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Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Find the answer

Find the sum of all real solutions for xx to the equation (x2+2x+3)(x2+2x+3)(x2+2x+3)=2012\left(x^{2}+2 x+3\right)^{\left(x^{2}+2 x+3\right)^{\left(x^{2}+2 x+3\right)}}=2012.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

When y=x2+2x+3y=x^{2}+2 x+3, note that there is a unique real number yy such that yyy=2012y^{y^{y}}=2012 because yyyy^{y^{y}} is increasing in yy. The sum of the real distinct solutions of the equation x2+2x+3=yx^{2}+2 x+3=y is -2 by Vieta's Formulae as long as 22+4(y3)>02^{2}+4(y-3)>0, which is equivalent to y>2y>2. This is easily seen to be the case; therefore, our answer is -2.

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