2007 AIME I Problem 14

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 14 of the 2007 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2007 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:recursioninvariantbounding to limit cases

Difficulty rating: 3160

14.

Let a sequence be defined as follows: a1=3,a_1 = 3, a2=3,a_2 = 3, and for n2,n \ge 2, an+1an1=an2+2007.a_{n+1}a_{n-1} = a_n^2 + 2007. Find the largest integer less than or equal to a20072+a20062a2007a2006.\frac{a_{2007}^2 + a_{2006}^2}{a_{2007}a_{2006}}.

Solution:

For n3,n \ge 3, both an+1an1=an2+2007a_{n+1}a_{n-1} = a_n^2 + 2007 and anan2=an12+2007a_n a_{n-2} = a_{n-1}^2 + 2007 hold. Subtracting and regrouping gives an1(an+1+an1)=an(an+an2),a_{n-1}(a_{n+1} + a_{n-1}) = a_n(a_n + a_{n-2}), so an+1+an1an\frac{a_{n+1} + a_{n-1}}{a_n} has the same value for every n2.n \ge 2. Since a3=32+20073=672,a_3 = \frac{3^2 + 2007}{3} = 672, that value is 672+33=225,\frac{672 + 3}{3} = 225, and the sequence satisfies an+1=225anan1.a_{n+1} = 225a_n - a_{n-1}.

Multiplying an+1+an1=225ana_{n+1} + a_{n-1} = 225a_n by an+1a_{n+1} and substituting an+1an1=an2+2007a_{n+1}a_{n-1} = a_n^2 + 2007 yields an+12+an2+2007=225anan+1,a_{n+1}^2 + a_n^2 + 2007 = 225\,a_n a_{n+1}, so an+12+an2an+1an=2252007anan+1.\frac{a_{n+1}^2 + a_n^2}{a_{n+1}a_n} = 225 - \frac{2007}{a_n a_{n+1}}.

The sequence increases: a3=672>a2,a_3 = 672 \gt a_2, and an+1=225anan1>ana_{n+1} = 225a_n - a_{n-1} \gt a_n whenever an>an1.a_n \gt a_{n-1}. Hence a2006a2007>6722>2007,a_{2006}a_{2007} \gt 672^2 \gt 2007, so the fraction lies strictly between 224224 and 225,225, and the answer is 224.224.

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