AlgebraDifficulty 7.8National Olympiad, round 2Find the answer
Let a0=5/2 and ak=ak−12−2 for k≥1. Compute k=0∏∞(1−ak1) in closed form.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
Using the identity (x+x−1)2−2=x2+x−2, we may check by induction on k that ak=22k+2−2k; in particular, the product is absolutely convergent. Using the identities x+1+x−1x2+1+x−2=x−1+x−1,x−x−1x2−x−2=x+x−1, we may telescope the product to obtain k=0∏∞(1−ak1)=k=0∏∞22k+2−2k22k−1+2−2k=k=0∏∞22k+1+2−2k22k+1+1+2−2k+1⋅22k+1−22−k−122k−2−2k=220+1+2−20220−2−20=73.
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