Sum of 100 Terms: Prove At Least 2 Numbers Equal

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In summary, the problem states that there are 100 natural numbers such that when their reciprocals are added, the sum is 20. The task is to prove that at least two of the numbers are equal. A hint is requested due to technical difficulties.
  • #1
anemone
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The natural numbers $a_1,\,a_2,\,\cdots,\,a_{100}$ are such that

$\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\cdots+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}=20$.

Prove that at least two of the numbers are equal.
 
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  • #2
Hi, anemone
I´d expected the sum to be: $\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_2}}+...+\frac{1}{\sqrt{a_{100}}}$
- or am I wrong??
 
  • #3
anemone said:
The natural numbers $a_1,\,a_2,\,\cdots,\,a_{100}$ are such that

$\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\cdots+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}=20$.

Prove that at least two of the numbers are equal.

Ops...typo...again...sorry folks!:eek:

The problem should read:

The natural numbers $a_1,\,a_2,\,\cdots,\,a_{100}$ are such that

$\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_2}}+\cdots+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_{100}}}=20$.

Prove that at least two of the numbers are equal.
 
  • #4
A hint is requested :eek:
 
  • #5
lfdahl said:
A hint is requested :eek:

Hello MHB!

Something irritating has happened to my laptop and it seems like the folder that contains all challenging problems that I have collected from all over the world is ... gone...(Sweating):mad:(Worried)

I will post back for any update on my effort to save the situation and for this challenge problem, I am afraid I may need some decent time to look for its source so I could post a hint based on the suggested solution I found online...sorry folks!
 
  • #6
anemone said:
Ops...typo...again...sorry folks!:eek:

The problem should read:

The natural numbers $a_1,\,a_2,\,\cdots,\,a_{100}$ are such that

$\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_1}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_2}}+\cdots+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{a_{100}}}=20$.

Prove that at least two of the numbers are equal.
let $a_1\neq a_2\neq a_3\neq ----------\neq a_{100}----(1)$
$$S=\dfrac {1}{\sqrt 1}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{4}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{5}}+----+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{100}}
<1+\int_{1}^{100}\dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{x}}=1+18=19--(2)$$
but we are given $S=20---(3)$
a contradiction between (2) and (3)
(1) is impossible
so at least two of the numbers are equal
 
Last edited:
  • #7
Albert said:
let $a_1\neq a_2\neq a_3\neq ----------\neq a_{100}----(1)$
$$S=\dfrac {1}{\sqrt 1}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{4}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{5}}+----+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{100}}
<1+\int_{1}^{100}\dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{x}}=1+18=19--(2)$$
but we are given $S=20---(3)$
a contradiction between (2) and (3)
(1) is impossible
so at least two of the numbers are equal

Very well done Albert!(Cool)
 

Related to Sum of 100 Terms: Prove At Least 2 Numbers Equal

1. What is the Sum of 100 Terms?

The sum of 100 terms refers to finding the total value when adding together 100 numbers. For example, the sum of the numbers 1, 2, and 3 would be 6.

2. Why is it important to prove at least 2 numbers equal in the sum of 100 terms?

Proving that at least 2 numbers are equal in the sum of 100 terms can help to identify patterns and relationships between the numbers. This can lead to a better understanding of the overall problem and potential solutions.

3. How can you prove that at least 2 numbers are equal in the sum of 100 terms?

One way to prove this is by using the Pigeonhole Principle, which states that if n items are placed into m containers, with n > m, then at least one container must contain more than one item. In this case, the "items" are the numbers and the "containers" are the terms in the sum.

4. Can you provide an example of proving at least 2 numbers equal in the sum of 100 terms?

Sure. Let's say we have the sum of 100 terms where the first 50 terms are all the number 1 and the last 50 terms are all the number 2. The sum would be 50 + 50 = 100. Using the Pigeonhole Principle, we can see that there are only 2 possible numbers (1 and 2) in the sum, but there are 100 terms. Therefore, at least 2 numbers must be equal.

5. Why is the Pigeonhole Principle a useful tool in proving at least 2 numbers equal in the sum of 100 terms?

The Pigeonhole Principle is a useful tool because it provides a logical and mathematical approach to proving the existence of equal numbers in a sum. It is a simple and effective way to prove a concept that may otherwise be difficult to explain or visualize.

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