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Algebra Difficulty 3.1 AMC 10/12 Find the answer

Let tnt_{n} equal the integer closest to n\sqrt{n}. What is the sum 1t1+1t2+1t3+1t4++1t2008+1t2009+1t2010\frac{1}{t_{1}}+\frac{1}{t_{2}}+\frac{1}{t_{3}}+\frac{1}{t_{4}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{t_{2008}}+\frac{1}{t_{2009}}+\frac{1}{t_{2010}}?

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

Solution

First, we try a few values of nn to see if we can find a pattern in the values of tnt_{n}: So tn=1t_{n}=1 for 2 values of n,2n, 2 for 4 values of n,3n, 3 for 6 values of n,4n, 4 for 8 values of nn. We conjecture that tn=kt_{n}=k for 2k2 k values of nn. We will prove this fact at the end of the solution. Next, we note that 201044.83\sqrt{2010} \approx 44.83 and so t2010=45t_{2010}=45. This means that before this point in the sequence, we have included all terms with tn44t_{n} \leq 44. According to our conjecture, the number of terms with tn44t_{n} \leq 44 should be 2+4+6++86+88=2(1+2+3++43+44)=2(12(44)(45))=44(45)=19802+4+6+\cdots+86+88=2(1+2+3+\cdots+43+44)=2\left(\frac{1}{2}(44)(45)\right)=44(45)=1980. Note that 198044.497\sqrt{1980} \approx 44.497 and 198144.508\sqrt{1981} \approx 44.508 so t1980=44t_{1980}=44 and t1981=45t_{1981}=45. Since t1981=t2010=45t_{1981}=t_{2010}=45, then each of the terms from t1981t_{1981} to t2010t_{2010} equals 45. Therefore, there are 30 terms that equal 45. Thus, the required sum equals 2(11)+4(12)+6(13)++86(143)+88(144)+30(145)=2+2+2++2+2+232\left(\frac{1}{1}\right)+4\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)+6\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)+\cdots+86\left(\frac{1}{43}\right)+88\left(\frac{1}{44}\right)+30\left(\frac{1}{45}\right)=2+2+2+\cdots+2+2+\frac{2}{3} where there are 44 copies of 2. Therefore, the sum equals 882388 \frac{2}{3}. Lastly, we prove that for each positive integer kk, there are 2k2 k terms tnt_{n} that equal kk: In order to have tn=kt_{n}=k, we need k12n<k+12k-\frac{1}{2} \leq \sqrt{n}<k+\frac{1}{2} (in other words, n\sqrt{n} needs to round to kk). Since nn and kk are positive, then k12nk-\frac{1}{2} \leq \sqrt{n} is equivalent to (k12)2n\left(k-\frac{1}{2}\right)^{2} \leq n and n<k+12\sqrt{n}<k+\frac{1}{2} is equivalent to n<(k+12)2n<\left(k+\frac{1}{2}\right)^{2}. Therefore, we need (k12)2n<(k+12)2\left(k-\frac{1}{2}\right)^{2} \leq n<\left(k+\frac{1}{2}\right)^{2} or k2k+14n<k2+k+14k^{2}-k+\frac{1}{4} \leq n<k^{2}+k+\frac{1}{4}. Since nn is an integer, then k2k+1nk2+kk^{2}-k+1 \leq n \leq k^{2}+k. There are thus (k2+k)(k2k+1)+1=2k\left(k^{2}+k\right)-\left(k^{2}-k+1\right)+1=2 k such values of nn, as required.

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