u 0 = 0 ∫ 1 x d x , u 1 = 0 ∫ 1 / 2 x d x ∫ 1 / 2 ∫ 1 x d x x d x , u 2 = 0 ∫ 1 / 4 x d x ∫ 1 / 4 ∫ 2 / 4 x d x x d x ∫ 2 / 4 ∫ 3 / 4 x d x ∫ 3 / 4 ∫ 1 x d x x d x x d x
{ u i } i = 0 ∞ is a sequence of real numbers. The first few terms are as described above.
If P = n = 0 ∏ 2 0 1 5 4 u n 1 , find ⌊ lo g 2 lo g 2 P ⌋ .
Details and assumptions
To clarify, in u 2 , the terms in blue are the limits of the red integrations, which in turn are the limits of the black integration.
The limits in u 0 when read from bottom to top are [ 2 0 0 , 2 0 1 ] .
The limits in u 1 when read from bottom to top are [ 2 1 0 , 2 1 1 , 2 1 1 , 2 1 2 ] .
The limits in u 2 when read from bottom to top are [ 2 2 0 , 2 2 1 , 2 2 1 , 2 2 2 , 2 2 2 , 2 2 3 , 2 2 3 , 2 2 4 ] .
In general, the limits in u n when read from bottom to top are [ 2 n 0 , 2 n 1 , 2 n 1 , 2 n 2 , 2 n 2 , … , 2 n 2 n − 1 , 2 n 2 n − 1 , 2 n 2 n ] .
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Interesting integral series. What made you think about it?
Is there a nice simple understanding of each of these terms in the series?
Amazing Question @Pranshu Gaba ! enjoyed it!
@Calvin Lin To be honest, the idea of integrals being limits of integrals appeared to me in a dream. I immediately woke up and tried not to forget it. I looked up on the internet, but couldn't find anything similar, nothing came close.
Instead of integration of x , I was going to use something more complicated, like sin ( x ) , or tan − 1 ( x ) , but it became much too complex. I chose the limits randomly; this problem became solvable using pencil and paper and I like that.
It becomes (slightly) easier to understand this problem once you realize that
∫
a
b
x
d
x
is just the binary operator:
2
b
2
−
a
2
. The pattern in the terms becomes (slightly) clearer if it was
2
x
instead of
x
. Let
v
n
be the sequence with
2
x
in place of all
x
. In that case we are repeatedly taking the difference of squares. After integrating the inner layer and reducing each fraction to the lowest form, what is interesting is that the numerators are always
1
,
3
,
5
,
…
, and we get a nice linear recurrence relation in the denominators.
We get the explicit formula
v
n
=
2
2
n
(
2
n
−
3
)
+
3
1
.
As of now, I can’t find any simpler interpretation of each terms. (But I’ll keep thinking about it)
@Pranshu Gaba Thanks a lot for the problem! One of the most interesting problems I have seen on Brilliant, seriously! Enjoyed solving it!
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Thanks Kartik! I enjoyed making the problem and solving it too!
Very good problem!!! One of the best problems I have seen!!! Nice job Pranshu Gaba!!
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Thanks Rindell! I'm glad you loved the problem!
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Let's find the value of u n . Note that we have to solve n + 1 'layers' of integration to get to the value of u n . For example, for n = 2 , we have to integrate 2 + 1 = 3 layers: blue, red, and then black to get the value of u n .
Recall that the definite integration of x is ∫ a b x d x = 2 b 2 − a 2 .
Consider the ordered set A 0 of limits of u n : A 0 = [ 2 n 0 , 2 n 1 , 2 n 1 , 2 n 2 , 2 n 2 , … , 2 n 2 n − 1 , 2 n 2 n − 1 , 2 n 2 n ] . Let a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , … denote the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, .. terms of the set A 0 . Integration of the innermost layer is equivalent to replacing a 2 i − 1 and a 2 i with 2 a 2 i 2 − a 2 i − 1 2 for positive integers i .
It initially has 2 × 2 n terms. After each layer is integrated, ∣ A ∣ becomes half. After integrating once, we have a new set of limits : A 1 = [ 2 2 n + 1 1 , 2 2 n + 1 3 , 2 2 n + 1 5 , … ]
We integrate it again and again.
A 2 = [ 2 2 ( 2 n + 1 ) − 2 1 , 2 2 ( 2 n + 1 ) − 2 3 , 2 2 ( 2 n + 1 ) − 2 5 , … ] = [ 2 4 n 1 , 2 4 n 3 , 2 4 n 5 , … ]
A 3 = [ 2 2 ( 4 n ) − 2 1 , 2 2 ( 4 n ) − 2 3 , 2 2 ( 4 n ) − 2 5 , … ] = [ 2 8 n − 2 1 , 2 8 n − 2 3 , 2 8 n − 2 5 , … ]
Note that all the terms in A k have the same denominator, and to get the denominator of A k + 1 , the denominator of A k multiplied by 2 then 2 is subtracted.
We integrate again and again till we get a single term: A n + 1 = [ u n ] = 2 2 n ( 2 n − 1 ) + 2 1 .
Therefore u n = 2 2 n ( 2 n − 1 ) + 2 1 .
We get lo g 2 ( 4 u n 1 ) = 2 n ( 2 n − 1 ) . Now let's find lo g 2 lo g 2 P .
lo g 2 P = lo g 2 ( n = 0 ∏ 2 0 1 5 4 u n 1 ) = n = 0 ∑ 2 0 1 5 ( lo g 2 4 u n 1 ) = n = 0 ∑ 2 0 1 5 2 n ( 2 n − 1 ) .
This is an AGP . On evaluating the sum, we obtain
lo g 2 P = 4 0 2 7 × 2 2 0 1 6 + 5 .
lo g 2 lo g 2 P = lo g 2 ( 4 0 2 7 × 2 2 0 1 6 + 5 ) ≈ 2 0 1 6 + lo g 2 4 0 2 7
⌊ lo g 2 lo g 2 P ⌋ = 2 0 1 6 + ⌊ lo g 2 4 0 2 7 ⌋ = 2 0 1 6 + 1 1 = 2 0 2 7 □