\} is strictly increasing.
(3) Prove that 1a1+1a2++1an<(ee1)2\frac{1}{a_{1}}+\frac{1}{a_{2}}+…+\frac{1}{a_{n}} < (\frac{e}{e-1})^{2}.

Solution

(1) Since an+1+1=(2en+12)(an+1)an+1+2en2a_{n+1}+1= \frac{(2e^{n+1}-2)(a_{n}+1)}{a_{n}+1+2e^{n}-2},
it follows that 2(en+11)an+1+1=an+1+2(en1)an+1=1+2(en1)an+1\frac{2(e^{n+1}-1)}{a_{n+1}+1}=\frac{a_{n}+1+2(e^{n}-1)}{a_{n}+1}=1+\frac{2(e^{n}-1)}{a_{n}+1},
which implies that en+11an+1+1en1an+1=12\frac{e^{n+1}-1}{a_{n+1}+1}-\frac{e^{n}-1}{a_{n}+1}=\frac{1}{2}.
Thus, the sequence {en1an+1}\{\frac{e^{n}-1}{a_{n}+1}\} is an arithmetic sequence with a common difference of 12\frac{1}{2}.

(2) From (1), we know that en1an+1=e1a1+1+12(n1)=n2\frac{e^{n}-1}{a_{n}+1}=\frac{e-1}{a_{1}+1}+\frac{1}{2}(n-1)=\frac{n}{2},
which implies that an=2(en1)n1a_{n}=\frac{2(e^{n}-1)}{n}-1. Let f(x)=2(ex1)x1(x1)f(x)=\frac{2(e^{x}-1)}{x}-1 (x\geqslant 1),
then f(x)=2(exxex+1)x2f'(x)=\frac{2(e^{x}\cdot x-e^{x}+1)}{x^{2}}. Obviously, f(x)>0f'(x)>0 holds for all x[1,+)x\in[1,+\infty).
Therefore, f(x)=2(ex1)x1f(x)=\frac{2(e^{x}-1)}{x}-1 is strictly increasing on [1,+)[1,+\infty).
Hence, the sequence {an}\{a_{n}\} is strictly increasing.

(3) From the problem, we know that a1=2e3a_{1}=2e-3.
Since ana1>1a_{n}\geqslant a_{1}>1, it follows that 1an<2an+1\frac{1}{a_{n}}<\frac{2}{a_{n}+1}, i.e., 1a1+1a2++1an<2a1+1+2a2+1++2an+1\frac{1}{a_{1}}+\frac{1}{a_{2}}+…+\frac{1}{a_{n}}<\frac{2}{a_{1}+1}+\frac{2}{a_{2}+1}+…+\frac{2}{a_{n}+1}.
Moreover, since 2an+1=nen1<nen1\frac{2}{a_{n}+1}=\frac{n}{e^{n}-1}<\frac{n}{e^{n-1}},
we have 2a1+1+2a2+1++2an+1<1+21e+31e2++n1en1\frac{2}{a_{1}+1}+\frac{2}{a_{2}+1}+…+\frac{2}{a_{n}+1}<1+2\cdot\frac{1}{e}+3\cdot\frac{1}{e^{2}}+…+n\cdot\frac{1}{e^{n-1}}.
Let Sn=1+21e+31e2++n1en1S_{n}=1+2\cdot\frac{1}{e}+3\cdot\frac{1}{e^{2}}+…+n\cdot\frac{1}{e^{n-1}},
then 1eSn=11e+21e2++n1en\frac{1}{e}S_{n}=1\cdot\frac{1}{e}+2\cdot\frac{1}{e^{2}}+…+n\cdot\frac{1}{e^{n}}.
Subtracting the two equations, we obtain (11e)Sn=1+1e+1e2++1en1n1en=ee1(11en)n1en<ee1(1-\frac{1}{e})S_{n}=1+\frac{1}{e}+\frac{1}{e^{2}}+…+\frac{1}{e^{n-1}}-n\cdot\frac{1}{e^{n}}=\frac{e}{e-1}(1-\frac{1}{e^{n}})-n\cdot\frac{1}{e^{n}}<\frac{e}{e-1}.
Thus, Sn<(ee1)2S_{n}<(\frac{e}{e-1})^{2},
which implies that 2a1+1+2a2+1++2an+1<1+21e+31e2++n1en1<(ee1)2\frac{2}{a_{1}+1}+\frac{2}{a_{2}+1}+…+\frac{2}{a_{n}+1}<1+2\cdot\frac{1}{e}+3\cdot\frac{1}{e^{2}}+…+n\cdot\frac{1}{e^{n-1}}<(\frac{e}{e-1})^{2}.
Therefore, 1a1+1a2++1an<(ee1)2\boxed{\frac{1}{a_{1}}+\frac{1}{a_{2}}+…+\frac{1}{a_{n}}<(\frac{e}{e-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.