On a blackboard a finite number of integers greater than one are written. Every minute, Nordi additionally writes on the blackboard the smallest positive integer greater than every other integer on the blackboard and not divisible by any of the numbers on the blackboard. Show that from some point onwards Nordi only writes primes on the blackboard.
Problem
Source: 2021 Nordic MC p1
Tags: number theory, primes
15.05.2021 15:37
Let \(x\) be the maximum number on the board. Assume there are infinitely many non-prime \(t>x\) on the board. Its prime divisors must be less than \(x\) otherwise primes in between \(x\) and \(t\) (which are on the board) would divide \(t\). Let \(\alpha_{t_1},\alpha_{t_2},...,\alpha_{t_m}\) be the powers of the primes in prime factorization \(t\) greater than \(x\). There is at least one \(j\) such that \(\alpha_{k_j}\) does not have upper bound otherwise elements will be repeated. Let this \(j\) be 1. Thus we have a infinite subsequence in which \(\alpha_{k_1}\) of the elements of the sequence is increasing. We can apply this algorithm again for some other exponent because \((\alpha_{t_2},...,\alpha_{t_m})\) cannot have repeated terms. At the end of this algorithm we will have a infinite sequence and this sequence have infinitely many elements whose exponents are in increasing order, a contradiction.
03.08.2021 16:01
Let $M$ be the largest number of the initial set, and $S$ be the sequence of numbers. Then, note that for all primes $p>M$ we clearly have $p\in S$. Secondly, note that for all primes $p$ there exists a unique positive integer $k$ such that $p^k\in S$. There is at least one because consider the smallest $K$ such that $p^{K}>M$. Either $p^K\in S$, or there is some $s\mid p^K$, so $s=p^k\in S$ and we're done. The uniqueness is clearly true (and also not very useful). Let $f(p)$ be the power of the largest prime power that is $\leq M$ and not in $S$. Thus, any composite number $n\in S$ satisfies \[v_p(n) \leq f(p)+1\]However, for $q>M$, $q\nmid n$, so if $P$ is the set of primes $<M$, then any composite $n\in S$ satisfies \[n\leq \prod_{p\in P} p^{f(p)+1}\]Where the RHS is clearly finite. Thus, since all primes appear, eventually the only numbers being written are primes.
13.04.2022 14:53
Let $A$ be set of numbers $a_1 < a_2 < ... < a_n$ on board. Let $B$ be set of prime numbers $p_1 < ... < p_m$ such that $p_m < a_n$ and and are not on board. Note that for each number Nordi writes we have $2$ cases prime or composite. Note that any prime number after $a_n$ will appear on board cause fits the conditions. Now for number $X$ which Nordi writes, we can't have $p_i \mid X$ and $p_i $ not in $B$ cause then $p_i$ is somewhere on board. so we must choose prime factors of $X$ from $B$ which can be done finitely so from some point no such $X$ can be written so $X$ can only be prime from that point on.