Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /21 of 45

Algebra Difficulty 6.0 AIME, harder Prove it Ukraine

For arbitrary positive numbers a,b,ca, b, c, solve the system of equations:
{ax3+by=cz5,az3+bx=cy5,ay3+bz=cx5. \begin{cases} ax^3 + by = cz^5, \\ az^3 + bx = cy^5, \\ ay^3 + bz = cx^5. \end{cases}

Solution

Answer: (0,0,0)(0, 0, 0) and (t,t,t)(t, t, t), where t=±a+a2+4bc2ct = \pm\sqrt{\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2+4bc}}{2c}}.

Suppose that x<y<zx < y < z (one of the inequalities may not be strict). Then subtract the third equation from the first: a(x3y3)+b(yz)<0c(z5x5)a(x^3 - y^3) + b(y - z) < 0 \le c(z^5 - x^5) – a contradiction. If we assume that x<z<yx < z < y (one of the inequalities may not be strict), then subtract the third equation from the second: a(z3y3)+b(xz)<0c(y5x5)a(z^3 - y^3) + b(x - z) < 0 \le c(y^5 - x^5) – a contradiction. Without loss of generality, we can assume that all cases have been considered, since the system of equations is cyclic. Thus, we are left with the condition x=y=zx = y = z.

To find xx, we need to solve the equation: cx5ax3bx=0cx^5 - ax^3 - bx = 0. Obviously, x1=0x_1 = 0, then we need to solve the equation cx4ax2b=0cx^4 - ax^2 - b = 0. Since a2+4bc>0a^2 + 4bc > 0 and
aa2+4bc<0, we have that x2,3=±a+a2+4bc2c, otherwise there are no other solutions. a - \sqrt{a^2 + 4bc} < 0, \text{ we have that } x_{2,3} = \pm\sqrt{\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2+4bc}}{2c}}, \text{ otherwise there are no other solutions.}

Looking for a route rather than 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.