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Algebra Difficulty 7.8 National olympiad, round 2 Find the answer

Let a0=5/2a_0 = 5/2 and ak=ak122a_k = a_{k-1}^2 - 2 for k1k \geq 1. Compute k=0(11ak) \prod_{k=0}^\infty \left(1 - \frac{1}{a_k} \right) in closed form.

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

Solution

Using the identity (x+x1)22=x2+x2, (x + x^{-1})^2 - 2 = x^2 + x^{-2}, we may check by induction on kk that ak=22k+22ka_k = 2^{2^k} + 2^{-2^k}; in particular, the product is absolutely convergent. Using the identities x2+1+x2x+1+x1=x1+x1, \frac{x^2 + 1 + x^{-2}}{x + 1 + x^{-1}} = x - 1 + x^{-1}, x2x2xx1=x+x1, \frac{x^2 - x^{-2}}{x - x^{-1}} = x + x^{-1}, we may telescope the product to obtain k=0(11ak)=k=022k1+22k22k+22k=k=022k+1+1+22k+122k+1+22k22k22k22k+122k1=220220220+1+220=37. \prod_{k=0}^\infty \left( 1 - \frac{1}{a_k} \right) = \prod_{k=0}^\infty \frac{2^{2^k} - 1 + 2^{-2^k}}{2^{2^k} + 2^{-2^k}} = \prod_{k=0}^\infty \frac{2^{2^{k+1}} + 1 + 2^{-2^{k+1}}}{2^{2^k} + 1 + 2^{-2^k}} \cdot \frac{2^{2^k} - 2^{-2^k}}{2^{2^{k+1}} - 2^{2^{-k-1}}} = \frac{2^{2^0} - 2^{-2^0}}{2^{2^0}+1 + 2^{-2^0}} = \frac{3}{7}.

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