Problem

Source: 2018 Saudi Arabia IMO TST II p2

Tags: geometric sequence, inequalities, arithmetic sequence, algebra



a) For integer $n \ge 3$, suppose that $0 < a_1 < a_2 < ...< a_n$ is a arithmetic sequence and $0 < b_1 < b_2 < ... < b_n$ is a geometric sequence with $a_1 = b_1, a_n = b_n$. Prove that a_k > b_k for all $k = 2,3,..., n -1$. b) Prove that for every positive integer $n \ge 3$, there exist an integer arithmetic sequence $(a_n)$ and an integer geometric sequence $(b_n)$ such that $0 < b_1 < a_1 < b_2 < a_2 < ... < b_n < a_n$.