Let $f: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ be the function as \[ f(x) = \begin{cases} \frac{1}{x-1}& (x > 1)\\ 1& (x=1)\\ \frac{x}{1-x} & (x<1) \end{cases} \]Let $x_1$ be a positive irrational number which is a zero of a quadratic polynomial with integer coefficients. For every positive integer $n$, let $x_{n+1} = f(x_n)$. Prove that there exists different positive integers $k$ and $\ell$ such that $x_k = x_\ell$.
Problem
Source: kmo 2017 pr 4
Tags: algebra, function, Sequence, Algebraic numbers
seoneo
12.11.2017 10:19
Those continued fractions are periodic eventually. Therefore, there exists such pair.
rkm0959
12.11.2017 13:16
That's the entire problem, so you have to prove that the continued fractions are indeed periodic. I didn't hear anyone doing that though.
seoneo
12.11.2017 15:09
Let $x_1$ be an irrational root of a integer coefficient. Then the continued fraction of $x_1$ is eventually periodic. Now let us consider how $f$ act on continued fractions.
Let $x=[p;q,r,s,\ldots]$ be an irrational continued fraction. If $p \ge 2$, the $f(x) = [0; p-1,q,r,s,\ldots]$.
If $p =1$, then $f(x) = [q;r, s, \ldots]$.
If $p=0$, and $q \ge 2$, then $f(x) = [0; q-1,r,s ,\ldots]$
If $p=0$ and $q=0$, then $f(x) = [r;s, \ldots]$.
Now, we will study how $f$ can be finitely applied so that the continued fractions are shifted to the left.
When $p \ge 2$, then through $[0; p-1,q,r,s, \ldots]$, and then applying $f$ $p-2$ times we have $[0;1,q,r,s, \ldots]$ and then one more $f$ obtains $[q;r,s,\ldots]$.
When $p=1$, then one application of $f$ yields $[q;r,s,\ldots]$ and then $q$ times applyiing $f$ to get $[r;s, \ldots]$.
In any case, we can apply $f$ finitely many times to have continued fraction shifted by $1$ or $2$ steps to the left.
Therefore, we will have at some $j$, $x_j$ with totally periodic. And then with finitely many application of $f$ again, the same continued fraction $x_\ell$.
seoneo
12.11.2017 16:35
@rkm0959 That is one of result of Lagrange as far as I know.