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Algebra Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Croatia

The product of the second and fourth term of an arithmetic sequence with the common difference dd is d2-d^2. Find the product of the third and fifth term of that sequence. (Matko Ljulj)

Solution

Let the first term of the sequence be aa.

The second term is a+da + d.
The fourth term is a+3da + 3d.

Their product is (a+d)(a+3d)=d2(a + d)(a + 3d) = -d^2.

We are to find the product of the third and fifth terms:

Third term: a+2da + 2d
Fifth term: a+4da + 4d

Their product is (a+2d)(a+4d)(a + 2d)(a + 4d).

Let us expand (a+d)(a+3d)(a + d)(a + 3d):

(a+d)(a+3d)=a2+3ad+ad+3d2=a2+4ad+3d2=d2(a + d)(a + 3d) = a^2 + 3ad + ad + 3d^2 = a^2 + 4ad + 3d^2 = -d^2

So:
a2+4ad+3d2=d2a^2 + 4ad + 3d^2 = -d^2
a2+4ad+4d2=0a^2 + 4ad + 4d^2 = 0

Now, (a+2d)(a+4d)=a2+4ad+2ad+8d2=a2+6ad+8d2(a + 2d)(a + 4d) = a^2 + 4ad + 2ad + 8d^2 = a^2 + 6ad + 8d^2

From above, a2+4ad+4d2=0a^2 + 4ad + 4d^2 = 0, so a2+4ad=4d2a^2 + 4ad = -4d^2

Therefore:
(a+2d)(a+4d)=(a2+4ad)+2ad+8d2=(4d2)+2ad+8d2=2ad+4d2(a + 2d)(a + 4d) = (a^2 + 4ad) + 2ad + 8d^2 = (-4d^2) + 2ad + 8d^2 = 2ad + 4d^2

But a2+4ad+4d2=0a^2 + 4ad + 4d^2 = 0

Let us solve for aa:
a2+4ad+4d2=0a^2 + 4ad + 4d^2 = 0
a2+4ad=4d2a^2 + 4ad = -4d^2

So a2+4ad=4d2a^2 + 4ad = -4d^2

Now, 2ad+4d2=2ad+4d22ad + 4d^2 = 2ad + 4d^2

But we can express aa in terms of dd:
a2+4ad+4d2=0a^2 + 4ad + 4d^2 = 0
(a+2d)2=0(a + 2d)^2 = 0
So a+2d=0a + 2d = 0
Thus, a=2da = -2d

Now, third term: a+2d=2d+2d=0a + 2d = -2d + 2d = 0
Fifth term: a+4d=2d+4d=2da + 4d = -2d + 4d = 2d

Their product: 0×2d=00 \times 2d = 0

Answer: 00

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