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Algebra Difficulty 4.5 AIME Find the answer

Assume that x1,x2,,x7x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_7 are real numbers such that
x1+4x2+9x3+16x4+25x5+36x6+49x7=1,4x1+9x2+16x3+25x4+36x5+49x6+64x7=12,9x1+16x2+25x3+36x4+49x5+64x6+81x7=123.\begin{align*} x_1 + 4x_2 + 9x_3 + 16x_4 + 25x_5 + 36x_6 + 49x_7 &= 1, \\ 4x_1 + 9x_2 + 16x_3 + 25x_4 + 36x_5 + 49x_6 + 64x_7 &= 12, \\ 9x_1 + 16x_2 + 25x_3 + 36x_4 + 49x_5 + 64x_6 + 81x_7 &= 123. \end{align*}
Find the value of 16x1+25x2+36x3+49x4+64x5+81x6+100x716x_1+25x_2+36x_3+49x_4+64x_5+81x_6+100x_7.

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

Solution

Note that each given equation is of the form f(k)=k2x1+(k+1)2x2+(k+2)2x3+(k+3)2x4+(k+4)2x5+(k+5)2x6+(k+6)2x7f(k)=k^2x_1+(k+1)^2x_2+(k+2)^2x_3+(k+3)^2x_4+(k+4)^2x_5+(k+5)^2x_6+(k+6)^2x_7 for some k{1,2,3}.k\in\{1,2,3\}.
When we expand f(k)f(k) and combine like terms, we obtain a quadratic function of k:k: f(k)=ak2+bk+c,f(k)=ak^2+bk+c, where a,b,a,b, and cc are linear combinations of x1,x2,x3,x4,x5,x6,x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4,x_5,x_6, and x7.x_7.
We are given that
f(1)=42a+b+c=1,f(2)=4a+2b+c=12,f(3)=9a+3b+c=123,\begin{alignat*}{10} f(1)&=\phantom{42}a+b+c&&=1, \\ f(2)&=4a+2b+c&&=12, \\ f(3)&=9a+3b+c&&=123, \end{alignat*}
and we wish to find f(4).f(4).
We eliminate cc by subtracting the first equation from the second, then subtracting the second equation from the third:
3a+b=11,5a+b=111.\begin{align*} 3a+b&=11, \\ 5a+b&=111. \end{align*}
By either substitution or elimination, we get a=50a=50 and b=139.b=-139. Substituting these back produces c=90.c=90.
Finally, the answer is f(4)=16a+4b+c=334.f(4)=16a+4b+c=\boxed{334}.
~Azjps ~MRENTHUSIASM

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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.