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Number theory Difficulty 7.5 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it

For each positive integer nn, define Vn=2n2020+2n2021V_n=\lfloor 2^n\sqrt{2020}\rfloor+\lfloor 2^n\sqrt{2021}\rfloor. Prove that, in the sequence V1,V2,,V_1,V_2,\ldots, there are infinitely many odd integers, as well as infinitely many even integers.

Remark. x\lfloor x\rfloor is the largest integer that does not exceed the real number xx.

Solution

1. **Binary Representation of 2020\sqrt{2020} and 2021\sqrt{2021}**:
Let the binary representation of 2020\sqrt{2020} be a0.a1a22\overline{\ldots a_0.a_1a_2\ldots}_2 and the binary representation of 2021\sqrt{2021} be b0.b1b22\overline{\ldots b_0.b_1b_2\ldots}_2.

2. **Expression for VnV_n**:
We have Vn=2n2020+2n2021V_n = \lfloor 2^n \sqrt{2020} \rfloor + \lfloor 2^n \sqrt{2021} \rfloor.

3. **Condition for VnV_n being even or odd**:
VnV_n is even if and only if the sum of the fractional parts of 2n20202^n \sqrt{2020} and 2n20212^n \sqrt{2021} is less than 1. This happens if and only if an=bna_n = b_n.

4. **Assumption of Finitely Many Odd VnV_n**:
Suppose there are finitely many odd VnV_n. This implies that for sufficiently large nn, an=bna_n = b_n.

5. **Implication of an=bna_n = b_n for Large nn**:
If an=bna_n = b_n for all sufficiently large nn, then the fractional parts of 2n20202^n \sqrt{2020} and 2n20212^n \sqrt{2021} are eventually the same. This implies that 20212020\sqrt{2021} - \sqrt{2020} has a binary expansion that eventually terminates, making it a rational number.

6. Contradiction:
However, 20212020\sqrt{2021} - \sqrt{2020} is not rational because if it were, then (20212020)2=2021+2020220212020(\sqrt{2021} - \sqrt{2020})^2 = 2021 + 2020 - 2\sqrt{2021 \cdot 2020} would imply that 2202120202\sqrt{2021 \cdot 2020} is rational, which is not true since 202120202021 \cdot 2020 is not a perfect square.

7. **Assumption of Finitely Many Even VnV_n**:
Suppose there are finitely many even VnV_n. This implies that for sufficiently large nn, anbna_n \neq b_n, which means an+bn=1a_n + b_n = 1 since an,bn{0,1}a_n, b_n \in \{0, 1\}.

8. **Implication of anbna_n \neq b_n for Large nn**:
If anbna_n \neq b_n for all sufficiently large nn, then the fractional parts of 2n20202^n \sqrt{2020} and 2n20212^n \sqrt{2021} are such that their sum is always 1. This implies that 2021+2020\sqrt{2021} + \sqrt{2020} has a binary expansion that is eventually all 1's, which can be re-expressed as terminating (since 12=0.121_2 = 0.\overline{1}_2), making it a rational number.

9. Contradiction:
However, 2021+2020\sqrt{2021} + \sqrt{2020} is not rational because if it were, then (2021+2020)2=2021+2020+220212020(\sqrt{2021} + \sqrt{2020})^2 = 2021 + 2020 + 2\sqrt{2021 \cdot 2020} would imply that 2202120202\sqrt{2021 \cdot 2020} is rational, which is not true since 202120202021 \cdot 2020 is not a perfect square.

10. Conclusion:
Since both assumptions lead to contradictions, it follows that there must be infinitely many odd VnV_n and infinitely many even VnV_n.

\blacksquare

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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.