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Combinatorics Difficulty 6.6 National olympiad Find the answer

Let P(x)=x23x9P(x)=x^2-3x-9. A real number xx is chosen at random from the interval 5x155\leq x \leq 15. The probability that P(x)=P(x)\lfloor \sqrt{P(x)} \rfloor = \sqrt{P(\lfloor x \rfloor )} is equal to a+b+cde\dfrac{\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}+\sqrt{c}-d}{e}, where a,b,c,da,b,c,d and ee are positive integers and none of a,b,a,b, or cc is divisible by the square of a prime. Find a+b+c+d+ea+b+c+d+e.

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

Solution

To solve the problem, we need to find the probability that P(x)=P(x)\lfloor \sqrt{P(x)} \rfloor = \sqrt{P(\lfloor x \rfloor)} for xx chosen randomly from the interval 5x155 \leq x \leq 15. We are given P(x)=x23x9P(x) = x^2 - 3x - 9.

1. Substitution and Simplification:
Let's make the substitution y=2x3y = 2x - 3. Then, we have:
P(x)=y2454 P(x) = \frac{y^2 - 45}{4}
We need to find the solutions to:
y2454=y2454 \left\lfloor \sqrt{\frac{y^2 - 45}{4}} \right\rfloor = \sqrt{\frac{\lfloor y \rfloor^2 - 45}{4}}
with the new bounds y[7,27]y \in [7, 27].

2. Perfect Square Condition:
Since the left side is an integer, y2454\frac{\lfloor y \rfloor^2 - 45}{4} must be a perfect square. Let y=a\lfloor y \rfloor = a, then:
a245=4b2    (a2b)(a+2b)=45 a^2 - 45 = 4b^2 \implies (a - 2b)(a + 2b) = 45
We need to find pairs (a2b,a+2b)(a - 2b, a + 2b) that multiply to 45. The factor pairs of 45 are (1,45),(3,15),(5,9)(1, 45), (3, 15), (5, 9).

3. **Solving for aa and bb**:
- For (a2b,a+2b)=(1,45)(a - 2b, a + 2b) = (1, 45):
a2b=1anda+2b=45 a - 2b = 1 \quad \text{and} \quad a + 2b = 45
Solving these, we get:
a=23,b=11 a = 23, \quad b = 11
- For (a2b,a+2b)=(3,15)(a - 2b, a + 2b) = (3, 15):
a2b=3anda+2b=15 a - 2b = 3 \quad \text{and} \quad a + 2b = 15
Solving these, we get:
a=9,b=3 a = 9, \quad b = 3
- For (a2b,a+2b)=(5,9)(a - 2b, a + 2b) = (5, 9):
a2b=5anda+2b=9 a - 2b = 5 \quad \text{and} \quad a + 2b = 9
Solving these, we get:
a=7,b=1 a = 7, \quad b = 1

4. Finding the Intervals:
- For a=23a = 23:
11y2454<12    23y<621 11 \leq \sqrt{\frac{y^2 - 45}{4}} < 12 \implies 23 \leq y < \sqrt{621}
- For a=9a = 9:
3y2454<4    9y<109 3 \leq \sqrt{\frac{y^2 - 45}{4}} < 4 \implies 9 \leq y < \sqrt{109}
- For a=7a = 7:
1y2454<2    7y<61 1 \leq \sqrt{\frac{y^2 - 45}{4}} < 2 \implies 7 \leq y < \sqrt{61}

5. Calculating the Total Length of Success Intervals:
The total length of the interval from which we choose yy is 277=2027 - 7 = 20. The total length of the success intervals is:
(617)+(1099)+(62123)=61+109+62139 (\sqrt{61} - 7) + (\sqrt{109} - 9) + (\sqrt{621} - 23) = \sqrt{61} + \sqrt{109} + \sqrt{621} - 39

6. Probability Calculation:
The probability is:
61+109+6213920 \frac{\sqrt{61} + \sqrt{109} + \sqrt{621} - 39}{20}

7. Identifying Constants:
Comparing with a+b+cde\frac{\sqrt{a} + \sqrt{b} + \sqrt{c} - d}{e}, we have:
a=61,b=109,c=621,d=39,e=20 a = 61, \quad b = 109, \quad c = 621, \quad d = 39, \quad e = 20

8. Summing the Constants:
a+b+c+d+e=61+109+621+39+20=850 a + b + c + d + e = 61 + 109 + 621 + 39 + 20 = 850

The final answer is 850\boxed{850}.

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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.