Let be an integer. Find, with proof, all sequences of positive integers with the following three properties:
(a). ;
(b). for all ;
(c). given any two indices and (not necessarily distinct) for which , there is an index such that .
Solution
To find all sequences of positive integers satisfying the conditions given in the problem, we proceed as follows:
Given Conditions:
1. .
2. for all .
3. For any indices and where , there exists an index such that .
Objective: Find all sequences .
### Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the implications of conditions (a) and (b).
From condition (b), we have . Let's express in terms of .
Notice if , then:
and,
Thus, satisfies condition (b) for all .
**Step 2: Check condition (a): .**
For the proposed sequence , observe:
This clearly satisfies condition (a).
Step 3: Verify condition (c).
Given any two indices , suppose that .
For and , the sum is:
If , then .
For , it follows that .
Thus, for this arrangement, all three conditions are satisfied:
- The sequence is strictly increasing.
- The sum conditions are met.
- Every necessary sum of two indices corresponds directly to another term in the sequence.
Therefore, the sequence that satisfies all conditions is:
Final Answer:
The sequences that satisfy all the given properties are: