Do You See The Connection?

Algebra Level 5

Let the sequence of real numbers x n {x_n} be defined with

{ x 1 = k x n + 1 = 4 x n ( 1 x n ) , n 1. \begin{cases} x_1=k\\ x_{n+1} = 4x_n(1-x_n),\ \ n \geq 1. \end{cases}

Let there be N N distinct values of k k such that x 2014 = 0 x_{2014} = 0 . Find the last three digits of N N .

Note: For those interested, this question was partly inspired by the function f ( x ) = λ x ( 1 x ) f(x) = \lambda x(1-x) also know as the logistic function and is related to population growth.


The answer is 97.

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2 solutions

Anqi Li
May 31, 2014

Actually, I had a IMHO quite elegant solution in mind.

The first thing is for notational convenience to define f ( x ) = 4 x ( 1 x ) f(x) = 4x(1-x) . So now we can rephrase the question to find distinct roots of f 2014 ( k ) = 0 f^{2014}(k) = 0

Now, as @AaaaaBbbbb noticed the image f ( x ) f(x) of x x will be in the interval [ 0 , 1 ] [0,1] if x ( 0 , 1 ) x \in (0,1) . To have any roots at all. x x needs to be in [ 0 , 1 ] [0,1] . In such a case, we can set k = sin 2 θ k= \sin^2 \theta Some motivation so firstly, when we constrict x x to intervals regarding 0 0 and 1 1 , we always opt for trigonometric substitutions , in this case we fumble around to find a nice thing to sub into f(x), the idea being that 1 x 1 - x resembles 1 cos 2 θ 1-\cos^2 \theta which is easy to manipulate. Now notice that

f ( k ) = f ( sin 2 θ ) = 4 sin 2 θ ( 1 sin 2 θ ) = ( 2 cos θ sin θ ) 2 = sin 2 ( 2 θ ) f(k) = f(\sin^2 \theta) = 4 \sin^2 \theta (1- \sin^2 \theta) = (2 \cos \theta \sin \theta)^2 = \sin^2(2 \theta)

Iterating this,

f 2 ( k ) = f ( sin 2 ( 2 θ ) ) = sin 2 ( 4 θ ) f^2(k) = f( \sin^2 (2 \theta)) = \sin^2 (4 \theta)

Thus the roots of f n ( 2014 ) = 0 f^{n}(2014) =0 precisely occurs when 2 n θ = k π 2^n \theta = k \pi . Just sub in n = 2014 n= 2014 and you can get your answer.

You made an off-by-one error. Since x 1 = k x_1 = k and you want x 2014 = 0 x_{2014} = 0 , you are applying f f 2013 times to k k to get 0. Thus, the correct equation is f 2013 ( k ) = 0 f^{2013}(k) = 0 . This gives you an answer of 97.

Jon Haussmann - 6 years, 3 months ago

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Thanks. I have udpated the answer to 97.

@Anqi Li Can you update the solution accordingly? Please also explain how to evaluate the final answer.

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 3 months ago

"Thus the roots of f^n(2014) = 0 precisely occurs when 2^n theta = k * pi". You don't want 2014 to be the argument of f. You should be substituting 2014 for n, not for sin^2(theta). Also, you're abusing notation to bring in a new meaning for k at the end. The k in k pi has no relationship to the k in k = sin^2(theta). Finally, you skip over the non-trivial task of finding the number of roots to 2^2014 theta = m*pi. The reader has no idea where 97 came from. What is the relationship between 97 and 2014?

Richard Desper - 4 years, 6 months ago
Aaaaa Bbbbb
Mar 10, 2014

S t a r t a t a 2014 Start at a_{2014} , have total number of solution is: 2 2013 ) + 1 2^{2013)}+1 M O D ( 2 2013 ) + 1 , 1000 ) MOD(2^{2013)}+1, 1000) = 193]

x 2014 = 4 x 2013 ( 1 x 2013 ) = 0 x 2013 = 0 o r x 2013 = 1 x_{2014}=4x_{2013}(1-x_{2013})=0 \Leftrightarrow x_{2013}=0 or x_{2013}=1 x 2013 = 4 x 2012 ( 1 x 2012 ) = 1 4 x 2012 2 4 x 2012 + 1 = 0 ( 1 ) x_{2013}=4x_{2012}(1-x_{2012})=1 \Leftrightarrow 4x_{2012}^{2}-4x_{2012}+1=0 (1) Equation (1) has a root: x 2012 = 1 2 x_{2012}=\frac{1}{2} Similarly: x 2013 = 4 x 2012 ( 1 x 2012 ) = 0 x 2012 = 0 o r x 2012 = 1 x_{2013}=4x_{2012}(1-x_{2012})=0 \Leftrightarrow x_{2012}=0 or x_{2012}=1 x 2012 = 4 x 2011 ( 1 x 2011 ) = 1 2 4 x 2011 2 4 x 2011 + 1 2 = 0 ( 2 ) x_{2012}=4x_{2011}(1-x_{2011})=\frac{1}{2} \Leftrightarrow 4x_{2011}^{2}-4x_{2011}+\frac{1}{2}=0 (2)

Equation (2) has two distinct roots: x 2011 = ± 2 + 2 4 x_{2011}=\frac{\pm\sqrt{2}+2}{4}

Each value of x 2011 x_{2011} will generate two distinct values of x 2010 x_{2010} ... So x 2013 = 1 x_{2013}=1 will generate: 2 2011 2^{2011} solutions. Similarly: x 2012 = 1 x_{2012}=1 will generate: 2 2010 2^{2010} solutions. ... x 2 = 1 x_2=1 will generate: one solution x 2 = 0 x_2=0 will generate: two solutions Sum all possible solutions is as above. So result is: 193 \boxed{193}

aaaaa bbbbb - 7 years, 1 month ago

can you please explain it a bit more

Anuva Agrawal - 7 years, 1 month ago

Um, I didn't understand why N is 2^2013 + 1, and not just 2^2013.

Bhoomika Ojha - 6 years, 10 months ago

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