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Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it China

Assume that α,β,γ\alpha, \beta, \gamma satisfy 0<α<β<γ<2π0 < \alpha < \beta < \gamma < 2\pi. If
cos(x+α)+cos(x+β)+cos(x+γ)=0 \cos(x + \alpha) + \cos(x + \beta) + \cos(x + \gamma) = 0
for arbitrary xRx \in \mathbb{R}, then γα=\gamma - \alpha = \underline{\hspace{2cm}}.

Solution

Write f(x)=cos(x+α)+cos(x+β)+cos(x+γ)f(x) = \cos(x+\alpha) + \cos(x+\beta) + \cos(x+\gamma). Since f(x)0f(x) \equiv 0 for xRx \in \mathbb{R},
f(α)=0,f(γ)=0 and f(β)=0. f(-\alpha) = 0,\quad f(-\gamma) = 0 \text{ and } f(-\beta) = 0.
That is
That iscos(βα)+cos(γα)=1,cos(αβ)+cos(γβ)=1,andcos(αγ)+cos(βγ)=1,socos(βα)=cos(γβ)=cos(γα)=12. \begin{align*} \text{That is}\quad & \cos(\beta - \alpha) + \cos(\gamma - \alpha) = -1, \\ & \cos(\alpha - \beta) + \cos(\gamma - \beta) = -1, \\ \text{and}\quad & \cos(\alpha - \gamma) + \cos(\beta - \gamma) = -1, \\ \text{so}\quad & \cos(\beta - \alpha) = \cos(\gamma - \beta) = \cos(\gamma - \alpha) = -\frac{1}{2}. \end{align*}
Since 0<α<β<γ<2π0 < \alpha < \beta < \gamma < 2\pi, so βα\beta - \alpha, γβ\gamma - \beta, γα{2π3,4π3}\gamma - \alpha \in \{\frac{2\pi}{3}, \frac{4\pi}{3}\}. In view of βα<γα\beta - \alpha < \gamma - \alpha, γβ<γα\gamma - \beta < \gamma - \alpha, it is possible only when βα=γβ=2π3\beta - \alpha = \gamma - \beta = \frac{2\pi}{3}, so γα=4π3\gamma - \alpha = \frac{4\pi}{3}.

On the other hand, when βα=γβ=2π3\beta - \alpha = \gamma - \beta = \frac{2\pi}{3}, we have β=α+2π3\beta = \alpha + \frac{2\pi}{3},
γ=α+4π3\gamma = \alpha + \frac{4\pi}{3}. For arbitrary xRx \in \mathbb{R}, we denote x+α=θx + \alpha = \theta. Since three
points (cosθ,sinθ)(\cos\theta, \sin\theta), (cos(θ+2π3),sin(θ+2π3))(\cos(\theta + \frac{2\pi}{3}), \sin(\theta + \frac{2\pi}{3})), (cos(θ+4π3),sin(θ+4π3))(\cos(\theta + \frac{4\pi}{3}), \sin(\theta + \frac{4\pi}{3})) are the vertices of an equilateral triangle on the unit
circle x2+y2=1x^2 + y^2 = 1 with center at the origin, it is obvious that
cosθ+cos(θ+2π3)+cos(θ+4π3)=0, \cos\theta + \cos\left(\theta + \frac{2\pi}{3}\right) + \cos\left(\theta + \frac{4\pi}{3}\right) = 0,
and that is cos(x+α)+cos(x+β)+cos(x+γ)=0\cos(x+\alpha) + \cos(x+\beta) + \cos(x+\gamma) = 0.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.