Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 327 of 400 #1327 of 1964

Problem 1327

National olympiad, first round
Number theory Difficulty 6.6 Find the answer

Let kk be an integer and k>1k > 1. Define a sequence {an}\{a_n\} as follows:

a0=0a_0 = 0,

a1=1a_1 = 1, and

an+1=kan+an1a_{n+1} = ka_n + a_{n-1} for n=1,2,...n = 1,2,....

Determine, with proof, all possible kk for which there exist non-negative integers l,m(lm)l,m (l \not= m) and positive integers p,qp,q such that al+kap=am+kaqa_l + ka_p = a_m + ka_q.

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

Official solution

To determine all possible values of k k for which there exist non-negative integers l,m l, m (with lm l \neq m ) and positive integers p,q p, q such that al+kap=am+kaq a_l + ka_p = a_m + ka_q , we start by analyzing the given sequence and the equation.

1. Sequence Definition and Initial Conditions:
a0=0,a1=1,an+1=kan+an1forn1 a_0 = 0, \quad a_1 = 1, \quad a_{n+1} = ka_n + a_{n-1} \quad \text{for} \quad n \geq 1

2. Rewriting the Given Equation:
al+kap=am+kaq    alam=k(aqap) a_l + ka_p = a_m + ka_q \implies a_l - a_m = k(a_q - a_p)
Without loss of generality, assume l>m l > m and q>p q > p . This implies al>am a_l > a_m and aq>ap a_q > a_p .

3. Analyzing the Sequence:
The sequence {an} \{a_n\} is strictly increasing. We also note that:
an+1an=(k1)an+an1anan1 a_{n+1} - a_n = (k-1)a_n + a_{n-1} \geq a_n - a_{n-1}
This implies that the sequence {an+1an} \{a_{n+1} - a_n\} is increasing.

4. Case Analysis:
We consider three cases based on the relationship between q q and l l .

**Case (i): ql+1 q \geq l + 1 **
alalam=k(aqap)k(aqaq1)k(al+1al) a_l \geq a_l - a_m = k(a_q - a_p) \geq k(a_q - a_{q-1}) \geq k(a_{l+1} - a_l)
(k+1)alkal+1 (k+1)a_l \geq ka_{l+1}
For l=0 l = 0 , this inequality is obviously false. For l1 l \geq 1 :
(k+1)alk2al+kal1>(k+1)al (k+1)a_l \geq k^2 a_l + ka_{l-1} > (k+1)a_l
This is a contradiction.

**Case (ii): ql1 q \leq l - 1 **
alam=k(aqap)<kaqkal1 a_l - a_m = k(a_q - a_p) < ka_q \leq ka_{l-1}
For l=1 l = 1 , m=0 m = 0 , the inequality becomes 1<0 1 < 0 , which is false. For l>1 l > 1 :
alam<alal2 a_l - a_m < a_l - a_{l-2}
am>al2 a_m > a_{l-2}
m>l2 m > l - 2
Since m<l m < l , we have m=l1 m = l - 1 . Thus:
alal1=k(aqap) a_l - a_{l-1} = k(a_q - a_p)
The sequence {an} \{a_n\} modulo k k is {0,1,0,1,} \{0, 1, 0, 1, \ldots\} , so kalal1 k \nmid a_l - a_{l-1} , which is a contradiction.

**Case (iii): q=l q = l **
alam=kalkap a_l - a_m = ka_l - ka_p
(k1)al=kapamkapkal1 (k-1)a_l = ka_p - a_m \leq ka_p \leq ka_{l-1}
For l=1 l = 1 , this inequality is false. For l>1 l > 1 :
(k1)alalal2 (k-1)a_l \leq a_l - a_{l-2}
(k2)alal2 (k-2)a_l \leq -a_{l-2}
The left-hand side is nonnegative, and the right-hand side is nonpositive, so both must be zero. Thus, k=2 k = 2 .

5. **Verification for k=2 k = 2 :**
For k=2 k = 2 , we take l=2,m=0,p=1,q=2 l = 2, m = 0, p = 1, q = 2 :
a2+2a1=a0+2a2 a_2 + 2a_1 = a_0 + 2a_2
2+21=0+22 2 + 2 \cdot 1 = 0 + 2 \cdot 2
4=4 4 = 4
This satisfies the equation.

The final answer is k=2 \boxed{ k = 2 } .

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.