Proposed solution of problem 295, 58 (2018)

Dear Editor of ”Rivista Escolar de la Olimpiada Iberoamericana de Matemática”,

I would like to submit the following solution of problem 295

Sean (an )n≥1 , (bn )n≥1 sucesiones de números reales positivos

 tale que bn =
2
√ √ √ an+1 (n + 1) n2
a1 · a2 · 3 a3 · · · n an y lim = a. Calcular lim − √
n→∞ an · n n→∞ bn+1 n
bn
As stated the limit equals −∞.
an+1
By definition, there exists n′ such that n > n′ implies 2an ≥ > na/2.
an
This in turn implies
an+1 an+1 an an−1 an′ +1  a n+1−n′ n!
= ··· ≥
an′ an an−1 an−2 an′ 2 (n − 1)!
′

and
an+1 ′ n!
≤ (2a)n+1−n ′
an′ (n − 1)!
We get
n  a 1+ k1 − nk′ Yn 1
√ √ √
n′
Y k! k
bn = a1 · a2 · a3 · · · an′
3
1
2
k=n′ +1 ((n − 1)!)
| {z } ′ k
.=A k=n′ +1

n
X 1
We know that C1 ln n ≤ ≤ C2 ln n where C1 , C2 depends of k0 . Thus
k
k=k0

n  a 1+ k1 − nk′  a n−n′+C(1−n′ ) ln n

Y .
≥ = Bn
2 2
k=n +1
′

where C = C1 if a < 1 and C = C2 otherwise.

n
Y 1 1 .
1 ≥ C ln n
= Cn
((n′ − 1)!) k (n′ − 1) 2
k=n′ +1

1
 n n
Y 1
Y n!
k! ≥
k k=
k=n′ +1 k=n′ +1
n′ !
The consequence is

(n + 1)2 (n + 1)2 (n′ !)

≤ →0
bn+1 ABn Cn n!
√
On the other hand it is not difficult to show that n2 / n bn → +∞ so the
whole limit would be equal to −∞. May be the true limit is
!
(n + 1)2 n2
lim p − √ (1)
n→∞ n+1
bn+1 n
bn
√
To prove the divergence of n2 / n bn we employ Cesaro–Stolz theorem by writ-
ing
1
n2 (n2n ) n
√n
= 1 (2)
bn (bn ) n
so we come to the study of the limit

(n + 1)2n (n + 1)2 bn 2 (n + 1)
2
lim = lim e √
n→∞ n2n bn+1 n→∞ n+1 an+1

We know that
n
Y 1 n′ ′ ′ ′ .
(2a)1+ k − k ≤ (2a)n−n +C (1−n ) ln n = Bn′
k=n′ +1

where C = C1 if a > 1 and C = C2 and

n
Y 1 1 .
1 ≤ C ln n
= Cn′
k=n′ +1 ((n′ − 1)!) k (n − 1)
′ 1

It follows
(n + 1)2 (n + 1)2
≥ p
bn+1 n+1
ABn′ Cn′ n!
Now p
n+1
ABn′ Cn′ → 2a

2
while
(n + 1)2
√
n+1
→ +∞
n!
and this may be seen by using Cesaro–Stolz again.
 1
 n+1
(n + 1)2 (n + 1)2(n+1)
√ =
n+1
n! n!
and we consider
(n + 2)2(n+2) (n + 1)!
→ +∞
(n + 1)2(n+1) n!
The divergence of the quality in (2) is proven.
Now we come back to (1) by writing
√
(n+1)2 n
2 2
!
2 n2
√bn −1 √
2
!n
(n + 1) n n n+1
bn+1 (n + 1) n
bn
p − √ = √   ln 2
p
n+1
bn+1 n
bn n bn
n
(n+1)2
√
n n n+1
bn+1
ln n2 n+1
√bn
bn+1
(3)
To compute the limit of (3) we employ Cesaro–Stolz.
First limit.  1/n
n2 nn
√ =
n n bn bn
(n + 1)n+1 bn (n + 1)n n + 1
= √
nn bn+1 | n{zn } n+1 an+1
→e

Moreover  1
 n+1
n+1 (n + 1)n+1
√
n+1 a
=
n+1 an+1
and then we pass to
 1/n
(n + 2)n+2 an+1 (n + 2)n+1 (n + 2)an+1 e nn e
n+1
= n+1
→ =⇒ → (4)
(n + 1) an+2 (n + 1) an+2 a bn a
Second limit. √ √
n
bn n
bn n(n+1)
1
p = p bn+1
n+1
bn+1 n
bn+1

3
 1 1 1 1
n(n+1)
(ABn Cn n!) n(n+1) ≤ bn+1 ≤ (ABn′ Cn′ n!) n(n+1) =⇒ bn+1
n(n+1)
→1
√n
bn
As for p we pass to
n
bn+1
1 1
bn+1 bn+1 a n+1 n+1
an+1 1

= n+1
1 = 1 a (n+1)(n+2)
k+2
bn+2 bn n+2
an+2 n+1 |
an+2 {z }
→1

1
n+1
an+1
Again Cesaro–Stolz for lim 1
n→∞ n+1
an+2
ak+2 ak+2 kak+2 ak+2
= →1
ak+3 ak+1 ak+3 kak+1
√n
bn
This implies that p → 1 and then
n
bn+1
√
(n+1)2 n

n2
√bn
n+1
−1
bn+1
 √
 →1 (5)
(n+1)2 n
ln n2
√bn
n+1
bn+1

Third limit. √ !n
(n + 1)2 n bn .
lim 2
p = (6)
n→∞ n n+1
bn+1
√ !n 1
n+1
n
bn bn bn+1
p = n = 1
n+1
bn+1 n+1
bn+1 a n+1 n+1

thus (Cesaro–Stolz)
1
bn+2 nan+1  an+2  n+2 nan+1
=
nbn+1 an+2 nn+2 an+2
| {z }
→1/a

Again Cesaro–Stolz
an+3 nn+2 a a1
n+2
→ =⇒ (6) = e2 =e
nan+2 (n + 1) e ea

4
By multiplying (4), (5) and (6) we get
e e
· 1 · ln e =
a a

Roma, (Italy) October 13 2017 Thank you, Best regards

Paolo Perfetti

Perfetti Paolo, dipartimento di matematica, Università degli studi di Tor

Vergata Roma, via della ricerca scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy – email: per-
fetti@mat.uniroma2.it