2008
Problem - 3633
Suppose sequence $\{a_n\}$ satisfies $a_1=0$, $a_2=1$, $a_3=9$, and $S_n^2S_{n-2}=10S_{n-1}^3$ for $n > 3$ where $S_n$ is the sum of the first $n$ terms of this sequence. Find $a_n$ when $n\ge 3$.
Clearly, no $S_n$ will equal 0. Hence dividing both sides of the given recursion by $S_{n-1}^2S_{n-2}$ leads to $$\Big(\frac{S_n}{S_{n-1}}\Big)^2=10\times\Big(\frac{S_{n-1}}{S_{n-2}}\Big)$$
Let $T_n = \frac{S_n}{S_{n-1}}$, $n\ge 3$. Then $T_3=\frac{S_3}{S_2}=\frac{0+1+9}{0+1}=10$ and
\begin{align*}
T_n & =10^{\frac{1}{2}}\times T_{n-1}^{\frac{1}{2}}\\
T_{n-1}^{\frac{1}{2}} &= 10^{\frac{1}{2^2}}\times T_{n-2}^{\frac{1}{2^2}}\\
T_{n-2}^{\frac{1}{2^2}} &= 10^{\frac{1}{2^3}}\times T_{n-3}^{\frac{1}{2^3}}\\
\cdots \\
T_4^{\frac{1}{2^{n+4}}} &= 10^{\frac{1}{2^{n+3}}}\times T_3^{\frac{1}{2^{n+3}}}
\end{align*}
Multiplying these relations and noticing $T_3=10$ yields:
$$T_n = 10^{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2^{2}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{2^{n+3}}}\times 10^{\frac{1}{2^{n+3}}}=10$$
This means $S_{n}/S_{n-1}=T_n = 10$ is a constant, or $\{T_n\}$ is a geometric sequence whose common ratio is 10 and $T_3=10$. Hence, by \myJustRefP{eq_geometric_seq_an1}, we have $$S_n =10\times 10^{n-3}=10^{n-2}\qquad(n\ge 3)$$
Finally by \myJustRefP{eq_seq_sn_an}, we have $$a_n = S_n - S_{n-1} = 10^{n-2}-10^{n-3}=\boxed{9\times 10^{n-3}}\quad (n \ge 3)$$