MathNet 2005 — Part 03 Question 10

Let $x_{1}$ be a given positive integer. A sequence $\langle x_{n}\rangle_{n=1}^{\infty} = \langle x_{1}, x_{2}, x_{3}, \cdots \rangle$ of positive integers is such that $x_{n}$, for $n \geq 2$, is obtained from $x_{n-1}$ by adding some nonzero digit of $x_{n-1}$. Prove that

(a) the sequence has an even number;

(b) the sequence has infinitely many even numbers.