Olympiad problems

1984 IMO Longlists, 14

Let $c$ be a positive integer. The sequence $\{f_n\}$ is defined as follows: \[f_1 = 1, f_2 = c, f_{n+1} = 2f_n - f_{n-1} + 2 \quad (n \geq 2).\] Show that for each $k \in \mathbb N$ there exists $r \in \mathbb N$ such that $f_kf_{k+1}= f_r.$

1988 IMO Shortlist, 1

Tags: linear recurrence , modular arithmetic , linear algebra , sequence , divisibility , algebra

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, 3

Tags: induction , linear recurrence

The Fibonacci sequence $\{F_{n}\}$ is defined by \[F_{1}=1, \; F_{2}=1, \; F_{n+2}=F_{n+1}+F_{n}.\] Show that $F_{mn-1}-F_{n-1}^{m}$ is divisible by $F_{n}^{2}$ for all $m \ge 1$ and $n>1$.

PEN L Problems, 11

Tags: linear recurrence

Let the sequence $\{K_{n}\}_{n \ge 1}$ be defined by \[K_{1}=2, K_{2}=8, K_{n+2}=3K_{n+1}-K_{n}+5(-1)^{n}.\] Prove that if $K_{n}$ is prime, then $n$ must be a power of $3$.

PEN L Problems, 9

Tags: linear recurrence

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.

PEN L Problems, 7

Tags: linear recurrence

Let $m$ be a positive integer. Define the sequence $\{a_{n}\}_{n \ge 0}$ by \[a_{0}=0, \; a_{1}=m, \; a_{n+1}=m^{2}a_{n}-a_{n-1}.\] Prove that an ordered pair $(a, b)$ of non-negative integers, with $a \le b$, gives a solution to the equation \[\frac{a^{2}+b^{2}}{ab+1}= m^{2}\] if and only if $(a, b)$ is of the form $(a_{n}, a_{n+1})$ for some $n \ge 0$.

PEN L Problems, 5

Tags: linear recurrence

The Fibonacci sequence $\{F_{n}\}$ is defined by \[F_{1}=1, \; F_{2}=1, \; F_{n+2}=F_{n+1}+F_{n}.\] Show that $F_{2n-1}^{2}+F_{2n+1}^{2}+1=3F_{2n-1}F_{2n+1}$ for all $n \ge 1$.

1988 IMO Longlists, 74

Tags: linear recurrence , inequality system , inequality , sequence

Let $ \{a_k\}^{\infty}_1$ be a sequence of non-negative real numbers such that: \[ a_k \minus{} 2 a_{k \plus{} 1} \plus{} a_{k \plus{} 2} \geq 0 \] and $ \sum^k_{j \equal{} 1} a_j \leq 1$ for all $ k \equal{} 1,2, \ldots$. Prove that: \[ 0 \leq a_{k} \minus{} a_{k \plus{} 1} < \frac {2}{k^2} \] for all $ k \equal{} 1,2, \ldots$.