Question 24
Let $\{a_k\}_{k=1}^{2011}$ be the sequence of real numbers defined by $a_1 = 0.201,$ $a_2 = (0.2011)^{a_1},$ $a_3 = (0.20101)^{a_2},$ and $a_4 = (0.201011)^{a_3},$ and more generally $$
a_k = \begin{cases} \tiny \left(0.\underbrace{20101\ldots0101}_{k+2 \text{ digits}}\right)^{a_{k-1}}, & \tiny \text{if } k \text{ is odd,} \\ \tiny \left(0.\underbrace{20101\ldots01011}_{k+2 \text{ digits}}\right)^{a_{k-1}}, & \tiny \text{if } k \text{ is even.} \end{cases}
$$
Rearranging the numbers in the sequence $\{a_k\}_{k=1}^{2011}$ in decreasing order produces a new sequence $\{b_k\}_{k=1}^{2011}.$ What is the sum of all the integers $k,$ $1 \le k \le 2011,$ such that $a_k = b_k?$
a_k = \begin{cases} \tiny \left(0.\underbrace{20101\ldots0101}_{k+2 \text{ digits}}\right)^{a_{k-1}}, & \tiny \text{if } k \text{ is odd,} \\ \tiny \left(0.\underbrace{20101\ldots01011}_{k+2 \text{ digits}}\right)^{a_{k-1}}, & \tiny \text{if } k \text{ is even.} \end{cases}
$$
Rearranging the numbers in the sequence $\{a_k\}_{k=1}^{2011}$ in decreasing order produces a new sequence $\{b_k\}_{k=1}^{2011}.$ What is the sum of all the integers $k,$ $1 \le k \le 2011,$ such that $a_k = b_k?$