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Algebra Difficulty 3.2 AMC 10/12 Prove it Canada

A function ff has the
property that $f(2x+1x)\$\displaystyle{f \left( \frac{2x+1}{x} \right)} = x+6} for all real values of x \neq 0.Whatisthevalueof. What is the value of f(4)$?
Determine all real numbers aa, bb
and cc for which the graph of the
function y=loga(x+b)+cy=\log_a(x+b)+c passes
through the points P(3,5)P(3,5), Q(5,4)Q(5,4) and R(11,3)R(11,3).

Solution

We note that $2x+1x=2xx+1x\$\dfrac{2x+1}{x} = \dfrac{2x}{x} + \dfrac{1}{x} = 2 + 1x$.\dfrac{1}{x}\$.

Therefore, 2x+1x=4\dfrac{2x+1}{x} = 4
exactly when 2+1x=42 + \dfrac{1}{x} = 4
or 1x=2\dfrac{1}{x} = 2 and so x=12x = \dfrac{1}{2}.

Alternatively, we could solve 2x+1x=4\dfrac{2x+1}{x} = 4 directly to obtain
2x+1=4x2x + 1 = 4x, which gives 2x=12x = 1 and so x=12x = \dfrac{1}{2}.

Thus, to determine the value of f(4)f(4), we substitute x=12x = \dfrac{1}{2} into the given equation
$f(2x+1x)\$f\left(\dfrac{2x+1}{x}\right) = x +
6andobtain and obtain f(4) = 12\dfrac{1}{2} +
6 = 132$.\dfrac{13}{2}\$.
Since the graph passes through (3,5)(3,5), (5,4)(5,4) and (11,3)(11,3), we can substitute these three
points and obtain the following three equations: 5=loga(3+b)+c4=loga(5+b)+c3=loga(11+b)+c\begin{aligned} 5 & = \log_a(3+b) + c \\ 4 & = \log_a(5+b) + c \\ 3 & = \log_a(11+b) + c \end{aligned} Subtracting the second
equation from the first and the third equation from the second, we
obtain: 1=loga(3+b)loga(5+b)1=loga(5+b)loga(11+b)\begin{aligned} 1 & = \log_a(3+b) - \log_a(5+b) \\ 1 & = \log_a(5+b) - \log_a(11+b)\end{aligned} Equating
right sides and manipulating, we obtain the following equivalent
equations: loga(5+b)loga(11+b)=loga(3+b)loga(5+b)2loga(5+b)=loga(3+b)+loga(11+b)loga((5+b)2)=loga((3+b)(11+b))(using log laws)(5+b)2=(3+b)(11+b)(raising both sides to the power of a)25+10b+b2=33+14b+b28=4bb=2\begin{aligned} \log_a(5+b) - \log_a(11+b) & = \log_a(3+b) - \log_a(5+b) \\ 2\log_a(5+b) & = \log_a(3+b) + \log_a(11+b) \\ \log_a\left((5+b)^2\right) & = \log_a\left((3+b)(11+b)\right) & \text{(using log laws)} \\ (5+b)^2 & = (3+b)(11+b) & \text{(raising both sides to the power of $a$)} \\ 25+10b + b^2 & = 33 + 14b + b^2 \\ -8 & = 4b \\ b & = -2\end{aligned} Since $b =
-2,theequation, the equation 1 = loga(3+b)loga(5+b)\log_a(3+b) - \log_a(5+b)becomes becomes 1 = loga\log_a 1 -
loga\log_a 3$.

Since loga1=0\log_a 1 = 0 for every
admissible value of aa, then loga3=1\log_a 3 = -1 which gives a=31=13a = 3^{-1} = \frac{1}{3}.

Finally, the equation $5 = loga(3+b)\log_a(3+b) +
cbecomes becomes 5 = log1/3(1)\log_{1/3}(1) +
candso and so c = 5$.

Therefore, a=13a = \frac{1}{3}, b=2b = -2, and $c
= 5,whichgives, which gives y =
log1/3(x2)\log_{1/3}(x-2) + 5$.

Checking:

When x=3x = 3, we obtain $y = log1/3(32)\log_{1/3}(3-2) + 5 = log1/3\log_{1/3} 1 + 5 = 0 + 5
= 5$.
When x=5x = 5, we obtain $y = log1/3(52)\log_{1/3}(5-2) + 5 = log1/3\log_{1/3} 3 + 5 = -1 +
5 = 4$.
When x=11x = 11, we obtain $y = log1/3(112)\log_{1/3}(11-2) + 5 = log1/3\log_{1/3} 9 + 5 = -2 +
5 = 3$.

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