Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2016

Algebra Difficulty 5.1 AIME, harder Prove it United States

Problem:

If aa and bb satisfy the equations a+1b=4a + \frac{1}{b} = 4 and 1a+b=1615\frac{1}{a} + b = \frac{16}{15}, determine the product of all possible values of aba b.

Solution

Solution:

We multiply a+1b=4a + \frac{1}{b} = 4 and 1a+b=1615\frac{1}{a} + b = \frac{16}{15} to get
(a+1b)(1a+b)=41615=6415. \left(a + \frac{1}{b}\right) \left(\frac{1}{a} + b\right) = 4 \cdot \frac{16}{15} = \frac{64}{15}.
Expanding the left side:
a1a+ab+1b1a+1bb=1+ab+1ab+1=2+ab+1ab. a \cdot \frac{1}{a} + a b + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b} b = 1 + a b + \frac{1}{a b} + 1 = 2 + a b + \frac{1}{a b}.
So,
2+ab+1ab=6415. 2 + a b + \frac{1}{a b} = \frac{64}{15}.
Subtract 22 from both sides:
ab+1ab=64152=643015=3415. a b + \frac{1}{a b} = \frac{64}{15} - 2 = \frac{64 - 30}{15} = \frac{34}{15}.
Let x=abx = a b. Then
x+1x=3415. x + \frac{1}{x} = \frac{34}{15}.
Multiply both sides by xx:
x23415x+1=0. x^2 - \frac{34}{15} x + 1 = 0.
By Vieta's formulas, the product of the roots is 11.

Therefore, the product of all possible values of aba b is 11.

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