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Algebra Difficulty 7.5 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Germany

Problem:

A sequence a0,a1,a2,…a_{0}, a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots of real numbers is defined recursively by
a0=−1,∑k=0nan−kk+1=0 for n≥1. a_{0} = -1, \quad \sum_{k=0}^{n} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k+1} = 0 \quad \text{ for } n \geq 1.
Prove that an>0a_{n} > 0 holds for all n≥1n \geq 1.

Solution

Solution:

For n=1n = 1 we have a1+12a0=0a_{1} + \frac{1}{2} a_{0} = 0, so a1=12>0a_{1} = \frac{1}{2} > 0.

Now suppose ai>0a_{i} > 0 for 1≤i<n1 \leq i < n. From what is given it follows that
∑k=1n−1an−kk+1+an1+a0n+1=0⇔an=1n+1−∑k=1n−1an−kk+1(∗) \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k+1} + \frac{a_{n}}{1} + \frac{a_{0}}{n+1} = 0 \Leftrightarrow a_{n} = \frac{1}{n+1} - \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k+1} \quad (*)
and likewise
0=∑k=0n−1a(n−1)−kk+1=∑k=1nan−kk=∑k=1n−1an−kk+a0n⇔1n=∑k=1n−1an−kk. 0 = \sum_{k=0}^{n-1} \frac{a_{(n-1)-k}}{k+1} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k} = \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k} + \frac{a_{0}}{n} \Leftrightarrow \frac{1}{n} = \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k}.
This leads to
1n+1=∑k=1n−1(an−kk⋅nn+1) \frac{1}{n+1} = \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \left( \frac{a_{n-k}}{k} \cdot \frac{n}{n+1} \right)
and, because of n>k⇔nn+1>kk+1⇔nk(n+1)>1k+1n > k \Leftrightarrow \frac{n}{n+1} > \frac{k}{k+1} \Leftrightarrow \frac{n}{k(n+1)} > \frac{1}{k+1}, to
1n+1>∑k=1n−1an−kk+1. \frac{1}{n+1} > \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k+1}.
With (∗)(*) this gives
an>∑k=1n−1an−kk+1−∑k=1n−1an−kk+1=0. a_{n} > \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k+1} - \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} \frac{a_{n-k}}{k+1} = 0.
By complete induction it therefore holds that an>0a_{n} > 0 for all n≥1n \geq 1.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement translated into English from de; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.