Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 282 of 400 #882 of 1964

Problem 882

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.6 Find the answer

Let a1=1,a2=3a_{1}=1, a_{2}=3 and an+2=(n+3)an+1−(n+2)ana_{n+2}=(n+3) a_{n+1}-(n+2) a_{n} for every integer n≥1n \geq 1. Find all values of nn for which 11 divides ana_{n}.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

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Official solution

7.1. By direct calculation we get

a1≡1( mod 11)a2≡3( mod 11)a3≡9( mod 11)a4≡0( mod 11)a5≡10( mod 11)a6≡4( mod 11)a7≡6( mod 11)a8≡0( mod 11)a9≡1( mod 11)a10≡0( mod 11)a11≡0( mod 11) \begin{aligned} a_{1} & \equiv 1(\bmod 11) \\ a_{2} & \equiv 3(\bmod 11) \\ a_{3} & \equiv 9(\bmod 11) \\ a_{4} & \equiv 0(\bmod 11) \\ a_{5} & \equiv 10(\bmod 11) \\ a_{6} & \equiv 4(\bmod 11) \\ a_{7} & \equiv 6(\bmod 11) \\ a_{8} & \equiv 0(\bmod 11) \\ a_{9} & \equiv 1(\bmod 11) \\ a_{10} & \equiv 0(\bmod 11) \\ a_{11} & \equiv 0(\bmod 11) \end{aligned}

So from the relation in the problem we obtain that for every n≥10n \geq 10 we have an+2≡0( mod 11)a_{n+2} \equiv 0(\bmod 11). The answer is:

n∈{4,8}∪{n∈N:n≥10} n \in\{4,8\} \cup\{n \in \mathbf{N}: n \geq 10\}

Alternate solution. From the recurrence relation in the problem we immediately see that for n≥3n \geq 3 we have

an−an−1=n(an−1−an−2)an−1−an−2=(n−1)(an−2−an−3)⋮a4−a3=4(a3−a2)a3−a2=(a2−a1) \begin{aligned} & a_{n}-a_{n-1}=n\left(a_{n-1}-a_{n-2}\right) \\ & a_{n-1}-a_{n-2}=(n-1)\left(a_{n-2}-a_{n-3}\right) \\ & \vdots \\ & a_{4}-a_{3}=4\left(a_{3}-a_{2}\right) \\ & a_{3}-a_{2}=\left(a_{2}-a_{1}\right) \end{aligned}

After consecutive substitutions we arrive to:

an−an−1=3⋅4…⋅n⋅(a2−a1)=n! a_{n}-a_{n-1}=3 \cdot 4 \ldots \cdot n \cdot\left(a_{2}-a_{1}\right)=n!

i.e.

an=an−1+n! a_{n}=a_{n-1}+n!

and therefore

an=1!+2!+3!+⋯+n! a_{n}=1!+2!+3!+\cdots+n!

Now we have

a1=1a2=3a3=9≡−2a4≡−2+2⋅3⋅4=0a5≡2⋅3⋅4⋅5≡−1a6≡−1(−1)⋅6≡−7≡4 \begin{gathered} a_{1}=1 \quad a_{2}=3 \quad a_{3}=9 \equiv-2 \\ a_{4} \equiv-2+2 \cdot 3 \cdot 4=0 \quad a_{5} \equiv 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 4 \cdot 5 \equiv-1 \quad a_{6} \equiv-1(-1) \cdot 6 \equiv-7 \equiv 4 \end{gathered}

and in a similar way a7≡6,a8≡0,a9≡1,a10≡0a_{7} \equiv 6, a_{8} \equiv 0, a_{9} \equiv 1, a_{10} \equiv 0. All congruences are modulo 11. As for n≥11n \geq 11 we have n!≡0n!\equiv 0, from (1) it follows that then an≡0a_{n} \equiv 0, as well as for n=4,8n=4,8.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.