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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it

Given that the sum of the first nn terms of the sequence an{a_n} is SnS_n, and ana_n is the arithmetic mean of nn and SnS_n.
(1) Prove that the sequence an+1{a_{n+1}} is a geometric sequence.
(2) Find the sum of the first nn terms, TnT_n, of the sequence 1log2(an+1)log2(an+2+1){ \frac {1}{log_{2}(a_{n}+1)log_{2}(a_{n+2}+1)}}.

Solution

(1) Proof: Since ana_n is the arithmetic mean of nn and SnS_n, we have
2an=n+Sn(1)2a_n = n + S_n \tag{1}
When n=1n=1, a1=S1=2a11a_1 = S_1 = 2a_1 - 1, which gives a1=1a_1 = 1.
When n2n \geq 2, we have
2an1=(n1)+Sn1(2)2a_{n-1} = (n-1) + S_{n-1} \tag{2}
Subtracting equation (2) from equation (1), we get
2an2an1=1+an2a_n - 2a_{n-1} = 1 + a_n
which simplifies to
an=2an1+1a_n = 2a_{n-1} + 1
Then,
an+1=2(an1+1)a_n + 1 = 2(a_{n-1} + 1)
Thus, an+1{a_n + 1} is a geometric sequence with the first term a1+1=2a_1 + 1 = 2 and common ratio r=2r = 2.

(2) Now let's find the sum TnT_n:
1log2(an+1)log2(an+2+1)=1log22nlog22n+2=1n(n+2){ \frac {1}{log_{2}(a_{n}+1)log_{2}(a_{n+2}+1)}} = \frac {1}{log_{2}2^{n} \cdot log_{2}2^{n+2}} = \frac{1}{n(n+2)}
Using partial fractions, we can rewrite 1n(n+2)\frac{1}{n(n+2)} as:
1n(n+2)=12(1n1n+2)\frac{1}{n(n+2)} = \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{n} - \frac{1}{n+2}\right)

Now let's find the sum of the first nn terms, TnT_n:
\begin{align*}
T_n &= \frac{1}{2}\left[ \left(1 - \frac{1}{3}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{4}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{3} - \frac{1}{5}\right) + \cdots + \left(\frac{1}{n-1} - \frac{1}{n+1}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{n} - \frac{1}{n+2}\right) \right] \\
&= \frac{1}{2}\left[ 1 + \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{n+1} - \frac{1}{n+2} \right] \\
&= \boxed{\frac{3}{4} - \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{n+1} + \frac{1}{n+2}\right)}
\end{align*}

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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.