olymmath

Putnam 2020 B6

  • Session B

Let nn be a positive integer. Prove that ∑k=1n(−1)⌊k(2−1)⌋≥0.\sum_{k=1}^n (-1)^{\lfloor k(\sqrt{2}-1) \rfloor} \geq 0. (As usual, ⌊x⌋\lfloor x \rfloor denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to xx.)

Curated text Kedlaya Putnam archive. Quoted with source.

Solutions

Human solution Solution 1 by Manjul Bhargava, Kiran Kedlaya and Lenny Ng

The terms of the source let olymmath link to this solution but not copy it. Read the solution (Kedlaya Putnam archive).

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