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2021 WSMO Speed Round/Problem 1

Revision as of 17:34, 22 December 2021 by Pinkpig (talk | contribs) (→‎Solution (bash))

Problem

Let $f^1(x)=(x-1)^2$, and let $f^n(x)=f^1(f^{n-1}(x))$. Find the value of $|f^7(2)|$.

Solution (bash)

Note that \[|f^7(2)|=f(f(f(f(f(f(f(2)))))))=f(f(f(f(f(f((2-1)^2))))))=f(f(f(f(f(f(1))))))\] \[=f(f(f(f(f((1-1)^2)))))=f(f(f(f(f(0)))))=f(f(f(f((0-1)^2))))=f(f(f(f(1))))=f(f(f((1-1)^2)))\] \[=f(f(f(0)))=f(f((0-1)^2))=f(f(1))=f((1-1)^2)=f(0)=(0-1)^2=\boxed{1}.\] 

~ pinkpig
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