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Mongolian Mathematical Olympiad

Mongolia counting and probability

Problem

All numbers of the form ( are non-negative whole numbers) were written in increasing order and formed the sequence . Prove that there are infinitely many numbers satisfying the condition
Solution
From the Euler number's definition .

For any nonnegative whole number , there exists nonnegative such that . Different correspond to different . Note that . There exist infinitely many different numbers that lie in the segment .

Divide the segment into small segments , . Since there are infinitely many numbers of the form , by the pigeonhole principle there is a segment inside in which lie two different numbers . Let us denote this segment by . In other words, From this it follows that and .

Setting , we get .

Continuing in this manner from the fraction it is possible to construct a new fraction less than for any natural .

Note. .

Techniques

Pigeonhole principleFloors and ceilingsExponential functions