A sequence $P=\left \{ a_{n} \right \}$ is called a $ \text{Permutation}$ of natural numbers (positive integers) if for any natural number $m,$ there exists a unique natural number $n$ such that $a_n=m.$ We also define $S_k(P)$ as: $S_k(P)=a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots +a_{k}$ (the sum of the first $k$ elements of the sequence). Prove that there exists infinitely many distinct $ \text{Permutations}$ of natural numbers like $P_1,P_2, \cdots$ such that$:$ $$\forall k, \forall i<j: S_k(P_i)|S_k(P_j)$$
Problem
Source: Iran MO 3rd round 2016 finals - Number Theory P3
Tags: number theory, Iran
05.09.2016 08:53
Sounds very nice ! Any ideas?!
06.09.2016 12:06
I will prove a stronger problem: Problem: A sequence $P=\left \{ a_{n} \right \}$ is called a $ \text{Permutation}$ of natural numbers (positive integers) if for any natural number $m,$ there exists a unique natural number $n$ such that $a_n=m.$ We also define $S_k(P)$ as: $S_k(P)=a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots +a_{k}$ (the sum of the first $k$ elements of the sequence). Prove that there exists infinitely many distinct $ \text{Permutations}$ of natural numbers like $P_1,P_2, \cdots$ such that: $\left\{\begin{array}{lll} 1)\ \forall k, \forall i<j: S_k(P_i)|S_k(P_j)\\ \\ 2)\ \forall i\ P_i(a_n) \ \text{has infinitely elements like}\ a_j\ \text{such that gcd}(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{j-1},a_j)=1 \end{array}\right.$ Solution: Define $P_1$ be an arbitrary permutation of natural numbers such that it satisfy the problem's conditions (for condition 2 after defining the first $m$ elements we can choose $a_{m+1}$ be a prime larger than $a_1+a_2+\dots +a_m$ then obviously $\text{gcd}(a_{m+1},a_1+a_2+\dots+a_m)=1$; we can do this for infinitely natural numbers $m$). For any $r\in \mathbb{N}$ we want to build the sequences $P_2,P_3,\dots,P_r$ such that $P_1,P_2,\dots ,P_r$ satisfy the conditions of problem. we build these sequences by induction on $r$; so assume that we have already build the sequences $P_1,P_2,\dots,P_r=\{a_n\}$. we build the sequence $P_{r+1}=\{b_n\}$ in the following way: Define $b_1$ be a large enough number such that $a_1\mid b_1$ so the sequence $P_{r+1}$ must be different from $P_1,P_2,\dots ,P_r$ because of the first element. Now in each step we choose $b_i$ (for $i\geq 2$) such that it is the least positive integer such that $a_1+a_2+\dots +a_i\mid b_1+b_2+\dots +b_i$ or $b_i\equiv -(b_1+b_2+\dots+b_{i-1})\pmod{a_1+a_2+\dots +a_i}$ such that $b_i\notin \{b_1,b_2,\dots ,b_{i-1}\}$ (we call this a good step). From the assumption there are infinitely index $i$ such that $\text{gcd}(a_i,a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{i-1})=1$ let $A=\{i_1,i_2,\dots \}$ be a set of all these indexes. take one of these indexes and call it $n$; so $\text{gcd}(a_n,a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})=1\ \bigstar$ now assume that that we have chosen $b_1,b_2,\dots,b_{n-2}$. I claim that we can choose $b_{n-1},b_n$ such that $\text{gcd}(b_n,b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{n-1})=1$: $\left\{\begin{array}{lll} a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1}\mid b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{n-1}\Longrightarrow b_{n-1}=(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})u-(b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{n-2})\ u\\ \\ a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n\mid b_1+b_2+\dots +b_n\Longrightarrow b_n=(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n)v-(b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{n-1})=(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n)v-(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})u \end{array}\right.$ $\Longrightarrow \text{gcd}(b_n,b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{n-1})=1\Longleftrightarrow \text{gcd}\left( (a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n)v-(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})u,(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})u\right)=\text{gcd}\left( (a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n)v,(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})u\right)=1\spadesuit$ Note that from $\bigstar\Longrightarrow \text{gcd}(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n,a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{n-1})=1$ Hence it's enough to choose $u$ such that $\text{gcd}(u,a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n)=1$ and then choose $v$ such that $\text{gcd}\left(v,(a_1+a_2+\dots +a_n)u\right)=1$ for satisfying $\spadesuit$ hence we defined $b_{n-1},b_n$ such that $\text{gcd}(b_n,b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{n-1})=1$; we call this step a nice step. for satisfying the condition 2 of the problem it's enough to do nice steps for infinitely many indexes like $n\in A=\{i_1,i_2,\dots \}$ (not necessary for all indexes in $A$) instead of good steps . assume that after defining $n$ elements $t$ is the least positive integer that is not among $b_1,b_2,\dots ,b_n$. I claim that we can choose the next elements such that $t$ must be chosen in one good step. take one large enough index $N\in A$ we continue defining $b_{n+1},b_{n+2},\dots ,b_{N-2}$ by good steps.(if $t$ defined during these steps our claim proves so assume otherwise). Now we define $b_{N-1}$ such that: $\left\{\begin{array}{ccc} b_{N-1}\equiv -(b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{N-2})\pmod{a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{N-1}}\\ \\ b_{N-1}\equiv -(b_1+b_2+\dots +b_{N-2}+t)\pmod{a_1+a_2+\dots +a_N}\ \clubsuit \end{array}\right.$ $b_{N-1}$ exists from Chinese remainder theorem. (because $\text{gcd}( a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{N-1},a_1+a_2+\dots +a_N)=\text{gcd}( a_1+a_2+\dots +a_{N-1},a_N)=1$) Now doing a nice step $b_N$ must be equal to the $t$ according to $\clubsuit$. we call the step defining the $b_{N-1}$ a big step. (Note that in both nice step and big step we used indexes in $A$) Hence continuing these three kind of steps we can define $P_{r+1}$ satisfying the problem's conditions. Q.E.D
19.02.2019 07:43
andria wrote: Now doing a nice step $b_N$ must be equal to the $t$ according to $\clubsuit$. we call the step defining the $b_{N-1}$ a big step. (Note that in both nice step and big step we used indexes in $A$) Sorry for reviving, but I'm confused about how to guarantee $gcd(t,b_1+\cdots+b_{N-1})=1$ (which is equivalent to $gcd(t,a_1+\cdots+a_N)=1$ )as nice step required?
25.07.2020 20:07
Rickyminer wrote: andria wrote: Now doing a nice step $b_N$ must be equal to the $t$ according to $\clubsuit$. we call the step defining the $b_{N-1}$ a big step. (Note that in both nice step and big step we used indexes in $A$) Sorry for reviving, but I'm confused about how to guarantee $gcd(t,b_1+\cdots+b_{N-1})=1$ (which is equivalent to $gcd(t,a_1+\cdots+a_N)=1$ )as nice step required? You don't need that because of (not necessary for all index in A)... You just need infinitly of nice step
13.09.2022 17:11
The main idea similar to this easier problem : Prove that there exist a permutation of natural numbers like $P=\left \{ a_{n} \right \}$ , such that for each $n \in \mathbb{N}$ we have : $$n|a_1+a_2+...+a_n$$Actually if you solve this one first , then this beautiful problem will be much easier for you !