A sequence $a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots$ of positive integers satisfies $a_1 > 5$ and $a_{n+1} = 5 + 6 + \cdots + a_n$ for all positive integers $n$. Determine all prime numbers $p$ such that, regardless of the value of $a_1$, this sequence must contain a multiple of $p$.
Problem
Source: BxMO2021 problem 4
Tags: BxMO, number theory
05.05.2021 01:18
Ηere goes my solution:
09.09.2021 12:29
Why is the p = 2 case trivial actually?
09.09.2021 13:52
The $p=2$ case is the best part actually. We'll prove that there's always an even number in the sequence. We say a positive integer $m$ is good if a sequence starting with $m$ produces only odd numbers. If $x$ is a good number, so is $\frac{x^2+x}{2}-10$. Now we prove by induction that for every $n\geqslant 1$, every good number is congruent to $5$ modulo $2^n$. The base case is trivial. Suppose the claim was true for some $n \geqslant 1$. Let $x$ be a good number. Then $x \equiv 5 \pmod{2^n}$ and $\frac{x^2+x}{2}-10 \equiv 5 \pmod{2^n}$. But then also $\frac{5(x+1)}{2}-10 \equiv 5 \pmod{2^n}$, which rearranges into $\frac{x+1}{2} \equiv 3 \pmod{2^n}$, which then rearranges into $x \equiv 5 \pmod{2^{n+1}}$, which proves the induction step. We now conclude that there are no good integers greater than $5$, which ends our proof.
09.09.2021 19:31
Soundricio wrote: Ηere goes my solution:
With case $p=2$, we can consider $a_1\equiv 1,3,5,7 \pmod{8}$.