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Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Prove it Belarus

A number α\alpha is a root of the equation x312x+8=0x^3 - 12x + 8 = 0.
Prove that the number 24α2 - \frac{4}{\alpha} is also the root of this equation.

Solution

Set x=24αx = 2 - \frac{4}{\alpha} in the left hand side of the given equation:
(24α)312(24α)+8=8((12α)33(12α)+1)==8(16α+12α28α33+6α+1)=8(1+12α28α3)==8α3(α312α+8)=0 \begin{aligned} & \left(2 - \frac{4}{\alpha}\right)^3 - 12\left(2 - \frac{4}{\alpha}\right) + 8 = 8\left(\left(1 - \frac{2}{\alpha}\right)^3 - 3\left(1 - \frac{2}{\alpha}\right) + 1\right) = \\ & = 8\left(1 - \frac{6}{\alpha} + \frac{12}{\alpha^2} - \frac{8}{\alpha^3} - 3 + \frac{6}{\alpha} + 1\right) = 8\left(-1 + \frac{12}{\alpha^2} - \frac{8}{\alpha^3}\right) = \\ & = -\frac{8}{\alpha^3}\left(\alpha^3 - 12\alpha + 8\right) = 0 \end{aligned}
since by the problem condition α312α+8=0\alpha^3 - 12\alpha + 8 = 0. Therefore, the number 24α2 - \frac{4}{\alpha} is a root of the given equation.

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