ADVANCED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

EDITED BY
ROBERT FRONTCZAK

Please send all communications concerning ADVANCED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

to Robert Frontczak, LBBW, Am Hauptbahnhof 2, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany or by e-mail at
the address [email protected]. This department especially welcomes problems believed
to be new or extending old results. Proposers should submit solutions or other information that
will assist the editor. To facilitate their consideration, all solutions sent by regular mail should
be submitted on separate signed sheets within two months after publication of the problems.

PROBLEMS PROPOSED IN THIS ISSUE

H-916 Proposed by Hideyuki Ohtsuka, Saitama, Japan

Let r and s be positive odd integers. Prove that
∞
Y F2n−1 + Fr r 2 −s2
=α 4 .
F2n−1 + Fs
n=1

H-917 Proposed by Benjamin Lee Warren, New York, NY

Let On = 13 n(2n2 + 1) denote the nth Octahedral number and Tn = 61 n(n + 1)(n + 2) denote
the nth Tetrahedral number. Prove the identity
OF2n + TF2n−1 −1 = TF2n+1 −1 .

H-918 Proposed by Andrés Ventas, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Prove that
∞ 
X 1 1 1 1
+
(L6n /2) L6n+2 L6n+2 L6n+3 + (L6n /2)
n=0
1 1 1 1  1
+ + =√ .
L6n+4 L6n+3 + (L6n /2) L6n+4 (L6n+6 /2) 5

H-919 Proposed by D. M. Bătineţu-Giurgiu, Bucharest, Romania, and Neculai

Stanciu, Buzău, Romania
p √
(a) If a > 0, compute limn→∞ n (2n − 1)!!Fn ( n a − 1);
(b) If a > 0 and (bn )√
n≥1 is a√positive real sequence with limn→∞ bn+1 /(nbn ) = b > 0,
compute limn→∞ n bn√Fn ( n a − 1);
(c) Compute limn→∞ n2pn n!Fn sin(1/n3 );
(d) Compute limn→∞ n n (2n − 1)!!Fn sin(1/n2 ).

MAY 2023 185

THE FIBONACCI QUARTERLY

H-920 Proposed by the editor

For m ≥ 0, prove that
∞ √
X Fm Lm+2 π 5π π π
(ζ(4k) − 1)F4k+m = + + √ Lm+1 tan − √ Lm+1 A − Fm+1 B
2 5 4 5 2 8 5 8
k=1

and
∞ √ √ √
X Lm 5π 5π π 5π
(ζ(4k) − 1)L4k+m = + Fm+2 + Fm+1 tan − Lm+1 B − Fm+1 A,
2 4 2 8 8
k=1

where
A = coth(πα) + coth(π/α) and B = coth(πα) − coth(π/α),
√
5)/2, and ζ(s) = ∞ s
P
α = (1 + k=1 1/k , ℜ(s) > 1 is the Riemann zeta function.

SOLUTIONS

H-883 Proposed by Kenneth B. Davenport, Dallas, PA

(Vol. 59, No. 4, November 2021)
Prove that for all n ≥ 1:
Xn Xn
3 3
(a) 3 F2k + 4 F2k = F2n+1 − 1;
k=1 k=1
n
X Xn n
X
3 5 5
(b) 5 F2k + 15 F2k + 11 F2k = F2n+1 − 1;
k=1 k=1 k=1
n
X n
X n
X n
X
3 5 7 7
(c) 7 F2k + 35 F2k + 56 F2k + 29 F2k = F2n+1 − 1.
k=1 k=1 k=1 k=1

Solution by Hideyuki Ohtsuka, Saitama, Japan

Let a = F2k+1 and b = F2k−1 . Then, we have a − b = F2k and by Cassini’s identity,
2 + 1.
ab = F2k
(a) Because a3 − b3 = (a − b)3 + 3ab(a − b), we have
3 3 3 2 3
F2k+1 − F2k−1 = F2k + 3(F2k + 1)F2k = 4F2k + 3F2k .
Therefore, we have
n
X n
X
3 3 3 3



4F2k + 3F2k = F2k+1 − F2k−1 = F2n+1 − 1.
k=1 k=1

(b) Because a5 − b5 = (a − b)5 + 5ab(a − b)3 + 5a2 b2 (a − b), we have

5 5 5 2 3 2
F2k+1 − F2k−1 = F2k + 5(F2k + 1)F2k + 5(F2k + 1)2 F2k = 11F2k
5 3
+ 15F2k + 5F2k .
Therefore, we have
n
X n
5 3

X 5 5

5
11F2k + 15F2k + 5F2k = F2k+1 − F2k−1 = F2n+1 − 1.
k=1 k=1

186 VOLUME 61, NUMBER 2

 ADVANCED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

(c) Because a7 − b7 = (a − b)7 + 7ab(a − b)5 + 14a2 b2 (a − b)3 + 7a3 b3 (a − b), we have
7 7 7 5 3
F2k+1 − F2k−1 = 29F2k + 56F2k + 35F2k + 7F2k .
Therefore, we have
n
X n
X
7 5 3 7 7 7



29F2k + 56F2k + 35F2k + 7F2k = F2k+1 − F2k−1 = F2n+1 − 1.
k=1 k=1

Also solved by Michel Bataille, Brian Bradie, Charles K. Cook, Dmitry Fleischman,
Won Kyun Jeong, Wei-Kai Lai, Ángel Plaza, Raphael Schumacher, Albert Stadler,
David Terr, Andrés Ventas, Ryan Zielinski, and the proposer.

H-884 Proposed by Robert Frontczak, Stuttgart, Germany

(Vol. 59, No. 4, November 2021)
Prove that
∞ ∞
X
−1 n −n 1 X 1
(i) coth (α − α ) = ln((α + 1)(α + 2)), coth−1 (α2n − α−2n ) = ln(α3 ),
2 2
n=2 n=1
∞  
X 1 α+2
and coth−1 (α2n+1 − α−2n−1 ) = ln .
2 α
n=1
(ii) Deduce from (a) the following series evaluations:
∞     X ∞  
X L4n+2 − 1 α+2 L4n − 1
coth−1 = ln , coth−1 √ = 3 ln α,
2L2n+1 α 2 5F2n
n=1 n=1
∞
X 1
coth−1 β n − β −n = ln((α + 1)(α + 2)) − 3 ln α.


and
2
n=2

Solution by Michel Bataille, Rouen, France

 
We have coth−1 (x) = 12 ln x+1
x−1 for |x| > 1 and for n ∈ N,

αn − α−n + 1 α2n + αn − 1 (αn−1 + 1)(αn+1 − 1) Un−1

= = = ,
αn − α−n − 1 α2n − αn − 1 (αn−1 − 1)(αn+1 + 1) Un+1
n
where Un = ααn −1
+1
. Also, note that αn − α−n > 1 for all integers n ≥ 2 (because αn − α−n =
√
5Fn or Ln according as n is even or odd).
(i) Let N be an integer with N > 2. Then, we have
N N N
!
−n + 1
 n   
X
−1 n −n 1 X α − α 1 Y Un−1 1 U1 U2
coth (α − α ) = ln = ln = ln .
2 αn − α−n − 1 2 Un+1 2 UN UN +1
n=2 n=2 n=2
1
Because lim UN = 1 and α2 = α + 1 (so that (α − 1)(α2 − 1) = α · α = 1), we obtain
N →∞
∞
α + 1 α2 + 1
 
X
−1 n −n 1 1
coth (α − α ) = ln · = ln((α + 1)(α + 2)).
2 α − 1 α2 − 1 2
n=2
Similarly,
N N
!  
X
−1 2n −2n 1 Y U2n−1 1 U1
coth (α −α ) = ln = ln ,
2 U2n+1 2 U2N +1
n=1 n=1

MAY 2023 187

THE FIBONACCI QUARTERLY

from which we deduce that

∞  
X
−1 2n −2n 1 α+1 1
coth (α − α ) = ln = ln(α3 )
2 α−1 2
n=1
(because α3 (α − 1) = α2 (α2
− α) = α2 = α + 1). In the same way,
∞  2   
X
−1 2n+1 −2n−1 1 1 α +1 1 α+2
coth (α −α ) = ln(U2 ) = ln = ln .
2 2 α2 − 1 2 α
n=1
 2 
(ii) It is easily checked that if |x| > 1, then coth−1 x 2x+1 = 2 coth−1 (x). Because
L4n+2 − 1 (α2n+1 − α−2n−1 )2 + 1
= ,
2L2n+1 2(α2n+1 − α−2n−1 )
it follows that
∞   ∞  
X
−1 L4n+2 − 1 X
2n+1 −2n−1 α+2
coth =2 (α −α ) = ln .
2L2n+1 α
n=1 n=1
Similarly, from
L4n − 1 (α2n − α−2n )2 + 1
√ = ,
2 5F2n 2(α2n − α−2n )
we deduce that
∞   ∞
X
−1 L4n − 1 X
coth √ =2 coth−1 (α2n − α−2n ) = ln(α3 ) = 3 ln(α).
n=1
2 5F2n n=1
−1 −1
Lastly, from coth (−x) = − coth (x) and β 2n − β −2n = −(α2n − α−2n ), β 2n+1 − β −2n−1 =
α2n+1 − α−2n−1 (because β = −α−1 ), we obtain
∞ ∞  
X
−1 2n −2n 3 X
−1 2n+1 −2n−1 1 α+2
coth (β − β ) = − ln(α), coth (β −β ) = ln .
2 2 α
n=1 n=1
Thus,
∞
X 1 1 3
coth−1 (β n − β −n ) = ln(α + 2) − ln(α) − ln(α)
2 2 2
n=2
1 1
ln((α + 1)(α + 2)) − ln(α + 1) − 2 ln(α)
=
2 2
1
= ln((α + 1)(α + 2)) − 3 ln α.
2
Also solved by Brian Bradie, Dmitry Fleischman, Won Kyun Jeong, Albert Stadler,
Séan M. Stewart, David Terr, Andrés Ventas, and the proposer.

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 ADVANCED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

H-885 Proposed by Robert Frontczak, Stuttgart, Germany

(Vol. 59, No. 4, November 2021)
Show that
∞
α + 5 − r π2
   
X (2) 1 α+3−r
H2i−r 2i = − ln2 (α) hold for r = 0, 1,
α 10 6 4
i=1
(2) Pn 2.
where Hn = m=1 1/m Deduce from these two identities the known (but nontrivial) result
∞
X 1 π2
= − ln2 (α).
i2 α2i 15
i=1

Solution by Albert Stadler, Herrliberg, Switzerland

Clearly,
Z 1
1
=− xm−1 ln x dx.
m2 0
Hence,
2i−r Z 1
(2)
X 1 1 − x2i−r
H2i−r = = − ln x dx
m2 0 1−x
m=1
and
∞ 1
x2−r
Z  
X (2) 1 1 1
H2i−r =− − ln x dx.
α2i 0 1−x α 2 − 1 α 2 − x2
i=1
For r = 0, we have
∞ 1
x2
Z  
(2) 1 1 1
X
H2i 2i = − − ln x dx
α 0 1−x α 2 − 1 α 2 − x2
i=1
Z 1 Z 1
α 1 α 1
= ln x dx + ln x dx,
2(α − 1) 0 x − α 2(α + 1) 0 x + α
because, by partial fraction decomposition,
x2
 
1 1 α α
− 2
− 2 2
= + .
1−x α −1 α −x 2(α − 1)(x − α) 2(α + 1)(x + α)
For r = 1, we have
∞ Z 1  
X (2) 1 1 1 x
H2i−1 2i = − − ln x dx
α 0 1−x α 2 − 1 α 2 − x2
i=1
Z 1 Z 1
1 1 1 1
= ln x dx − ln x dx,
2(α − 1) 0 x − α 2(α + 1) 0 x + α
because, by partial fraction decomposition,
 
1 1 x 1 1
− 2
− 2 2
= − .
1−x α −1 α −x 2(α − 1)(x − α) 2(α + 1)(x + α)
The integrals above may be expressed in terms of the dilogarithm. If |a| > 1, then
Z 1 ∞ ∞
1 1 ln x
Z Z 1  
ln x 1X 1 k
X 1 1
dx = − x dx = − k
x ln x dx = k k2
= Li 2 .
0 x − a a 0 1 − a a a 0 a a
k=0 k=1

MAY 2023 189

THE FIBONACCI QUARTERLY

It is well-known that
π2 π2 1
   
1 1
Li2 = − ln2 α and Li2 − = − + ln2 α.
α 10 α 15 2
So,
∞    
X (2) 1 α 1 α 1
H2i = Li2 + Li2 −
α2i 2(α − 1) α 2(α + 1) α
i=1
  2  
α+5 π α+3
= − ln2 α
10 6 4
and
∞    
X (2) 1 1 1 1 1
H2i−1 = Li2 − Li2 −
α2i 2(α − 1) α 2(α + 1) α
i=1
  2  
α+4 π α+2
= − ln2 α.
10 6 4
Finally,
∞ ∞ ∞
X 1 X 1 X  (2) (2)
 1 π2
= 4 = 4 H2i − H2i−1 = − ln2 α.
i2 α2i (2i)2 α2i α2i 15
i=1 i=1 i=1

Also solved by Brian Bradie, Dmitry Fleischman, Lucı́a L. Pacios and Andrés
Ventas (jointly), Séan M. Stewart, and the proposer.

H-886 Proposed by D. M. Bătineţu-Giurgiu, Bucharest, Romania, and Neculai

Stanciu, Buzău, Romania
(Vol. 59, No. 4, November 2021)
If a, b, c ∈ (0, π/2) and n ≥ 1, prove that
tan a tan b tan c 3
(i) + + > ;
Fn sin 2b + Fn+1 sin 2c Fn sin 2c + Fn+1 sin 2a Fn sin 2a + Fn+1 sin 2b 2Fn+2
tan a tan b tan c 3
(ii) 2 2 + 2 2 + 2 2 > .
Fn sin 2b + Fn+1 sin 2c Fn sin 2c + Fn+1 sin 2a Fn sin 2a + Fn+1 sin 2b 2F2n+1

Solution by Ángel Plaza, Gran Canaria, Spain

Because Fn + Fn+1 = Fn+2 and Fn2 + Fn+1
2 = F2n+1 , both inequalities follow from the
following more general inequality
tan a tan b tan c 3
+ + ≥ .
x sin 2b + y sin 2c x sin 2c + y sin 2a x sin 2a + y sin 2b 2(x + y)
Note that, for α ∈ (0, π/2), tan α > α and sin 2α < 2α. Thus, it is enough to prove that
a b c 3
+ + ≥ ,
xb + yc xc + ya xa + yb x+y
and
a2 b2 c2 3
+ + ≥ .
a(xb + yc) b(xc + ya) c(xa + yb) x+y

190 VOLUME 61, NUMBER 2

 ADVANCED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

By Bergstrom’s inequality,
P 2
X a2 cycl a
≥ P
a(xb + yc) (x + y) cycl ab
cycl
2
P P
cycl a + 2 ab
= P cycl
(x + y) cycl ab
P
3 cycl ab 3
≥ P = .
(x + y) cycl ab x+y
Also solved by Michel Bataille, Dmitry Fleischman, Wei-Kai Lai, Albert Stadler,
and the proposers.

H-887 Proposed by D. M. Bătineţu-Giurgiu, Bucharest, Romania, and Neculai

Stanciu, Buzău, Romania
(Vol. 59, No. 4, November 2021)
2
 p 2 √
n 2

If m ≥ 1 is an integer, compute lim ncos Fm ( n+1 (n + 1)!)sin Fm − ( n!)sin Fm .
n→∞

Solution by Andrés Ventas, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

The solution to this problem is known. The problem appeared in a generalized form in the
paper [1]. If L denotes the limit, then
sin2 Fm
L= 2 .
esin Fm

Reference
[1] D. M. Bătineţu-Giurgiu and N. Stanicu, New methods for calculations of some limits, The Teaching of
Mathematics, XVI.2 (2013), 82–88.
Also solved by Michel Bataille, Brian Bradie, Dmitry Fleischman, Ángel Plaza,
Albert Stadler, and the proposers.

H-888 Proposed by José Luis Dı́az-Barrero, Barcelona, Spain

(Vol. 59, No. 4, November 2021)
For any integer n ≥ 1, prove that
p p p 2
6Fn4 + 3L4n + 5Fn4 + 4L4n + 7Fn4 + 2L4n ≥ Fn+3 .

First Solution by Andrés Ventas, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

The equality holds for n = 1. Let n ≥ 2. We have
p p p p p p
6Fn4 + 3L4n + 5Fn4 + 4L4n + 7Fn4 + 2L4n > 3L4n + 4L4n + 2L4n > L2n + 2L2n + L2n = 4L2n
and 4L2n ≥ Fn+3
2 because, for all n ≥ 2,
2Ln = 2Fn−1 + 2Fn+1 ≥ Fn−2 + Fn−1 + 2Fn+1 = Fn+3 > 1.

MAY 2023 191

THE FIBONACCI QUARTERLY

Second Solution by Brian Bradie, Newport News, VA

By Jensen’s inequality,
p
6Fn4 + 3L4n ≥ 2Fn2 + L2n ,
p 5 2 4 2
5Fn4 + 4L4n ≥ F + L , and
3 n 3 n
p 7 2 2 2
7Fn4 + 2L4n ≥ F + L ,
3 n 3 n
where equality holds in each case if and only if Fn = Ln , that is, if and only if n = 1.
Combining the above inequalities
p p p
6Fn4 + 3L4n + 5Fn4 + 4L4n + 7Fn4 + 2L4n ≥ 6Fn2 + 3L2n ,
so it suffices to show that
6Fn2 + 3L2n ≥ Fn+3
2
.
Now,
6Fn2 + 3L2n − Fn+3
2
= 8(Fn+2 − 2Fn+1 )2 ≥ 0.
Equality holds here if and only if Fn+2 = 2Fn+1 , that is, if and only if n = 1.
Also solved by Michel Bataille, Dmitry Fleischman, Wei-Kai Lai, Ángel Plaza,
Albert Stadler, and the proposer.

192 VOLUME 61, NUMBER 2