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Algebra Difficulty 7.1 National olympiad, round 2 Find the answer

For each positive integer nn , let Sn=1+12+13++1nTn=S1+S2+S3++SnUn=T12+T23+T34++Tnn+1.\begin{align*} S_n &= 1 + \frac 12 + \frac 13 + \cdots + \frac 1n \\ T_n &= S_1 + S_2 + S_3 + \cdots + S_n \\ U_n &= \frac{T_1}{2} + \frac{T_2}{3} + \frac{T_3}{4} + \cdots + \frac{T_n}{n+1}. \end{align*} Find, with proof, integers 0<a, b, c, d<10000000 < a,\ b,\ c,\ d < 1000000 such that T1988=aS1989bT_{1988} = a S_{1989} - b and U1988=cS1989dU_{1988} = c S_{1989} - d .

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

We note that for all integers n2n \ge 2 , Tn1=1+(1+12)+(1+12+13)++(1+12+13++1n1)=i=1n1(nii)=n(i=1n11i)(n1)=n(i=1n1i)n=nSnn.\begin{align*} T_{n-1} &= 1 + \left(1 + \frac 12\right) + \left(1 + \frac 12 + \frac 13\right) + \ldots + \left(1 + \frac 12 + \frac 13 + \ldots + \frac 1{n-1}\right) \\ &= \sum_{i=1}^{n-1} \left(\frac {n-i}i\right) = n\left(\sum_{i=1}^{n-1} \frac{1}{i}\right) - (n-1) = n\left(\sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{1}{i}\right) - n \\ &= n \cdot S_{n} - n . \end{align*}
It then follows that Un1=i=2nTi1i=i=2n (Si1)=Tn1+Sn(n1)S1=(nSnn)+Snn=(n+1)Sn2n.\begin{align*} U_{n-1} &= \sum_{i=2}^{n} \frac{T_{i-1}}{i} = \sum_{i=2}^{n}\ (S_{i} - 1) = T_{n-1} + S_n - (n-1) - S_1 \\ &= \left(nS_n - n\right) + S_n - n = (n + 1)S_n - 2n . \end{align*}
If we let n=1989n=1989 , we see that (a,b,c,d)=(1989,1989,1990,21989)(a,b,c,d) = (1989,1989,1990, 2\cdot 1989) is a suitable solution. \blacksquare
Notice that it is also possible to use induction to prove the equations relating TnT_n and UnU_n with SnS_n .
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Source: Omni-MATH, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.