Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /83 of 97

Algebra Difficulty 8.5 Shortlist Find the answer

Let (an) \left(a_{n}\right) be the sequence of reals defined by a1=14 a_{1}=\frac{1}{4} and the recurrence an=14(1+an1)2,n2 a_{n}= \frac{1}{4}(1+a_{n-1})^{2}, n\geq 2. Find the minimum real λ \lambda such that for any non-negative reals x1,x2,,x2002 x_{1},x_{2},\dots,x_{2002}, it holds
k=12002Akλa2002, \sum_{k=1}^{2002}A_{k}\leq \lambda a_{2002},
where Ak=xkk(xk++x2002+k(k1)2+1)2,k1 A_{k}= \frac{x_{k}-k}{(x_{k}+\cdots+x_{2002}+\frac{k(k-1)}{2}+1)^{2}}, k\geq 1.

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

Solution

Let (an) \left(a_n\right) be the sequence of reals defined by a1=14 a_1 = \frac{1}{4} and the recurrence an=14(1+an1)2 a_n = \frac{1}{4}(1 + a_{n-1})^2 for n2 n \geq 2 . We aim to find the minimum real λ \lambda such that for any non-negative reals x1,x2,,x2002 x_1, x_2, \dots, x_{2002} , it holds that
k=12002Akλa2002, \sum_{k=1}^{2002} A_k \leq \lambda a_{2002},
where Ak=xkk(xk++x2002+k(k1)2+1)2 A_k = \frac{x_k - k}{(x_k + \cdots + x_{2002} + \frac{k(k-1)}{2} + 1)^2} for k1 k \geq 1 .

First, we simplify the problem by setting t=2002 t = 2002 . For k=1,2,,t k = 1, 2, \dots, t , define
yk=xk+xk+1++xt+k(k1)2+1, y_k = x_k + x_{k+1} + \dots + x_t + \frac{k(k-1)}{2} + 1,
and let L=yt+1=(t+1)t2+1 L = y_{t+1} = \frac{(t+1)t}{2} + 1 . Notice that ykyk+1=xkk y_k - y_{k+1} = x_k - k for 1kt 1 \leq k \leq t . Thus, we need to maximize the sum
S=k=12002Ak=k=12002ykyk+1yk2. S = \sum_{k=1}^{2002} A_k = \sum_{k=1}^{2002} \frac{y_k - y_{k+1}}{y_k^2}.

We use the following lemma to proceed:

Lemma 1. The inequality axbx2a241b \frac{ax - b}{x^2} \leq \frac{a^2}{4} \cdot \frac{1}{b} holds for all xR{0} x \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \{0\} with equality when x=2ba x = \frac{2b}{a} , where a,b>0 a, b > 0 .

Proof. Multiplying by 4bx2>0 4bx^2 > 0 , we need 4abx4b2a2x2 4abx - 4b^2 \leq a^2x^2 , which simplifies to (ax2b)20 (ax - 2b)^2 \geq 0 . \blacksquare

Lemma 2. Define the sequence b1=0 b_1 = 0 and bn=14(1+bn1)2 b_n = \frac{1}{4}(1 + b_{n-1})^2 for n2 n \geq 2 . Then
bkyk+ykyk+1yk2bk+1yk+1 \frac{b_k}{y_k} + \frac{y_k - y_{k+1}}{y_k^2} \leq \frac{b_{k+1}}{y_{k+1}}
for all 1kn 1 \leq k \leq n .

Proof. Using Lemma 1, we find
bkyk+ykyk+1yk2=(bk+1)ykyk+1yk2(bk+1)241yk+1=bk+1yk+1. \frac{b_k}{y_k} + \frac{y_k - y_{k+1}}{y_k^2} = \frac{(b_k + 1)y_k - y_{k+1}}{y_k^2} \leq \frac{(b_k + 1)^2}{4} \cdot \frac{1}{y_{k+1}} = \frac{b_{k+1}}{y_{k+1}}. \quad \blacksquare

Summing these inequalities for k=1,2,,t k = 1, 2, \dots, t gives
0k=1t(bkyk+ykyk+1yk2bk+1yk+1)=Sbt+1yt+1, 0 \geq \sum_{k=1}^t \left( \frac{b_k}{y_k} + \frac{y_k - y_{k+1}}{y_k^2} - \frac{b_{k+1}}{y_{k+1}} \right) = S - \frac{b_{t+1}}{y_{t+1}},
so Sbt+1L S \leq \frac{b_{t+1}}{L} .

To achieve the maximum with non-negative xk x_k , equality holds if and only if yk=2yk+1bk+1 y_k = \frac{2y_{k+1}}{b_k + 1} for k=1,2,,t k = 1, 2, \dots, t . This ensures all yk y_k are positive. Induction shows 0bn1 0 \leq b_n \leq 1 for all n1 n \geq 1 , implying yk=2bk+1yk+1yk+1 y_k = \frac{2}{b_k + 1} y_{k+1} \geq y_{k+1} , ensuring xk0 x_k \geq 0 .

Since b2=14 b_2 = \frac{1}{4} and bn+1=an b_{n+1} = a_n , the maximum S=bt+1L=1Lat S = \frac{b_{t+1}}{L} = \frac{1}{L} a_t . Thus, the constant λ \lambda is
λ=1200320022+1=12005004. \lambda = \frac{1}{\frac{2003 \cdot 2002}{2} + 1} = \frac{1}{2005004}.

The answer is: \boxed{\frac{1}{2005004}}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: Omni-MATH, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.