Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Prove it JBMO

Problem:
Find all four digit numbers AA such that
13A+2000=23Aˉ \frac{1}{3} A+2000=\frac{2}{3} \bar{A}
where Aˉ\bar{A} is the number with the same digits as AA, but written in opposite order. (For example, 1234=4321\overline{1234}=4321.)

Solution

Solution:
Let A=1000a+100b+10c+dA=1000 a+100 b+10 c+d. Then we obtain the equality
13(1000a+100b+10c+d)+2000=23(1000d+100c+10b+a) \frac{1}{3}(1000 a+100 b+10 c+d)+2000=\frac{2}{3}(1000 d+100 c+10 b+a)
Multiply both sides by 33 to clear denominators:
1000a+100b+10c+d+6000=2000d+200c+20b+2a 1000 a+100 b+10 c+d + 6000 = 2000 d + 200 c + 20 b + 2 a
Bring all terms to one side:
1000a+100b+10c+d+60002000d200c20b2a=0 1000 a + 100 b + 10 c + d + 6000 - 2000 d - 200 c - 20 b - 2 a = 0
Group like terms:
(1000a2a)+(100b20b)+(10c200c)+(d2000d)+6000=0 (1000 a - 2 a) + (100 b - 20 b) + (10 c - 200 c) + (d - 2000 d) + 6000 = 0
998a+80b190c1999d+6000=0 998 a + 80 b - 190 c - 1999 d + 6000 = 0
998a+80b190c+6000=1999d 998 a + 80 b - 190 c + 6000 = 1999 d
So
1999d+190c=80b+998a+6000 1999 d + 190 c = 80 b + 998 a + 6000
It is clear that dd is an even digit and d>2d>2. So we have to investigate three cases:

(i) d=4d=4:
Comparing the last digits in the upper equality we see that a=2a=2 or a=1a=1.
If a=2a=2 then 19c=8019 c=80, which is possible only when c=0c=0. Hence the number A=2004A=2004 satisfies the condition.
If a=7a=7 then 19c8b=49019 c-8 b=490, which is impossible.

(ii) d=6d=6:
Then 190c+5994=80b+998a190 c+5994=80 b+998 a. Comparing the last digits we obtain that a=3a=3 or a=8a=8.
If a=3a=3 then 80b+998a<809+10003<599480 b+998 a<80 \cdot 9+1000 \cdot 3<5994.
If a=8a=8 then 306+998a9988=7984=5994+1990>5994+190c306+998 a \geq 998 \cdot 8=7984=5994+1990>5994+190 c.

(iii) d=8d=8:
Then 190c+9992=80b+998a190 c+9992=80 b+998 a. Now 80b+998a809+9989=9702<9992+190c80 b+998 a \leq 80 \cdot 9+998 \cdot 9=9702<9992+190 c.

Hence we have the only solution A=2004A=2004.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.