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2013 AMC 12A Problem 21

Problem 21 of 25HarderAlgebraProblem-Solving Techniques

Consider A=log⁡(2013+log⁡(2012+log⁡(2011+log⁡(⋯+log⁡(3+log⁡2)⋯)))). \begin{gathered} A = \\ \tiny \log(2013 + \log(2012 + \log(2011 + \log(\cdots + \log(3 + \log 2)\cdots)))). \end{gathered} Which of the following intervals contains A?A?

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Solution

Let An=log⁡(n+log⁡((n−1)+⋯+log⁡(3+log⁡2)⋯)).\tiny A_n = \log(n + \log((n-1) + \cdots + \log(3 + \log 2)\cdots)). One checks 0<An<10 \lt A_n \lt 1 for 2≤n≤9,2 \le n \le 9, then 1<An<21 \lt A_n \lt 2 for 10≤n≤98,10 \le n \le 98, then 2<An<32 \lt A_n \lt 3 for 99≤n≤997,99 \le n \le 997, and 3<An<43 \lt A_n \lt 4 for 998≤n≤9996.998 \le n \le 9996. Hence 3<A2012<4,3 \lt A_{2012} \lt 4, so 2016<2013+A2012<20172016 \lt 2013 + A_{2012} \lt 2017 and therefore log⁡2016<A<log⁡2017.\log 2016 \lt A \lt \log 2017. Thus, the correct answer is A.
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Tagged: logarithm · bounding to limit cases · induction

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