Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2015

Algebra Difficulty 1.4 Junior Find the answer Canada

The points (1,q)(-1, q) and (3,r)(-3, r) are on a line parallel to y=32x+1y = \tfrac{3}{2}x + 1. What is the value of rqr - q?

Pick one

Solution

The line with equation y=32x+1y = \frac{3}{2}x+1 has slope 32\frac{3}{2}.

Since the line segment joining (1,q)(-1,q) and (3,r)(-3,r) is parallel to the line with equation y=32x+1y = \frac{3}{2}x+1, then the slope of this line segment is 32\frac{3}{2}.

Therefore, rq(3)(1)=32\dfrac{r-q}{(-3)-(-1)} = \dfrac{3}{2} or rq2=32\dfrac{r-q}{-2} = \dfrac{3}{2}.

Thus, rq=(2)32=3r-q = (-2)\cdot\dfrac{3}{2}=-3.

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Source: CEMC, University of Waterloo, licensed CC-BY-NC-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.