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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it

Given a sequence {an}\{a_n\} that satisfies a1=1a_1=1, an+12an=2na_{n+1}-2a_n=2^n,
(1) Prove that the sequence {an2n}\left\{\frac{a_n}{2^n}\right\} is an arithmetic sequence, and find the general formula for {an}\{a_n\};
(2) Let bn=(n+2)2n1anan+1b_n= \frac{(n+2)2^{n-1}}{a_na_{n+1}}, and the sum of the first nn terms of {bn}\{b_n\} be SnS_n, prove that: Sn<1S_n<1.

Solution

Proof:
(1) From an+12an=2na_{n+1}-2a_n=2^n,
dividing both sides by 2n+12^{n+1}, we get
an+12n+1an2n=12\frac{a_{n+1}}{2^{n+1}} - \frac{a_n}{2^n} = \frac{1}{2},
which shows that the sequence {an2n}\left\{\frac{a_n}{2^n}\right\} is an arithmetic sequence with the first term 12\frac{1}{2} and common difference 12\frac{1}{2};
thus, an2n=12+12(n1)=n2\frac{a_n}{2^n} = \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2}(n-1) = \frac{n}{2},
hence, an=n2n1a_n = n\cdot 2^{n-1};
(2) bn=(n+2)2n1anan+1=(n+1)2nn2n1anan+1b_n = \frac{(n+2)2^{n-1}}{a_na_{n+1}} = \frac{(n+1)\cdot 2^n - n\cdot 2^{n-1}}{a_na_{n+1}}
=an+1ananan+1=1an1an+1= \frac{a_{n+1}-a_n}{a_na_{n+1}} = \frac{1}{a_n} - \frac{1}{a_{n+1}},
thus, Sn=b1+b2++bnS_n = b_1 + b_2 + \ldots + b_n
=1a11a2+1a21a3++1an1an+1= \frac{1}{a_1} - \frac{1}{a_2} + \frac{1}{a_2} - \frac{1}{a_3} + \ldots + \frac{1}{a_n} - \frac{1}{a_{n+1}}
=1a11an+1=11(n+1)2n<1= \frac{1}{a_1} - \frac{1}{a_{n+1}} = 1 - \frac{1}{(n+1)\cdot 2^n} < 1.

Thus, the final answers are:
(1) The general formula for {an}\{a_n\} is an=n2n1\boxed{a_n = n\cdot 2^{n-1}}.
(2) It is proven that Sn<1\boxed{S_n < 1}.

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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.