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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it

Given a sequence {an}\{a_n\} with the first term a1=23a_1 = \frac{2}{3}, and an+1=2anan+1a_{n+1} = \frac{2a_n}{a_n + 1} for n=1,2,n=1,2,\ldots.

(Ⅰ) Prove that the sequence {1an1}\left\{\frac{1}{a_n} - 1\right\} is a geometric sequence;

(Ⅱ) Find the sum of the first nn terms of the sequence {nan}\left\{\frac{n}{a_n}\right\}.

Solution

Solution:

(Ⅰ) From the given: an+1=2anan+1a_{n+1} = \frac{2a_n}{a_n + 1},

1an+1=an+12an=12+121an\frac{1}{a_{n+1}} = \frac{a_n + 1}{2a_n} = \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{1}{a_n},

1an+11=12(1an1)\frac{1}{a_{n+1}} - 1 = \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{a_n} - 1\right),

Given a1=23a_1 = \frac{2}{3}, ∴ 1a11=12\frac{1}{a_1} - 1 = \frac{1}{2},

∴ The sequence {1an1}\left\{\frac{1}{a_n} - 1\right\} is a geometric sequence with the first term 12\frac{1}{2} and common ratio 12\frac{1}{2}.

(Ⅱ) From (Ⅰ), we know 1an1=12(12)n1=12n\frac{1}{a_n} - 1 = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} = \frac{1}{2^n},

Thus, 1an=12n+1\frac{1}{a_n} = \frac{1}{2^n} + 1, ∴ nan=n2n+n\frac{n}{a_n} = \frac{n}{2^n} + n.

Let Tn=12+222+323++n2nT_n = \frac{1}{2} + \frac{2}{2^2} + \frac{3}{2^3} + \ldots + \frac{n}{2^n},

Then 12Tn=122+223++n12n+n2n+1\frac{1}{2}T_n = \frac{1}{2^2} + \frac{2}{2^3} + \ldots + \frac{n-1}{2^n} + \frac{n}{2^{n+1}},

From subtracting the above, we get: 12Tn=12+122++12nn2n+1=12(112n)112n2n+1=112nn2n+1\frac{1}{2}T_n = \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2^2} + \ldots + \frac{1}{2^n} - \frac{n}{2^{n+1}} = \frac{\frac{1}{2}(1 - \frac{1}{2^n})}{1 - \frac{1}{2}} - \frac{n}{2^{n+1}} = 1 - \frac{1}{2^n} - \frac{n}{2^{n+1}},

Tn=212n1n2nT_n = 2 - \frac{1}{2^{n-1}} - \frac{n}{2^n}. Also, 1+2+3++n=n(n+1)21 + 2 + 3 + \ldots + n = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}.

∴ The sum of the first nn terms of the sequence {nan}\left\{\frac{n}{a_n}\right\} is: Sn=22+n2n+n(n+1)2=n2+n+422+n2nS_n = 2 - \frac{2+n}{2^n} + \frac{n(n+1)}{2} = \frac{n^2 + n + 4}{2} - \frac{2+n}{2^n}.

Thus, the final answer is Sn=n2+n+422+n2n\boxed{S_n = \frac{n^2 + n + 4}{2} - \frac{2+n}{2^n}}.

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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.