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Problem 1557

National Olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.0 Prove it Taiwan IMO Selection Camp · Taiwan · 2021

Let a1,a2,a3,a_1, a_2, a_3, \dots be a sequence of positive integers such that a1=2021a_1 = 2021 and
an+1an=an. \sqrt{a_{n+1} - a_n} = \lfloor \sqrt{a_n} \rfloor.
Show that there are infinitely many odd numbers and infinitely many even numbers in this sequence.

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 solution

Suppose there are not infinitely many odd numbers or not infinitely many even numbers, then there exists an NN such that the sequence aN,aN+1,aN+2,a_N, a_{N+1}, a_{N+2}, \dots all have the same parity. So when nNn \ge N,
bn:=an=an+1an b_n := \lfloor \sqrt{a_n} \rfloor = \sqrt{a_{n+1} - a_n}
is even. Let kn=anbn2k_n = a_n - b_n^2, then 0kn2bn0 \le k_n \le 2b_n. We have
an+1=an+bn2=2bn2+kn    bn+12bn2+kn<bn+1+1, a_{n+1} = a_n + b_n^2 = 2b_n^2 + k_n \implies b_{n+1} \le \sqrt{2b_n^2 + k_n} < b_{n+1} + 1,
therefore from an+2=2bn+12+kn+1=2bn2+kn+bn+12a_{n+2} = 2b_{n+1}^2 + k_{n+1} = 2b_n^2 + k_n + b_{n+1}^2,
an+24bn2+2kn4bn2+4bn<(2bn+1)2 a_{n+2} \le 4b_n^2 + 2k_n \le 4b_n^2 + 4b_n < (2b_n + 1)^2
an+2>2bn2+kn+(2bn2+kn1)2=4bn2+2kn+122bn2+kn. a_{n+2} > 2b_n^2 + k_n + (\sqrt{2b_n^2 + k_n} - 1)^2 = 4b_n^2 + 2k_n + 1 - 2\sqrt{2b_n^2 + k_n}.
Note that
4bn2+2kn+122bn2+kn(2bn1)2    2bn+kn2bn2+kn, 4b_n^2 + 2k_n + 1 - 2\sqrt{2b_n^2 + k_n} \ge (2b_n - 1)^2 \iff 2b_n + k_n \ge \sqrt{2b_n^2 + k_n},
and the latter is clearly true, so we have bn+2=an+2=2bn1b_{n+2} = \lfloor a_{n+2} \rfloor = 2b_n - 1 or 2bn2b_n. Since bn+2b_{n+2} is even when n+2Nn + 2 \ge N, we have bn+2=2bnb_{n+2} = 2b_n. Thus we have bN+2s=2sbN,bN+2s+1=2sbN+1b_{N+2s} = 2^s b_N, b_{N+2s+1} = 2^s b_{N+1}.
bN+2s2=aN+2s+1aN+2s=bN+2s+12bN+2s2+kN+2s+1kN+2s, b_{N+2s}^2 = a_{N+2s+1} - a_{N+2s} = b_{N+2s+1}^2 - b_{N+2s}^2 + k_{N+2s+1} - k_{N+2s},
we have
kN+2s+1kN+2s=2bN+2s2bN+2s+12=22s(2bN2bN+12), k_{N+2s+1} - k_{N+2s} = 2b_{N+2s}^2 - b_{N+2s+1}^2 = 2^{2s}(2b_N^2 - b_{N+1}^2),
from 0kn2bn0 \le k_n \le 2b_n, we have
22s2bN2bN+122bN+2s+1+2bN+2s=2s+1(bN+1+bN). 2^{2s}|2b_N^2 - b_{N+1}^2| \le 2b_{N+2s+1} + 2b_{N+2s} = 2^{s+1}(b_{N+1} + b_N).
Note that 22 is not a perfect square, so 2bN2bN+1202b_N^2 - b_{N+1}^2 \ne 0, hence taking ss sufficiently large yields a contradiction.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement translated into English from zh; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.