Let f(x)=3sinx+2cosx+1. If real numbers a,b,c are such that af(x)+bf(x−c)=1 holds for any x∈R, then abcosc equals ( ).
This was a multiple-choice question, but the options didn't survive into the
source we have. The answer given is C, and the solution
below works it through.
Solution
Let c=π. Then f(x)+f(x−c)=2 for any x∈R. Now let a=b=21, and c=π. We have af(x)+bf(x−c)=1 for any x∈R. Consequently, abcosc=−1. So Answer is (C).
More generally, we have f(x)=13sin(x+φ)+1, f(x−c)=13sin(x+φ−c)+1, where 0<φ<2π and tanφ=32. Then af(x)+bf(x−c)=1 becomes 13asin(x+φ)+13bsin(x+φ−c)+a+b=1. That is, 13asin(x+φ)+13bsin(x+φ)cosc−13bsinccos(x+φ)+(a+b−1)=0. Therefore 13(a+bcosc)sin(x+φ)−13bsinccos(x+φ)+(a+b−1)=0. Since the equality above holds for any x∈R, we must have {a+bcosc=0,bsinc=0,1◯ {bsinc=0,a+b−1=0.2◯ {a+b−1=0.3◯ If b=0, then a=0 from ①, and this contradicts ③. So b=0, and sinc=0 from ②. Therefore c=2kπ+π or c=2kπ (k∈Z). If c=2kπ, then cosc=1, and it leads to a contradiction between ① and ③. So c=2kπ+π (k∈Z) and cosc=−1. From ① and ③, we get a=b=21. Consequently, abcosc=−1.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.