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Difficulty: 7/102018 IMO 2018 (Q5)

Let be an infinite sequence of positive integers. Suppose that there is an integer such that, for each , the number

is an integer. Prove that there exists a positive integer such that for all .

Options:

  • A.

    The sequence is oddtually constant.

  • B.

    The relation holds only for sufficiently large values in the system.

  • C.

    No such configuration exists under the given conditions.

  • The sequence is eventually constant.

Guide / Hint

Hint 1: Let . If , write . What constraint does place on ?

Hint 2: Show that . Since is a positive integer and is roughly constant, for large the only option is .

Hint 3: Once for all large , the average stabilizes, forcing the sequence to be eventually constant.

Solution

Step 1 (Setup): Let . We're given that for all .

Step 2 (Key observation): Since and , we get:
and .

Write for some positive integer . Then , and we need .

Since , this gives , so .

Step 3 (Bounding ): For large , some limit (since the average is always an integer and the are positive). Let . As grows, the average cannot change too rapidly.

Since where , and is a positive integer, for large enough the only possibility is (since and the next valid value would be , which would make the average jump).

Step 4 (Conclusion): Once for all large , the average stays constant, forcing , which means all subsequent terms equal this constant.

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    2018 IMO 2018 Q5 - Olympiad Math Olympiad Question | Leminno