Problem

Source: Peru Ibero TST 2018

Tags: number theory



For each positive integer $m$, be $P(m)$ the product of all the digits of $m$. It defines the succession $a_1,a_2, a_3\cdots, $ as follows: . $a_1$ is a positive integer less than 2018 . $a_{n+1}=a_n+P(a_n)$ for each integer $n\ge 1$ Prove that for every integer $n \ge1$ it is true that $a_n \le 2^{2018}.$