Problem

Source: INAMO 2020 P8

Tags: number theory, construction, Bounding, bait



Determine the smallest natural number $n > 2$, or show that no such natural numbers $n$ exists, that satisfy the following condition: There exists natural numbers $a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n$ such that \[ \gcd(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) = \sum_{k = 1}^{n - 1} \underbrace{\left( \frac{1}{\gcd(a_k, a_{k + 1})} + \frac{1}{\gcd(a_k, a_{k + 2})} + \dots + \frac{1}{\gcd(a_k, a_n)} \right)}_{n - k \ \text{terms}} \]