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Algebra Difficulty 5.6 AIME, harder Prove it

For any positive integer nn, let ana_{n} be the real root of the equation x3+xn=1x^{3} + \frac{x}{n} = 1. Prove:
(1) an+1>ana_{n+1} > a_{n};
(2) i=1n1(i+1)2ai<an\sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{1}{(i+1)^{2} a_{i}} < a_{n}.
(Ben Shenghong, problem contributor)

Solution

(1) From an3+ann=1a_{n}^{3}+\frac{a_{n}}{n}=1, we get 0<an<10 < a_{n} < 1, so,
an+1an>0, a_{n+1}-a_{n}>0,

which means an+1>ana_{n+1}>a_{n}.
(2) Since an(an2+1n)=1a_{n}\left(a_{n}^{2}+\frac{1}{n}\right)=1, we have,
an=1an2+1n>11+1n=nn+1 a_{n}=\frac{1}{a_{n}^{2}+\frac{1}{n}}>\frac{1}{1+\frac{1}{n}}=\frac{n}{n+1} \text {. }

Thus, 1(n+1)2an<1n(n+1)\frac{1}{(n+1)^{2} a_{n}}<\frac{1}{n(n+1)}.
Therefore, i=1n1(i+1)2ai<i=1n1i(i+1)\sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{1}{(i+1)^{2} a_{i}}<\sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{1}{i(i+1)}
=i=1n(1i1i+1)=11n+1=nn+1<an =\sum_{i=1}^{n}\left(\frac{1}{i}-\frac{1}{i+1}\right)=1-\frac{1}{n+1}=\frac{n}{n+1}<a_{n} \text {. }

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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.