Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /451 of 520

Algebra Difficulty 4.5 AIME Prove it

Given the sequence {an_{n}}, where a1_{1}=2, a2_{2}=6, and it satisfies the condition that an+1+an1an+1\frac {a_{n+1}+a_{n-1}}{a_{n}+1}=2 (for n≥2 and n∈N+^{+}).
(1) Prove that {an+1_{n+1}\-an_{n}} is an arithmetic sequence;
(2) Let bn_{n}\= 10(n+1)an\frac {10(n+1)}{a_{n}}\- 12\frac {1}{2}, and let Sn_{n} denote the sum of the first n terms of the sequence {bn_{n}}. Determine the maximum value of {S2n_{2n}\-Sn_{n}}.

Solution

(1) Proof: From the given condition, we have an+1_{n+1}+an1_{n-1}=2an_{n}+2. Thus, (an+1_{n+1}\-an_{n})-(an_{n}\-an1_{n-1})=2.
Therefore, {an+1_{n+1}\-an_{n}} is an arithmetic sequence with the first term 4 and the common difference 2.

(2) For n≥2, an_{n}=(an_{n}\-an1_{n-1})+...+(a2_{2}\-a1_{1})+a1_{1}
=4(n-1)+(n1)(n2)2\frac {(n-1)(n-2)}{2}×2+2=n(n+1).
When n=1, a1_{1}=2 also satisfies the above equation.
Therefore, an_{n}=n(n+1).
Then, bn_{n}=10(n+1)n(n+1)\frac {10(n+1)}{n(n+1)}\-12\frac {1}{2}=10n\frac {10}{n}\-12\frac {1}{2}
Hence, Sn_{n}=10(1+12\frac {1}{2}+...+1n\frac {1}{n})-n2\frac {n}{2},
And S2n_{2n}=10(1+12\frac {1}{2}+...+1n\frac {1}{n}+1n+1\frac {1}{n+1}+1n+2\frac {1}{n+2}+...+12n\frac {1}{2n})-2n2\frac {2n}{2},
Let Mn_{n}=S2n_{2n}\-Sn_{n}=10(1n+1\frac {1}{n+1}+1n+2\frac {1}{n+2}+...+12n\frac {1}{2n})-n2\frac {n}{2},
Then, Mn+1_{n+1}=10(1n+2\frac {1}{n+2}+1n+3\frac {1}{n+3}+...+12n\frac {1}{2n}+12n+1\frac {1}{2n+1}+12n+2\frac {1}{2n+2})-n+12\frac {n+1}{2},
Thus, Mn+1_{n+1}\-Mn_{n}=10(12n+1\frac {1}{2n+1}+12n+2\frac {1}{2n+2}\-1n+1\frac {1}{n+1})-12\frac {1}{2}
=10(12n+1\frac {1}{2n+1}\-12n+2\frac {1}{2n+2})-12\frac {1}{2}=10(2n+1)(2n+2)\frac {10}{(2n+1)(2n+2)}\-12\frac {1}{2},
When n=1, Mn+1_{n+1}\-Mn_{n}=103imes4\frac {10}{3 imes 4}\-12\frac {1}{2}>0, i.e., M1_{1}M3_{3}>M4_{4}>..., so the maximum value of (Mn_{n}) is M2_{2}=10×(13\frac {1}{3}+14\frac {1}{4})-1=296\frac {29}{6}.

Therefore, the maximum value of {S2n_{2n}\-Sn_{n}} is S\boxed{S}4_{4}\-S2_{2}=296\frac {29}{6}}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

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