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Vietnamese Mathematical Olympiad

Algebra Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it Vietnam

Solve the following system of equations:
{x4−y4=240x3−2y3=3(x2−4y2)−4(x−8y). \begin{cases} x^4 - y^4 = 240 \\ x^3 - 2y^3 = 3(x^2 - 4y^2) - 4(x - 8y). \end{cases}

Solution

Reformulate the given system in the following form:
{x4+16=y4+256x3−3x2+4x=2y3−12y2+32y(1)(2) \begin{cases} x^4 + 16 = y^4 + 256 \\ x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x = 2y^3 - 12y^2 + 32y \end{cases} \quad (1) \quad (2)
Multiplying both sides of equation (2) with −8-8, then adding it to (1), side by side, we obtain equation:
(x−2)4=(y−4)4(3).(x-2)^4 = (y-4)^4 \quad (3).
(x−2)4=(y−4)4(3).(x - 2)^4 = (y - 4)^4 \quad (3).
We have: (3)⇔x−2=∣y−4∣⇔{y=x+2y=6−x(4)(5) \text{We have: } (3) \Leftrightarrow x - 2 = |y - 4| \Leftrightarrow \begin{cases} y = x + 2 \\ y = 6 - x \end{cases} \quad (4) \quad (5)
+Plugging (4) into (1), we obtain: x4=(x+2)4+240(6). + \text{Plugging (4) into (1), we obtain: } x^4 = (x+2)^4 + 240 \quad (6).
We have: (6)⇔x3+3x2+4x+32=0⇔(x+4)(x2−x+8)=0⇔x=−4. \text{We have: } (6) \Leftrightarrow x^3 + 3x^2 + 4x + 32 = 0 \Leftrightarrow (x+4)(x^2 - x + 8) = 0 \Leftrightarrow x = -4.
Consequently y=−2y = -2. Hence we get solution: (x,y)=(−4,−2)(x, y) = (-4, -2).
+Plugging (5) into (1), we obtain: x4=(6−x)4+240(7). + \text{Plugging (5) into (1), we obtain: } x^4 = (6-x)^4 + 240 \quad (7).
We have: (7)⇔x3−9x2+36x−64=0⇔(x−4)(x2−5x+16)=0⇔x=4. \text{We have: } (7) \Leftrightarrow x^3 - 9x^2 + 36x - 64 = 0 \Leftrightarrow (x-4)(x^2 - 5x + 16) = 0 \Leftrightarrow x = 4.
Consequently y=2y = 2. Hence we get solution (x,y)=(4,2)(x, y) = (4, 2).

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