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Problem 12.2. Find all values of the real parameters aa and bb such that the graph of the function y=x3+ax+by=x^{3}+a x+b has exactly three common points with the coordinate axes and they are vertices of a right triangle.

Nikolai Nikolov

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Solution

12.2. The first condition of the problem is equivalent to the assertion that the equation x3+ax+b=0x^{3}+a x+b=0 has a double real root x10x_{1} \neq 0 and a simple real root x20x_{2} \neq 0, where x2x1x_{2} \neq x_{1}. Therefore

x3+ax+b=(xx1)2(xx2) x^{3}+a x+b=\left(x-x_{1}\right)^{2}\left(x-x_{2}\right)

We also have \VarangleACB=90\Varangle A C B=90^{\circ}, where A=(x1,0),B=(x2,0),C=(0,b)A=\left(x_{1}, 0\right), B=\left(x_{2}, 0\right), C=(0, b) and x1x2<0x_{1} x_{2}<0. Hence AO.BO=CO2A O . B O=C O^{2}, i.e. x1x2=b2-x_{1} x_{2}=b^{2}. Since b=x12x2b=-x_{1}^{2} x_{2} and x1,x20x_{1}, x_{2} \neq 0, we get x13x2=1x_{1}^{3} x_{2}=-1. On the other hand, we have 2x1+x2=02 x_{1}+x_{2}=0 and therefore 2x1=x2=1x132 x_{1}=-x_{2}=\frac{1}{x_{1}^{3}}. Hence x1=±124x_{1}= \pm \frac{1}{\sqrt[4]{2}} and x2=84x_{2}=\mp \sqrt[4]{8}. Then
a=x12+2x1x2=32a=x_{1}^{2}+2 x_{1} x_{2}=-\frac{3}{\sqrt{2}} and b=x12x2=±24b=-x_{1}^{2} x_{2}= \pm \sqrt[4]{2}. The above arguments imply as well that these two values of bb are solutions indeed.

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.