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Problem 1063

AMC 12 late, AIME early
Combinatorics Difficulty 5.0 Prove it HMIC · United States

For a nonnegative integer nn, let s(n)s(n) be the sum of digits of the binary representation of nn. Prove that
n=0220221(1)s(n)2022+n>0 \sum_{n=0}^{2^{2022}-1} \frac{(-1)^{s(n)}}{2022+n}>0

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

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Official solutions — 2

Solution 1

Solution:

Define
fk(x)=n=02k1(1)s(n)x+n f_k(x)=\sum_{n=0}^{2^k-1} \frac{(-1)^{s(n)}}{x+n}
We want to show that f2022(2022)>0f_{2022}(2022)>0. We will in fact show something stronger.

I claim that for all x>0x>0, for all k0k \geq 0, we have fk(i)(x)>0f_k^{(i)}(x)>0 for even ii and fk(i)(x)<0f_k^{(i)}(x)<0 for odd ii, where f(i)f^{(i)} denotes the iith derivative of ff. We will prove this claim with induction on kk.

The base case of k=0k=0 is easy to see because f0(x)=1xf_0(x)=\frac{1}{x}, so f0(2j)(x)=(2j)!x2j+1>0f_0^{(2j)}(x)=\frac{(2j)!}{x^{2j+1}}>0 and f0(2j1)(x)=(2j1)!x2j<0f_0^{(2j-1)}(x)=-\frac{(2j-1)!}{x^{2j}}<0 for all x>0x>0.

Now, assume the claim is true for k=Nk=N. Then, note that
fN+1(x)=n=02N+11(1)s(n)x+n=n=02N1(1)s(n)x+n+n=02N1(1)s(n+2N)x+n+2N=n=02N1(1)s(n)x+nn=02N1(1)s(n)x+n+2N=fN(x)fN(x+2N) \begin{gathered} f_{N+1}(x)=\sum_{n=0}^{2^{N+1}-1} \frac{(-1)^{s(n)}}{x+n}=\sum_{n=0}^{2^N-1} \frac{(-1)^{s(n)}}{x+n}+\sum_{n=0}^{2^N-1} \frac{(-1)^{s\left(n+2^N\right)}}{x+n+2^N}= \\ \sum_{n=0}^{2^N-1} \frac{(-1)^{s(n)}}{x+n}-\sum_{n=0}^{2^N-1} \frac{(-1)^{s(n)}}{x+n+2^N}=f_N(x)-f_N\left(x+2^N\right) \end{gathered}
Thus,
fN+1(2j)(x)=fN(2j)(x)fN(2j)(x+2N)>0 f_{N+1}^{(2j)}(x)=f_N^{(2j)}(x)-f_N^{(2j)}\left(x+2^N\right)>0
since (fN(2j)(x))=fN(2j+1)(x)<0\left(f_N^{(2j)}(x)\right)'=f_N^{(2j+1)}(x)<0. Similarly, we can show that fN+12j+1(x)<0f_{N+1}^{2j+1}(x)<0, which completes the induction, so we are done.

Solution 2

Solution:

Define the function
f(t)=t2021(1t)(1t2)(1t4)(1t8)(1t22021)=n=0220221(1)s(n)t2021+n f(t)=t^{2021}(1-t)\left(1-t^{2}\right)\left(1-t^{4}\right)\left(1-t^{8}\right) \cdots\left(1-t^{2^{2021}}\right)=\sum_{n=0}^{2^{2022}-1}(-1)^{s(n)} t^{2021+n}
Note that we have f(t)>0f(t)>0 for all t(0,1)t \in(0,1), so we have
0<01f(t)dt=n=0220221(1)s(n)12022+n 0<\int_{0}^{1} f(t) d t=\sum_{n=0}^{2^{2022}-1}(-1)^{s(n)} \frac{1}{2022+n}
so we are done.

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