Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 4.6 AIME Find the answer

Determine all real numbers aa such that the inequality x2+2ax+3a2|x^{2}+2 a x+3 a| \leq 2 has exactly one solution in xx.

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

Solution

Let f(x)=x2+2ax+3af(x)=x^{2}+2 a x+3 a. Note that f(3/2)=9/4f(-3 / 2)=9 / 4, so the graph of ff is a parabola that goes through (3/2,9/4)(-3 / 2,9 / 4). Then, the condition that x2+2ax+3a2|x^{2}+2 a x+3 a| \leq 2 has exactly one solution means that the parabola has exactly one point in the strip 1y1-1 \leq y \leq 1, which is possible if and only if the parabola is tangent to y=1y=1. That is, x2+2ax+3a=2x^{2}+2 a x+3 a=2 has exactly one solution. Then, the discriminant Δ=4a24(3a2)=4a212a+8\Delta=4 a^{2}-4(3 a-2)=4 a^{2}-12 a+8 must be zero. Solving the equation yields a=1,2a=1,2.

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