Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Find the answer

\section*{Problem 18}

p(x)p(x) is the cubic x33x2+5xx^{3}-3 x^{2}+5 x. If hh is a real root of p(x)=1p(x)=1 and kk is a real root of p(x)=5p(x)=5, find h+kh+k

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

\section*{Solution}

Put y=2hy=2-h, where p(h)=1p(h)=1, then (2y)33(2y)2+5(2y)1=0(2-y)^{3}-3(2-y)^{2}+5(2-y)-1=0, so 812y+6y2y312+12y8-12 y+6 y^{2}-y^{3}-12+12 y- 3y2+105y1=03 y^{2}+10-5 y-1=0, or y33y2+5y=5y^{3}-3 y^{2}+5 y=5, or p(y)=5p(y)=5. So if hh is a root of p(h)=1p(h)=1, then there is a root kk of p(k)=5p(k)=5 such that h+k=2h+k=2. To complete the proof we have to show that p(x)=5p(x)=5 has only one real root.

But x33x2+5x=(x1)3+2(x1)+3x^{3}-3 x^{2}+5 x=(x-1)^{3}+2(x-1)+3 which is a strictly increasing function of x1x-1 and hence of xx. So p(x)=kp(x)=k has only one real root.

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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.