AMSP 2014 Combo2/2: Week: 1, Day 1 Problems

Induction
The Induction Principle: let n
0
be a positive integer and P (n) a proposition de-
pending on the positive integer n. If P (n
0
) is true and for all n n
0
, P (n) implies
P (n + 1) , then P (n) is true for all n n
0
.
Strong induction: If P (n
0
) is true and for all n n
0
, P (n
0
) , P (n
0
+ 1) , P (n
0
+ 2) ,
. . . , P (n) imply P (n + 1) , then P (n) is true for all n n
0
.
Variation 1: P (n
0
) , P (n
0
+ 1) , . . . , P (n
0
+ k 1) true, and P (n) implies P (n + k) ,
for all n n
0
, then P (n) is true for all n n
0
.
Variation 2: P (n
0
) true, P (n) is true for innitely many values of n, P (n) implies
P (n 1) , for all n n
0
+ 1, then P (n) is true for all n n
0
.
Induction paradox: in is easier to prove stronger statements.
Examples
1. Prove that for all n 6, a square can be partitioned into n smaller squares.
2. For any n 4 there exists a convex ngon whose sides are not congruent and
such that the sum of distances from an interior point to the sides is constant.
3. Every positive integer n can be written in innitely many ways under the form
n = 1
2
2
2
. . . m
2
.
4. (Fermats little theorem) If p is a prime number and a is a positive integer,
then a
p
a is divisible by p.
5. Let a
0
= a
1
= 1 and for all n 2,
n

k=0
a
k
a
nk
= 2
n
a
n
. Find a closed form for
a
n
.
6. Prove the AM-GM inequality.
7. Find the roots of the polynomial
P
n
(x) = 1 +
x
1!
+
x (x + 1)
2!
+ . . . +
x (x + 1) . . . (x + n 1)
n!
.
8. Prove the inequality
2 4 6 . . . 2n
3 5 7 . . . (2n + 1)
<
1

2n
.
9. Prove that

1 +

2 + . . . +

n < 2.
10. Let F
0
= 0, F
1
= 1 and F
n
= F
n1
+ F
n2
, for all n 2. Prove that
F
2
n
+ F
2
n+1
= F
2n+1
.
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AMSP 2014 Combo2/2: Week: 1, Day 1 Problems
11. Let x
1
= 1, x
2n
= 1 + x
n
, x
2n+1
=
1
x
2n
. Prove that for every positive rational
number r, there exists an unique n such that x
n
= r.
12. The sequence (a
n
)
n1
satises a
1
= 2, a
2
= 3, and for each n 2, either
a
n+1
= 2a
n1
, or a
n+1
= 3a
n
2a
n1
. Prove that no integer between 1600 and
2000 can be a term of this sequence.
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