Question

Consider sequences of positive real numbers of the form $x, 2000, y, \ldots,$ in which every term after the first is $1$ less than the product of its two immediate neighbors. For how many different values of $x$ does the term $2001$ appear somewhere in the sequence?

$1$

$2$

$3$

$4$

more than $4$

Answer: D

Concepts:recursion casework

Difficulty rating: 2390

Solution:

If $a, b, c$ are consecutive terms then $b = ac - 1,$ so $c = \dfrac{1 + b}{a}.$ Applying this repeatedly, the first five terms are $a,\ b,\ \dfrac{1 + b}{a},\ \dfrac{1 + a + b}{ab},\ \dfrac{1 + a}{b},$ after which $a$ and $b$ recur, so the sequence is periodic with period $5.$

Here $b = 2000$ is the second term. Setting each of the other four displayed terms equal to $2001$ gives, respectively, $\begin{gathered} a=2001,\quad a=1,\\ a=\frac{2001}{4001999},\quad a=4001999. \end{gathered}$ These four values are positive and distinct. The second term itself is $2000,$ and periodicity shows there are no other positions to consider.

So there are $4$ values of $x.$

Thus, the correct answer is D.

2001 AMC 12 Problem 25

Answer: D

Difficulty rating: 2390

Solution:

Problem 25 in Other Years