38 Chapter 3

• (PSMI II) If m < n and P(m), P(m + 1), . . . , P(n − 1) are true then P(n) is true.
Then the assertion P(n) is true for every n ≥ k0 .

253 Example In the country of SmallPesia coins only come in values of 3 and 5 pesos. Shew that any quantity of pesos
greater than or equal to 8 can be paid using the available coins.

Solution: We use PSMI. Observe that 8 = 3 + 5, 9 = 3 + 3 + 3, 10 = 5 + 5, so, we can pay 8, 9, or 10 pesos with the available
coinage. Assume that we are able to pay n − 3, n − 2, and n − 1 pesos, that is, that 3x + 5y = k has non-negative solutions for
k = n − 3, n − 2 and n − 1. We will shew that we may also obtain solutions for 3x + 5y = k for k = n, n + 1 and n + 2. Now

3x + 5y = n − 3 =⇒ 3(x + 1) + 5y = n,

3x1 + 5y1 = n − 2 =⇒ 3(x1 + 1) + 5y1 = n + 1,

3x2 + 5y2 = n − 1 =⇒ 3(x2 + 1) + 5y2 = n + 2,
and so if the amounts n − 3, n − 2, n − 1 can be paid so can n, n + 1, n + 2. The statement of the problem now follows from
PSMI.

254 Example (USAMO 1978) An integer n will be called good if we can write

n = a1 + a2 + · · · + ak ,

where the integers a1 , a2 , . . . , ak are positive integers (not necessarily distinct) satisfying
1 1 1
+ + · · · = 1.
a1 a2 ak
Given the information that the integers 33 through 73 are good, prove that every integer ≥ 33 is good.

Solution: We first prove that if n is good, then 2n + 8 and 2n + 9 are also good. For assume that n = a1 + a2 + · · · + ak , and
1 1 1
+ + · · · = 1.
a1 a2 ak

Then 2n + 8 = 2(a1 + a2 + · · · + ak ) + 4 + 4 and

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
+ + ··· + + = + + = 1.
2a1 2a2 2ak 4 4 2 4 4

Also 2n + 9 = 2(a1 + a2 + · · · + ak ) + 3 + 6 and

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
+ + ··· + + = + + = 1.
2a1 2a2 2ak 3 6 2 3 6
Therefore
if n is good then 2n + 8 and 2n + 9 are good (*)
We now establish the truth of the assertion of the problem by induction on n. Let P(n) be the proposition “all the integers
n, n + 1, n + 2, . . ., 2n + 7” are good. By the statement of the problem, we see that P(33) is true. But (*) implies the truth of
P(n + 1) whenever P(n) is true. The assertion is thus proved by induction.