Evaluate the expression where the digit 2 appears 2013 times.
A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.
Solution
Let f(n) denote the corresponding expression with the digit 2 appearing exactly n times. Then f(1)=21 and for n>1,f(n)=2−f(n−1)1. By induction using the identity 2−NN−11=N+1N, f(n)=n+1n for all n≥1, so f(2013)=20142013.
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