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Algebra Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Prove it South Africa

Given that
abcd=2andacbd=3 \frac{a-b}{c-d} = 2 \quad \text{and} \quad \frac{a-c}{b-d} = 3
for certain real numbers aa, bb, cc, dd, determine the value of
adbc \frac{a-d}{b-c}

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Set x=cdx = c - d and y=bdy = b - d. We have
ad=(cd)+(ac)=x+3y a - d = (c - d) + (a - c) = x + 3y
and
ad=(bd)+(ab)=y+2x, a - d = (b - d) + (a - b) = y + 2x,
hence x+3y=y+2xx + 3y = y + 2x, which implies x=2yx = 2y. Now we get ad=5ya - d = 5y and
bc=(bd)(cd)=yx=y, b - c = (b - d) - (c - d) = y - x = -y,
so

\frac{a-d}{b-c} = -5.

Solution 2

We are given that
ab=2c2d, thus a+2d=b+2c, a - b = 2c - 2d, \text{ thus } a + 2d = b + 2c,
and
ac=3b3d, thus a+3d=3b+c. a - c = 3b - 3d, \text{ thus } a + 3d = 3b + c.
Multiply the first equation by 4 and the second one by 3, and subtract:
ad=4(a+2d)3(a+3d)=4(b+2c)3(3b+c)=5b+5c, a - d = 4(a + 2d) - 3(a + 3d) = 4(b + 2c) - 3(3b + c) = -5b + 5c,
thus

\frac{a-d}{b-c} = -5.

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