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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it

Given the sequence {an}\{a_n\} with the sum of its first nn terms denoted by SnS_n, we know that a1=2a_1 = 2 and an+1=n+2nSna_{n+1}=\frac{n+2}{n}S_n for n=1,2,3,n=1,2,3,\ldots.

(1) Prove that the sequence {Snn}\left\{\frac{S_n}{n}\right\} is a geometric sequence;

(2) Find the sum of the first nn terms of the sequence {Sn}\{S_n\}, denoted by TnT_n.

Solution

(1) Since we have a1=2a_1 = 2 and an+1=n+2nSna_{n+1}=\frac{n+2}{n}S_n for n=1,2,3,n=1,2,3,\ldots,

We obtain Sn+1n+1=2Snn\frac{S_{n+1}}{n+1} = 2\cdot\frac{S_n}{n}, with S11=20\frac{S_1}{1} = 2 \neq 0,

Therefore, the sequence {Snn}\left\{\frac{S_n}{n}\right\} is a geometric sequence with the first term 22 and the common ratio 22.

(2) From (1), we know that Snn=2n\frac{S_n}{n}=2^n,

Hence, Sn=n2nS_n = n \cdot 2^n.

Now consider Tn=12+222+323++n2nT_n = 1\cdot 2 + 2\cdot 2^2 + 3\cdot 2^3 + \ldots + n\cdot 2^n,

Let's compute 2Tn=122+223+324++n2n+12T_n = 1\cdot 2^2 + 2\cdot 2^3 + 3\cdot 2^4 + \ldots + n\cdot 2^{n+1},

Subtracting these two equations, we get:
Tn2Tn=(2+22+23++2n)+n2n+1=2(12n)12+n2n+1=(1n)2n+1+2T_n - 2T_n = -(2 + 2^2 + 2^3 + \ldots + 2^n) + n \cdot 2^{n+1} = -\frac{2(1-2^n)}{1-2} + n \cdot 2^{n+1} = (1-n)2^{n+1} + 2

Solving for TnT_n gives us Tn=(n1)2n+1+2T_n = (n-1)2^{n+1} + 2.

Hence, the sum of the first nn terms of the sequence {Sn}\{S_n\}, denoted by TnT_n, is given by:
Tn=(n1)2n+1+2\boxed{T_n = (n-1)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.