Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 205 of 400 #1285 of 2444

Problem 1285

AIME late
Algebra Difficulty 5.3 Prove it Ukrainian National Mathematical Olympiad - Third Round (Second Tour) · Ukraine

Numbers x1,x2,,x2015x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_{2015} fulfill both equalities simultaneously:

x12014+x22014++x20152014=1x_1^{2014} + x_2^{2014} + \ldots + x_{2015}^{2014} = 1 and x12015+x22015++x20152015=1x_1^{2015} + x_2^{2015} + \ldots + x_{2015}^{2015} = -1.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

Next problem →

Official solution

From the first equation 1xi1-1 \le x_i \le 1, i=1,,2015i = 1, \ldots, 2015, so for all ii: 01+xi20 \le 1 + x_i \le 2. Add both equations and get
x12014(1+x1)+x22014(1+x2)++x20152014(1+x2015)=0. x_1^{2014}(1+x_1) + x_2^{2014}(1+x_2) + \ldots + x_{2015}^{2014}(1+x_{2015}) = 0.
Since every item xi2014(1+xi)0x_i^{2014}(1+x_i) \ge 0, then their sum equals zero if and only if every item equals zero. So all xi{1,0}x_i \in \{-1, 0\}. From the first equation follows that exactly one variable is not null, from the second equation follows that this variable equals 1-1. Thus, the equation is satisfied only by such set of numbers: xi=1x_i = -1, i=1,,2015i = 1, \ldots, 2015, xj=0x_j = 0, jij \ne i.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.