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Algebra Difficulty 6.6 National olympiad Find the answer

Example 5 Given an integer n3n \geqslant 3, real numbers a1,a2,,ana_{1}, a_{2}, \cdots, a_{n} satisfy min1i<jnaiaj=1\min _{1 \leqslant i<j \leqslant n}\left|a_{i}-a_{j}\right|=1, find the minimum value of k=1nak3\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left|a_{k}\right|^{3}. (2009 China Mathematical Olympiad Problem)

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

Solution

Let's assume a1<a2<<ana_{1}<a_{2}<\cdots<a_{n}, then for 1kn1 \leqslant k \leqslant n, we have
ak+ank+1ank+1akn+12k\left|a_{k}\right|+\left|a_{n-k+1}\right| \geqslant\left|a_{n-k+1}-a_{k}\right| \geqslant|n+1-2 k|

Therefore, k=1nak3=12k=1n(ak3+an+1k3)\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left|a_{k}\right|^{3}=\frac{1}{2} \sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\left|a_{k}\right|^{3}+\left|a_{n+1-k}\right|^{3}\right)
=12k=1n(ak+an+1k)(34(akan+1k)2+14(ak+an+1k)2)18k=1n(ak+an+1k)318k=1nn+12k3\begin{aligned} = & \frac{1}{2} \sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\left|a_{k}\right|+\left|a_{n+1-k}\right|\right)\left(\frac{3}{4}\left(\left|a_{k}\right|-\left|a_{n+1-k}\right|\right)^{2}+\right. \\ & \left.\frac{1}{4}\left(\left|a_{k}\right|+\left|a_{n+1-k}\right|\right)^{2}\right) \\ \geqslant & \frac{1}{8} \sum_{k=1}^{n}\left(\left|a_{k}\right|+\left|a_{n+1-k}\right|\right)^{3} \\ \geqslant & \frac{1}{8} \sum_{k=1}^{n}|n+1-2 k|^{3} \end{aligned}

When nn is odd, k=1nn+12k3=223i=1n12i3=14(n21)2\sum_{k=1}^{n}|n+1-2 k|^{3}=2 \cdot 2^{3} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^{\frac{n-1}{2}} i^{3}=\frac{1}{4}\left(n^{2}-1\right)^{2};
When nn is even, k=1nn+12k3=2i=1n2(2i1)3=2(j=1nj3\sum_{k=1}^{n}|n+1-2 k|^{3}=2 \sum_{i=1}^{\frac{n}{2}}(2 i-1)^{3}=2\left(\sum_{j=1}^{n} j^{3}-\right.
i=1n2(2i)3)=14n2(n22)\left.\sum_{i=1}^{\frac{n}{2}}(2 i)^{3}\right)=\frac{1}{4} n^{2}\left(n^{2}-2\right)

Therefore, when nn is odd, k=1nak3132(n21)2\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left|a_{k}\right|^{3} \geqslant \frac{1}{32}\left(n^{2}-1\right)^{2};
When nn is even, k=1nak3132n2(n22)\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left|a_{k}\right|^{3} \geqslant \frac{1}{32} n^{2}\left(n^{2}-2\right), equality holds when ai=in+12,i=a_{i}=i-\frac{n+1}{2}, i= 1,2,,n1,2, \cdots, n.

Thus, the minimum value of k=1nak3\sum_{k=1}^{n}\left|a_{k}\right|^{3} is 132(n21)2\frac{1}{32}\left(n^{2}-1\right)^{2} (for odd nn), or 132n2(n22)\frac{1}{32} n^{2}\left(n^{2}-2\right) (for even nn).

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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.