Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /392 of 520

Algebra Difficulty 6.9 National olympiad Find the answer

Find all positive integers n3n \geqslant 3 for which there exist real numbers a1,a2,,ana_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{n}, an+1=a1,an+2=a2a_{n+1}=a_{1}, a_{n+2}=a_{2} such that aiai+1+1=ai+2 a_{i} a_{i+1}+1=a_{i+2} for all i=1,2,,ni=1,2, \ldots, n. (Slovakia) Answer: nn can be any multiple of 3.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

For the sake of convenience, extend the sequence a1,,an+2a_{1}, \ldots, a_{n+2} to an infinite periodic sequence with period nn. (nn is not necessarily the shortest period.) If nn is divisible by 3, then (a1,a2,)=(1,1,2,1,1,2,)\left(a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots\right)=(-1,-1,2,-1,-1,2, \ldots) is an obvious solution. We will show that in every periodic sequence satisfying the recurrence, each positive term is followed by two negative values, and after them the next number is positive again. From this, it follows that nn is divisible by 3. If the sequence contains two consecutive positive numbers ai,ai+1a_{i}, a_{i+1}, then ai+2=aiai+1+1>1a_{i+2}=a_{i} a_{i+1}+1>1, so the next value is positive as well; by induction, all numbers are positive and greater than 1. But then ai+2=aiai+1+11ai+1+1>ai+1a_{i+2}=a_{i} a_{i+1}+1 \geqslant 1 \cdot a_{i+1}+1>a_{i+1} for every index ii, which is impossible: our sequence is periodic, so it cannot increase everywhere. If the number 0 occurs in the sequence, ai=0a_{i}=0 for some index ii, then it follows that ai+1=ai1ai+1a_{i+1}=a_{i-1} a_{i}+1 and ai+2=aiai+1+1a_{i+2}=a_{i} a_{i+1}+1 are two consecutive positive elements in the sequences and we get the same contradiction again. Notice that after any two consecutive negative numbers the next one must be positive: if ai1>0a_{i}1>0. Hence, the positive and negative numbers follow each other in such a way that each positive term is followed by one or two negative values and then comes the next positive term. Consider the case when the positive and negative values alternate. So, if aia_{i} is a negative value then ai+1a_{i+1} is positive, ai+2a_{i+2} is negative and ai+3a_{i+3} is positive again. Notice that aiai+1+1=ai+20a_{i} a_{i+1}+1=a_{i+2}0 we conclude ai1a_{i}1. The number ai+3a_{i+3} must be negative. We show that ai+4a_{i+4} also must be negative. Notice that ai+3a_{i+3} is negative and ai+4=ai+2ai+3+10,thereforea_{i+4}=a_{i+2} a_{i+3}+10, therefore a_{i+5}>a_{i+4}.Sinceatmostoneof. Since at most one of a_{i+4}and and a_{i+5}canbepositive,thatmeansthat can be positive, that means that a_{i+4}mustbenegative.Now must be negative. Now a_{i+3}and and a_{i+4}arenegativeand are negative and a_{i+5}$ is positive; so after two negative and a positive terms, the next three terms repeat the same pattern. That completes the solution.

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.