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Algebra Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Find the answer

6. The integer nn that satisfies (1+1n)n+1=(1+12014)2014\left(1+\frac{1}{n}\right)^{n+1}=\left(1+\frac{1}{2014}\right)^{2014} is ==.

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

Solution

6. -2015 .

Notice that for any x(1,+)x \in(-1,+\infty) we have
x1+xln(1+x)x \frac{x}{1+x} \leqslant \ln (1+x) \leqslant x \text {. }

Then for f(x)=(1+1x)x+1(x>0)f(x)=\left(1+\frac{1}{x}\right)^{x+1}(x>0) and
g(x)=(1+1x)x(x>0) g(x)=\left(1+\frac{1}{x}\right)^{x}(x>0)

the derivatives are respectively
f(x)=(1+1x)x+1[ln(1+1x)1x]0. \begin{array}{l} f^{\prime}(x)=\left(1+\frac{1}{x}\right)^{x+1}\left[\ln \left(1+\frac{1}{x}\right)-\frac{1}{x}\right]0 . \end{array}

Thus, f(x)f(x) is decreasing on the interval (0,+)(0,+\infty), g(x)g(x) is increasing on the interval (0,+)(0,+\infty), and for any x(0,+)x \in(0,+\infty) we have f(x)>e>g(x)f(x)>\mathrm{e}>g(x).
Therefore, for any mnZ+m 、 n \in \mathbf{Z}_{+} we have
(1+1n)n+1>e>(1+1m)m \left(1+\frac{1}{n}\right)^{n+1}>\mathrm{e}>\left(1+\frac{1}{m}\right)^{m} \text {. }

Thus, the integer nn that satisfies (1+1n)n+1=(1+12014)2014\left(1+\frac{1}{n}\right)^{n+1}=\left(1+\frac{1}{2014}\right)^{2014} must be negative.
Let n=k(kZ+)n=-k\left(k \in \mathbf{Z}_{+}\right), substituting into the given equation we get
(1+12014)2014=(11k)k+1=(1+1k1)k1 \left(1+\frac{1}{2014}\right)^{2014}=\left(1-\frac{1}{k}\right)^{-k+1}=\left(1+\frac{1}{k-1}\right)^{k-1} \text {. }

Hence k1=2014,n=k=2015k-1=2014, n=-k=-2015.

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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.