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Algebra Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

Let mm be a positive integer and let n=m2+1n = m^2 + 1. Determine all real numbers x1,x2,,xnx_1, x_2, \dots, x_n satisfying
xi=1+2mxi2x12+x22++xn2,i=1,2,,n. x_i = 1 + \frac{2m x_i^2}{x_1^2 + x_2^2 + \dots + x_n^2}, \quad i = 1, 2, \dots, n.

Solution

The xix_i are either all equal to 1+2mn=(m+1)2m2+11 + \frac{2m}{n} = \frac{(m+1)^2}{m^2+1} or exactly one is equal to m+1m+1 and the other are all equal to 1+1m1 + \frac{1}{m}. The verification offers no difficulty and is hence omitted.

Leaving aside the trivial case where the xix_i are all equal, consider a solution x1,x2,,xnx_1, x_2, \dots, x_n whose entries are not all equal. Let s=x12+x22++xn2s = x_1^2 + x_2^2 + \dots + x_n^2 and notice that each xix_i is a root of the quadratic polynomial 2mX2sX+s2mX^2 - sX + s. Since the xix_i are not all equal, and each xix_i is positive (in fact, at least 11), the roots uu and vv of this quadratic polynomial are distinct positive real numbers satisfying 2muv=s2muv = s.
Let kk be the number of indices ii such that xi=ux_i = u, so xi=vx_i = v for the remaining nkn-k indices. We may and will assume that kn2k \ge \frac{n}{2}; and since the xix_i are not all equal, kn1=m2k \le n-1 = m^2.
Write 2muv=s=ku2+(nk)v22uvk(nk)2muv = s = ku^2 + (n-k)v^2 \ge 2uv\sqrt{k(n-k)}, so k(nk)m2k(n-k) \le m^2, and recall that kn2k \ge \frac{n}{2}, to infer that k12(n+n24m2)=m2k \ge \frac{1}{2}(n + \sqrt{n^2 - 4m^2}) = m^2. Further, the condition km2k \le m^2 forces k=m2k = m^2 which in turn forces v=muv = mu, by the preceding.
Finally, since the xix_i add up to n+2m=(m+1)2n + 2m = (m+1)^2, it follows that u=1+1mu = 1 + \frac{1}{m} and v=m+1v = m + 1, and the solution has the form stated in the first paragraph.

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