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Algebra Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Prove it China

Solve the inequality
log2(x12+3x10+5x8+3x6+1)<1+log2(x4+1). \log_2(x^{12} + 3x^{10} + 5x^8 + 3x^6 + 1) < 1 + \log_2(x^4 + 1).

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

As
1+log2(x4+1)=log2(2x4+2), 1 + \log_2(x^4 + 1) = \log_2(2x^4 + 2),
and log2y\log_2 y is monotonically increasing over (0,+)(0, +\infty), the given inequality is equivalent to
x12+3x10+5x8+3x6+1<2x4+2 x^{12} + 3x^{10} + 5x^8 + 3x^6 + 1 < 2x^4 + 2
or
x12+3x10+5x8+3x62x41<0. x^{12} + 3x^{10} + 5x^8 + 3x^6 - 2x^4 - 1 < 0.
It can be rewritten as
x12+x10x8+2x10+2x82x6+4x8+4x64x4+x6+x4x2+x4+x21<0. \begin{aligned} & x^{12} + x^{10} - x^8 \\ & \quad + 2x^{10} + 2x^8 - 2x^6 \\ & \quad + 4x^8 + 4x^6 - 4x^4 \\ & \quad + x^6 + x^4 - x^2 \\ & \quad + x^4 + x^2 - 1 < 0. \end{aligned}
That is to say,
(x8+2x6+4x4+x2+1)(x4+x21)<0. (x^8 + 2x^6 + 4x^4 + x^2 + 1)(x^4 + x^2 - 1) < 0.
Then we have x4+x21<0x^4 + x^2 - 1 < 0. It follows that x2<1+52x^2 < \frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}, i.e.
1+52<x<1+52. -\sqrt{\frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}} < x < \sqrt{\frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}}.
So the solution set is (1+52,1+52)(-\sqrt{\frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}}, \sqrt{\frac{-1+\sqrt{5}}{2}}).

Solution 2

As
1+log2(x4+1)=log2(2x4+2), 1 + \log_2(x^4 + 1) = \log_2(2x^4 + 2),
and log2y\log_2 y is monotonically increasing over (0,+)(0, +\infty), the given inequality is equivalent to
x12+3x10+5x8+3x6+1<2x4+2 x^{12} + 3x^{10} + 5x^8 + 3x^6 + 1 < 2x^4 + 2
or
(1x2)3+2(1x2)>x6+3x4+3x2+1+2x2+2=(x2+1)3+2(x2+1). \begin{aligned} \left(\frac{1}{x^2}\right)^3 + 2\left(\frac{1}{x^2}\right) &> x^6 + 3x^4 + 3x^2 + 1 + 2x^2 + 2 \\ & = (x^2 + 1)^3 + 2(x^2 + 1). \end{aligned}
Define g(t)=t2+2tg(t) = t^2 + 2t. Then we have
g(1x2)>g(x2+1). g\left(\frac{1}{x^2}\right) > g(x^2 + 1).
Obviously, g(t)g(t) is a monotonically increasing function; then we have
1x2>x2+1. \frac{1}{x^2} > x^2 + 1.
That is to say,
x4+x21<0. x^4 + x^2 - 1 < 0.
We obtain x2<1+52x^2 < \frac{-1 + \sqrt{5}}{2}. So the solution set is (1+52,1+52)(-\sqrt{\frac{-1 + \sqrt{5}}{2}}, \sqrt{\frac{-1 + \sqrt{5}}{2}}).

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