Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 7 / 107 of 300 #1507 of 2000

Problem 1507

National olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Combinatorics Difficulty 7.2 Prove it

Define the sequence of real numbers {xn}n1\{x_n\}_{n \geq 1}, where x1x_1 is any real number and xn=1x1x2xn1 for all n>1.x_n = 1 - x_1x_2\ldots x_{n-1} \text{ for all } n > 1. Show that x2011>20112012x_{2011} > \frac{2011}{2012}.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, read the official solution, then mark yourself honestly — the ladder only means something if the record is true.

Official solution

1. Initial Assumptions and Base Cases:
- We start by considering the initial value x1 x_1 . We analyze three cases:
- x1<0 x_1 < 0
- x1>1 x_1 > 1
- x1[0,1] x_1 \in [0, 1]
- For x1<0 x_1 < 0 , xn>1 x_n > 1 for n>1 n > 1 , so x2011>20112012 x_{2011} > \frac{2011}{2012} is true.
- For x1>1 x_1 > 1 , x2<0 x_2 < 0 and xn>1 x_n > 1 for n>2 n > 2 , so x2011>20112012 x_{2011} > \frac{2011}{2012} is true.
- We now focus on the case x1[0,1] x_1 \in [0, 1] .

2. Induction Hypothesis:
- We will use mathematical induction to show that for n3 n \geq 3 , xn(11n+1,1] x_n \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{n+1}, 1\right] .
- Base Case:
- For n=3 n = 3 , we have x3=1x1x2 x_3 = 1 - x_1 x_2 .
- Since x1[0,1] x_1 \in [0, 1] and x2=1x1 x_2 = 1 - x_1 , we have x1x2=x1(1x1)14 x_1 x_2 = x_1 (1 - x_1) \leq \frac{1}{4} (since the maximum value of x1(1x1) x_1 (1 - x_1) is 14 \frac{1}{4} when x1=12 x_1 = \frac{1}{2} ).
- Therefore, x3=1x1(1x1)114=34 x_3 = 1 - x_1 (1 - x_1) \geq 1 - \frac{1}{4} = \frac{3}{4} .
- Hence, x3(114,1] x_3 \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{4}, 1\right] .

3. Inductive Step:
- Assume that for some n3 n \geq 3 , xn(11n+1,1] x_n \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{n+1}, 1\right] .
- We need to show that xn+1(11n+2,1] x_{n+1} \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{n+2}, 1\right] .
- From the recurrence relation, xn+1=1x1x2xn x_{n+1} = 1 - x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n .
- By the induction hypothesis, xn(11n+1,1] x_n \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{n+1}, 1\right] , so x1x2xn[0,1n+1] x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n \in \left[0, \frac{1}{n+1}\right] .
- Therefore, 1x1x2xn11n+1 1 - x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n \geq 1 - \frac{1}{n+1} .
- We need to show that 1x1x2xn<11n+2 1 - x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n < 1 - \frac{1}{n+2} .
- Since x1x2xn1n+1 x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n \leq \frac{1}{n+1} , we have:
1x1x2xn11n+1 1 - x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n \geq 1 - \frac{1}{n+1}
xn+111n+1 x_{n+1} \geq 1 - \frac{1}{n+1}
- To show the upper bound, we note that x1x2xn1n+1 x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n \leq \frac{1}{n+1} , so:
xn+1=1x1x2xn>11n+2 x_{n+1} = 1 - x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n > 1 - \frac{1}{n+2}
- Hence, xn+1(11n+2,1] x_{n+1} \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{n+2}, 1\right] .

4. Conclusion:
- By induction, for n3 n \geq 3 , xn(11n+1,1] x_n \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{n+1}, 1\right] .
- Specifically, for n=2011 n = 2011 , we have x2011(112012,1] x_{2011} \in \left(1 - \frac{1}{2012}, 1\right] .
- Therefore, x2011>20112012 x_{2011} > \frac{2011}{2012} .

The final answer is x2011>20112012 \boxed{ x_{2011} > \frac{2011}{2012} } .

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