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Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Find the answer

3. The integer sequence {an}\left\{a_{n}\right\} satisfies
an+2=an+12+an2(n1). a_{n+2}=a_{n+1}^{2}+a_{n}^{2}(n \geqslant 1) .

If the positive integer mm satisfies am=2005a_{m}=2005, then the set of all possible mm is:

Pick one

Solution

3. B.

Let a1=2005a_{1}=2005, then m=1m=1 is possible;
Let a2=2005a_{2}=2005, then m=2m=2 is possible;
Let a1=18,a2=41a_{1}=18, a_{2}=41. Then
a3=a12+a22=324+1681=2005, a_{3}=a_{1}^{2}+a_{2}^{2}=324+1681=2005,

so m=3m=3 is also possible.
If m=4m=4 is possible, then we have
2005=a22+(a12+a22)2(a1,a2N+) 2005=a_{2}^{2}+\left(a_{1}^{2}+a_{2}^{2}\right)^{2}\left(a_{1}, a_{2} \in \mathbf{N}_{+}\right) \text {. }

Since 452=202545^{2}=2025, we know that a12+a2244a_{1}^{2}+a_{2}^{2} \leqslant 44, hence a1,a26a_{1}, a_{2} \leqslant 6.
Thus, (a12+a22)2=2005a22[1969,2004]\left(a_{1}^{2}+a_{2}^{2}\right)^{2}=2005-a_{2}^{2} \in[1969,2004].
However, 442=1936<1969<2004<45244^{2}=1936<1969<2004<45^{2}, which is a contradiction.
When m5m \geqslant 5, similarly, it is not possible.

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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.