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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it

Given a sequence {an}\{a_n\} and its sum of the first nn terms SnS_n, satisfying: a1=1a_1=1, Sn2Sn1=1S_n-2S_{n-1}=1 for nNn\in\mathbb{N}^* and n2n\geqslant 2.
1. Prove that the sequence {an}\{a_n\} is a geometric sequence;
2. Given cn=nanc_n= \frac{n}{a_n} for nNn\in\mathbb{N}^*, and the sum of the first nn terms of the sequence {cn}\{c_n\} is TnT_n. If there exist positive integers MM and mm such that mTn<Mm\leqslant T_n < M holds for any positive integer nn, find the values of MM and mm.

Solution

1. For n2n\geqslant 2, from the system of equations {Sn2Sn1=1Sn+12Sn=1\begin{cases}S_n-2S_{n-1}=1 \\ S_{n+1}-2S_n=1\end{cases}, by subtracting the two equations, we get an+12an=0a_{n+1}-2a_n=0.
When n=2n=2, a2=2a_2=2,
thus an+1an=2\frac{a_{n+1}}{a_n}=2 for nNn\in\mathbb{N}^*,
which means {an}\{a_n\} is a geometric sequence with the first term 11 and common ratio 22.
2. From (1), we have an=2n1a_n=2^{n-1}, thus cn=n×(12)n1c_n=n\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1},
therefore, Tn=1×(12)0+2×(12)1+3×(12)2++(n1)×(12)n2+n×(12)n1T_n=1\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^0+2\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^1+3\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^2+\ldots+(n-1)\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-2}+n\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1}
Hence, 12Tn=1×(12)1+2×(12)2+3×(12)3++(n1)×(12)n1+n×(12)n\frac{1}{2}T_n=1\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^1+2\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^2+3\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^3+\ldots+(n-1)\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1}+n\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n
Subtracting the two expressions, we get 12Tn=(12)0+(12)1+(12)2++(12)n1n×(12)n=2(n+2)×(12)n\frac{1}{2}T_n=\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^0+\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^1+\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^2+\ldots+\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1}-n\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n=2-(n+2)\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n
Therefore, Tn=4(n+2)×(12)n10T_n=4-(n+2)\times\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n-1} 0, we have TnT1=1T_n\geqslant T_1=1,
In conclusion, there exist positive integers MM and mm such that mTn<Mm\leqslant T_n < M holds for any positive integer nn, where m=1m=1 and M4M\geqslant 4 with MNM\in\mathbb{N}.
Thus, the final answers are m=1\boxed{m=1} and M4\boxed{M\geqslant 4} with MNM\in\mathbb{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.