- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Hofstadter mentions the following recursive relation in his great book "Gödel, Escher, Bach": \[
\begin{align}
g(0) &= 0;\\
g(n) &= n-g(g(n-1)).
\end{align}
\] I claim that \( g(n) = \left\lfloor \phi\cdot (n+1) \right\rfloor \), where \( \phi = \frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\), and I'll show this using a technique that makes proving many identities of this type nearly automatic.
Let \( \phi\cdot n = \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor + e\), where \( 0 < e < 1\) as \( \phi \) is irrational, nor can \(e = 1-\phi\), and note that \(\phi\) satisfies \( {\phi}^2 + \phi - 1 = 0\). Some algebra gives \[
\begin{align}
n-\left\lfloor \left( \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor + 1 \right) \cdot \phi \right\rfloor
&= n-\left\lfloor \left( n\cdot \phi - e + 1 \right) \cdot \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= n-\left\lfloor n\cdot {\phi}^2 - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= n-\left\lfloor n\cdot \left(1-\phi\right) - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= n-n-\left\lfloor -n\cdot \phi - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= -\left\lfloor -n\cdot \phi - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= -\left\lfloor -n \cdot \phi + e - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor -\left\lfloor - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor.
\end{align}
\]
Now if \[
\begin{align}
0 < e < 1-\phi &\implies 0 < - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi < \phi;\\
1-\phi < e < 1 &\implies -1 < - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi < 0.
\end{align}
\]
This implies \[ n-\left\lfloor \left( \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor + 1 \right) \cdot \phi \right\rfloor = \left\lfloor \phi\cdot (n+1) \right\rfloor .\] Since \( \left\lfloor \phi\cdot (0+1) \right\rfloor = 0\), we're done.
The point of the algebra was to move all terms involving \(n\) out, and then checking to see how the remaining term varied with \( e\). A simple idea, but very useful.
\begin{align}
g(0) &= 0;\\
g(n) &= n-g(g(n-1)).
\end{align}
\] I claim that \( g(n) = \left\lfloor \phi\cdot (n+1) \right\rfloor \), where \( \phi = \frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\), and I'll show this using a technique that makes proving many identities of this type nearly automatic.
Let \( \phi\cdot n = \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor + e\), where \( 0 < e < 1\) as \( \phi \) is irrational, nor can \(e = 1-\phi\), and note that \(\phi\) satisfies \( {\phi}^2 + \phi - 1 = 0\). Some algebra gives \[
\begin{align}
n-\left\lfloor \left( \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor + 1 \right) \cdot \phi \right\rfloor
&= n-\left\lfloor \left( n\cdot \phi - e + 1 \right) \cdot \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= n-\left\lfloor n\cdot {\phi}^2 - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= n-\left\lfloor n\cdot \left(1-\phi\right) - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= n-n-\left\lfloor -n\cdot \phi - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= -\left\lfloor -n\cdot \phi - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= -\left\lfloor -n \cdot \phi + e - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor \\
&= \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor -\left\lfloor - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi \right\rfloor.
\end{align}
\]
Now if \[
\begin{align}
0 < e < 1-\phi &\implies 0 < - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi < \phi;\\
1-\phi < e < 1 &\implies -1 < - e - e\cdot \phi + \phi < 0.
\end{align}
\]
This implies \[ n-\left\lfloor \left( \left\lfloor \phi\cdot n \right\rfloor + 1 \right) \cdot \phi \right\rfloor = \left\lfloor \phi\cdot (n+1) \right\rfloor .\] Since \( \left\lfloor \phi\cdot (0+1) \right\rfloor = 0\), we're done.
The point of the algebra was to move all terms involving \(n\) out, and then checking to see how the remaining term varied with \( e\). A simple idea, but very useful.
it's look good,post
ReplyDelete