Solution to 21NICE1

Evan Chen
OTIS

We can actually characterize the entire sequence.

Claim — For each n ≥ 3,

2 × 4 × · · · × (n − 2)


 n even
 1 × 3 × · · · × (n − 3) × (n − 1)

an =

 2 × 4 × · · · × (n − 1)

 n odd.
1 × 3 × · · · × (n − 2)

Proof. By induction.

One can write this closed form as


 2n−2
 n even
 (n − 1) · n−2



n

2
−1
an = n−2
 2
n odd


 n−2



n−3
2

to finish the problem. Alternatively, note that for every odd prime power q, there are at
least as many multiples of q in the denominator as in the numerator; thus a νp argument
would also suffice.