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Algebra Difficulty 4.8 AIME Find the answer

Find the total number of solutions to the equation (ab)(a+b)+(ab)(c)=(ab)(a+b+c)=2012(a-b)(a+b)+(a-b)(c)=(a-b)(a+b+c)=2012 where a,b,ca, b, c are positive integers.

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

Solution

We write this as (ab)(a+b)+(ab)(c)=(ab)(a+b+c)=2012(a-b)(a+b)+(a-b)(c)=(a-b)(a+b+c)=2012. Since a,b,ca, b, c are positive integers, ab<a+b+ca-b<a+b+c. So, we have three possibilities: ab=1a-b=1 and a+b+c=2012a+b+c=2012, ab=2a-b=2 and a+b+c=1006a+b+c=1006, and ab=4a-b=4 and a+b+c=503a+b+c=503. The first solution gives a=b+1a=b+1 and c=20112bc=2011-2b, so bb can range from 1 through 1005, which determines aa and cc completely. Similarly, the second solution gives a=b+2a=b+2 and c=10042bc=1004-2b, so bb can range from 1 through 501. Finally, the third solution gives a=b+4a=b+4 and c=4992bc=499-2b, so bb can range from 1 through 249. Hence, the total number of solutions is 1005+501+249=17551005+501+249=1755.

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