Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 6.7 National olympiad Find the answer

Find three consecutive odd numbers a,b,ca,b,c such that a2+b2+c2a^2+b^2+c^2 is a four digit number with four equal digits.

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

Solution

1. Let the three consecutive odd numbers be a,b,ca, b, c. Since they are consecutive odd numbers, we can express them as:
a=b2,b=b,c=b+2 a = b - 2, \quad b = b, \quad c = b + 2
where bb is an odd number.

2. We need to find a,b,ca, b, c such that a2+b2+c2a^2 + b^2 + c^2 is a four-digit number with all four digits being the same. Therefore, we need:
a2+b2+c2=1111,2222,3333,4444,5555,6666,7777,8888, or 9999 a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = 1111, 2222, 3333, 4444, 5555, 6666, 7777, 8888, \text{ or } 9999

3. Substitute a=b2a = b - 2 and c=b+2c = b + 2 into the equation:
a2+b2+c2=(b2)2+b2+(b+2)2 a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = (b-2)^2 + b^2 + (b+2)^2

4. Expand and simplify the expression:
(b2)2+b2+(b+2)2=b24b+4+b2+b2+4b+4=3b2+8 (b-2)^2 + b^2 + (b+2)^2 = b^2 - 4b + 4 + b^2 + b^2 + 4b + 4 = 3b^2 + 8

5. We need 3b2+83b^2 + 8 to be one of the four-digit numbers with all four digits the same. Let's check each possibility:
3b2+8=1111    3b2=1103    b2=11033367.67(not an integer) 3b^2 + 8 = 1111 \implies 3b^2 = 1103 \implies b^2 = \frac{1103}{3} \approx 367.67 \quad (\text{not an integer})
3b2+8=2222    3b2=2214    b2=22143=738(not a perfect square) 3b^2 + 8 = 2222 \implies 3b^2 = 2214 \implies b^2 = \frac{2214}{3} = 738 \quad (\text{not a perfect square})
3b2+8=3333    3b2=3325    b2=332531108.33(not an integer) 3b^2 + 8 = 3333 \implies 3b^2 = 3325 \implies b^2 = \frac{3325}{3} \approx 1108.33 \quad (\text{not an integer})
3b2+8=4444    3b2=4436    b2=443631478.67(not an integer) 3b^2 + 8 = 4444 \implies 3b^2 = 4436 \implies b^2 = \frac{4436}{3} \approx 1478.67 \quad (\text{not an integer})
3b2+8=5555    3b2=5547    b2=55473=1849(perfect square) 3b^2 + 8 = 5555 \implies 3b^2 = 5547 \implies b^2 = \frac{5547}{3} = 1849 \quad (\text{perfect square})
b=1849=43 b = \sqrt{1849} = 43

6. Therefore, the three consecutive odd numbers are:
a=b2=432=41 a = b - 2 = 43 - 2 = 41
b=43 b = 43
c=b+2=43+2=45 c = b + 2 = 43 + 2 = 45

7. Verify the solution:
a2+b2+c2=412+432+452=1681+1849+2025=5555 a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = 41^2 + 43^2 + 45^2 = 1681 + 1849 + 2025 = 5555

Thus, the three consecutive odd numbers are 41,43,4541, 43, 45.

The final answer is 41,43,45\boxed{41, 43, 45}.

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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.