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Number theory Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Slovenia

Let a,b,ca, b, c and dd be positive integers such that a>b>c>da > b > c > d and
(1a)(1b)(1c)(1d)=10. (1-a)(1-b)(1-c)(1-d) = 10.
Find all possible values of a+bcda+b-c-d.

Solution

The numbers a,b,ca, b, c and dd are pairwise different, so 1a,1b,1c1-a, 1-b, 1-c and 1d1-d are all different as well. Since 1010 is the product of two primes, it can only be written as the product of four integers if two of these integers are 11 and 1-1. The remaining two factors are either 2-2 and 55 or 22 and 5-5.

Since a>b>c>da > b > c > d we have 1a<1b<1c<1d1-a < 1-b < 1-c < 1-d. So, 1b=11-b = -1 and 1c=11-c = 1, which implies b=2b=2 and c=0c=0. If 1a=21-a = -2 and 1d=51-d = 5, we get a=3a=3 and d=4d=-4. In the case where 1a=51-a = -5 and 1d=21-d = 2, we have a=6a=6 and d=1d=-1.

The value of a+bcda+b-c-d is equal to 3+20(4)=93+2-0-(-4) = 9 in the first case, and to 6+20(1)=96+2-0-(-1) = 9 in the second case, so there is really only one possibility, a+bcd=9a+b-c-d=9.

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