Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 3.1 AMC 10/12 Prove it Canada

What is the value of (4+4)4\left(\sqrt{4+\sqrt{4}}\,\right)^4 ?

There is exactly one pair (x,y)(x,y) of positive integers for which 23x=8y2\sqrt{23-x}=8-y^2. What is this pair (x,y)(x,y)?

The line with equation y=mx+2y=mx+2 intersects the parabola with equation y=ax2+5x2y=ax^2+5x-2 at the points P(1,5)P(1,5) and QQ. Determine

the value of mm,

the value of aa, and

the coordinates of QQ.

Solution

Calculating, (4+4)4=(4+2)4=(6)4=((6)2)2=62=36\left(\sqrt{4+\sqrt{4}}\right)^4 = \left(\sqrt{4+2}\right)^4 = \left(\sqrt{6}\right)^4 = \left(\left(\sqrt{6}\right)^2\right)^2 = 6^2 = 36.
Since yy is an integer, then 8y28 - y^2 is an integer.

Therefore, 23x\sqrt{23-x} is an integer which means that 23x23-x is a perfect square.

Since xx is a positive integer, then 23x<2323 - x < 23 and so 23x23-x must be a perfect square that is less than 23.

We make a table listing the possible values of 23x23-x and the resulting values of xx, 23x=8y2\sqrt{23-x} = 8-y^2, y2y^2, and yy:

23x23-x
xx
23x=8y2\sqrt{23-x} = 8 - y^2
y2y^2
yy

1616
77
44
44
±2\pm 2

99
1414
33
55
±5\pm \sqrt{5}

44
1919
22
66
±6\pm \sqrt{6}

11
2222
11
77
±7\pm \sqrt{7}

00
2323
00
88
±8\pm \sqrt{8}

Since xx and yy are positive integers, then we must have (x,y)=(7,2)(x,y) = (7,2).

(We note that since we were told that there is only one such pair, we did not have to continue the table beyond the first row.)
Since the line with equation y=mx+2y=mx+2 passes through (1,5)(1,5), then 5=m+25 = m + 2 and so m=3m=3.

Since the parabola with equation y=ax2+5x2y = ax^2 + 5x - 2 passes through (1,5)(1,5), then 5=a+525 = a + 5 - 2 and so a=2a=2.

To find the coordinates of QQ, we determine the second point of intersection of y=3x+2y=3x+2 and y=2x2+5x2y=2x^2 + 5x - 2 by equating values of yy: 2x2+5x2=3x+22x2+2x4=0x2+x2=0(x+2)(x1)=0\begin{aligned} 2x^2 + 5x - 2 & = 3x + 2 \\ 2x^2 + 2x - 4 & = 0 \\ x^2 + x - 2 & = 0 \\ (x+2)(x-1) & = 0\end{aligned} Therefore, x=1x=1 or x=2x=-2.

Since PP has xx-coordinate 11, then QQ has xx-coordinate 2-2.

Since QQ lies on the line with equation y=3x+2y=3x+2, we have y=3(2)+2=4y=3(-2)+2=-4.

In summary, (i) m=3m=3, (ii) a=2a=2, and (iii) the coordinates of QQ are (2,4)(-2,-4).

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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.