Problem

Source: French MO 1996 P2

Tags: algebra, Sequence



Let $a$ be an odd natural number and $b$ be a positive integer. We define a sequence of reals $(u_n)$ as follows: $u_0=b$ and, for all $n\in\mathbb N_0$, $u_{n+1}$ is $\frac{u_n}2$ if $u_n$ is even and $a+u_n$ otherwise. (a) Prove that one can find an element of $u_n$ smaller than $a$. (b) Prove that the sequence is eventually periodic.