Let (x1,y1),…,(xk,yk) be the distinct real solutions to the equation (x2+y2)6=(x2−y2)4=(2x3−6xy2)3 Then ∑i=1k(xi+yi) can be expressed as ba, where a and b are relatively prime positive integers. Compute 100a+b.
A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.
Solution
Using polar coordinates, we can transform the problem to finding the intersections between r=cos2θ and r=2cos3θ. Drawing this out gives us a four-leaf clover and a large 3-leaf clover, which intersect at 7 points (one point being the origin). Note that since this graph is symmetric about the x axis, we are only interested in finding the x-coordinates, which is rcosθ=cos2θcosθ=2cos3θ−cosθ. Now note that all points of intersection satisfy cos2θ=2cos3θ⟺8cos3θ−2cos2θ−6cosθ+1=0 Now, we want to compute the sum of 2cos3θ−cosθ over all values of cosθ that satisfy the above cubic. In other words, if the solutions for cosθ to the above cubic are a,b, and c, we want 2∑cyc 2a3−a, since each value for cosθ generates two solutions (symmetric about the x-axis). This is cyc∑4a3−2a=cyc∑a2+a−21 where we have used the fact that a3=a2+3a−21. By Vieta's formulas, a+b+c=41, while a2+b2+c2=(41)2+2⋅43=1625 Thus the final answer is 165.
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