This website contains problems from math contests. Problems and corresponding tags were obtained from the Art of Problem Solving website.

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Found problems: 31

PEN L Problems, 12
Tags: Linear Recurrences
The sequence $\{a_{n}\}_{n \ge 1}$ is defined by \[a_{1}=1, \; a_{2}=12, \; a_{3}=20, \; a_{n+3}= 2a_{n+2}+2a_{n+1}-a_{n}.\] Prove that $1+4a_{n}a_{n+1}$ is a square for all $n \in \mathbb{N}$.

PEN L Problems, 9
Tags: Linear Recurrences
Let $\{u_{n}\}_{n \ge 0}$ be a sequence of positive integers defined by \[u_{0}= 1, \;u_{n+1}= au_{n}+b,\] where $a, b \in \mathbb{N}$. Prove that for any choice of $a$ and $b$, the sequence $\{u_{n}\}_{n \ge 0}$ contains infinitely many composite numbers.

2019 Pan-African Shortlist, A1
Tags: recurrence relation , Linear Recurrences , algebra , induction , PAMO
Let $(a_n)_{n=0}^{\infty}$ be a sequence of real numbers defined as follows: [list] [*] $a_0 = 3$, $a_1 = 2$, and $a_2 = 12$; and [*] $2a_{n + 3} - a_{n + 2} - 8a_{n + 1} + 4a_n = 0$ for $n \geq 0$. [/list] Show that $a_n$ is always a strictly positive integer.

1969 IMO Shortlist, 41
Tags: algebra , recurrence relation , system of equations , Linear Recurrences , IMO Shortlist , IMO Longlist
$(MON 2)$ Given reals $x_0, x_1, \alpha, \beta$, find an expression for the solution of the system \[x_{n+2} -\alpha x_{n+1} -\beta x_n = 0, \qquad n= 0, 1, 2, \ldots\]

1988 IMO Shortlist, 1
Tags: modular arithmetic , linear algebra , algebra , Sequence , Divisibility , Linear Recurrences , IMO Shortlist
An integer sequence is defined by \[{ a_n = 2 a_{n-1} + a_{n-2}}, \quad (n > 1), \quad a_0 = 0, a_1 = 1.\] Prove that $2^k$ divides $a_n$ if and only if $2^k$ divides $n$.

PEN L Problems, 8
Tags: induction , Linear Recurrences
Let $\{x_{n}\}_{n\ge0}$ and $\{y_{n}\}_{n\ge0}$ be two sequences defined recursively as follows \[x_{0}=1, \; x_{1}=4, \; x_{n+2}=3 x_{n+1}-x_{n},\] \[y_{0}=1, \; y_{1}=2, \; y_{n+2}=3 y_{n+1}-y_{n}.\] [list=a][*] Prove that ${x_{n}}^{2}-5{y_{n}}^{2}+4=0$ for all non-negative integers. [*] Suppose that $a$, $b$ are two positive integers such that $a^{2}-5b^{2}+4=0$. Prove that there exists a non-negative integer $k$ such that $a=x_{k}$ and $b=y_{k}$.[/list]