Define the numbers $a_0, a_1, \ldots, a_n$ in the following way: \[ a_0 = \frac{1}{2}, \quad a_{k+1} = a_k + \frac{a^2_k}{n} \quad (n > 1, k = 0,1, \ldots, n-1). \] Prove that \[ 1 - \frac{1}{n} < a_n < 1.\]
Problem
Source: IMO 1980 Finland, problem 2
Tags: algebra, recurrence relation, Sequence, Inequality, IMO Shortlist
06.05.2004 21:10
We have $\frac {1}{a_k}-\frac{1}{a_{k+1}}=\frac{1}{n+a_k}$. Sum upp these and find that $ 2-\frac{1}{a_n}=\frac{1}{n+a_0}+...+\frac{1}{n+a_{n-1}}$/ Thus, $ 2-\frac{1}{a_n}<1$ , so $ a_n<1$. So, $ a_k<1$ for all k and so $ 2-\frac{1}{a_n}>\frac{n}{n+1} $ from where it's easy to find that $ a_n>1-\frac{1}{n} $
05.12.2014 19:08
By the property of telescoping sum, we have quite easily that $\dfrac{1}{a_n}=2-\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\dfrac{1}{n+a_k}$. First we show that $a_n<1$ which is analogous to proving that $\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\dfrac{1}{n+a_k}<1$. Now, we note that $\{a_k\}$ is an increasing sequence, hence $a_k\geq a_0$ for all $k\geq0$. This gives $\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\dfrac{1}{n+a_k}\leq\dfrac{n}{n+a_0}=\dfrac{2n}{2n+1}<1$ and thus we are done. Now we prove the other part of the inequality. We note that $\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\dfrac{1}{n+a_k}\geq\dfrac{n}{n+a_n}$ because of increasing property of the sequence $a_n$. Now using the fact that $\dfrac{1}{a_n}=2-\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\dfrac{1}{n+a_k}$ we have, after some algebra that $2a_n^2+(n-1)a_n-n\geq0$ implying, and keeping in mind that $\{a_k\}$ is a positive sequence, $a_n\geq\dfrac{-(n-1)+\sqrt{(n-1)^2+8n}}{4}$. It remains to show that this huge quantity is greater than $1-\dfrac{1}{n}$. By squaring both sides, and cancelling out terms, we come to $3n>2$ which is true for any $n$. Hence $a_n>1-\dfrac{1}{n}$.