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Difference between revisions of "2010 AIME II Problems/Problem 7"
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== Problem 7 ==
 
== Problem 7 ==
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Let <math>P(z)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c</math>, where a, b, and c are real. There exists a complex number <math>w</math> such that the three roots of <math>P(z)</math> are <math>w+3i</math>, <math>w+9i</math>, and <math>2w-4</math>, where <math>i^2=-1</math>. Find <math>|a+b+c|</math>.  
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<!-- don't remove the following tag, for PoTW on the Wiki front page--><onlyinclude>Let <math>P(z)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c</math>, where a, b, and c are real. There exists a complex number <math>w</math> such that the three roots of <math>P(z)</math> are <math>w+3i</math>, <math>w+9i</math>, and <math>2w-4</math>, where <math>i^2=-1</math>. Find <math>|a+b+c|</math>.<!-- don't remove the following tag, for PoTW on the Wiki front page--></onlyinclude>
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== Solution ==
 
== Solution ==
 
Set <math>w=x+yi</math>, so <math>x_1 = x+(y+3)i</math>, <math>x_2 = x+(y+9)i</math>, <math>x_3 = 2x-4+2yi</math>.
 
Set <math>w=x+yi</math>, so <math>x_1 = x+(y+3)i</math>, <math>x_2 = x+(y+9)i</math>, <math>x_3 = 2x-4+2yi</math>.

Revision as of 17:52, 27 March 2015

Problem 7

Let $P(z)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c$, where a, b, and c are real. There exists a complex number $w$ such that the three roots of $P(z)$ are $w+3i$, $w+9i$, and $2w-4$, where $i^2=-1$. Find $|a+b+c|$.

Solution

Set $w=x+yi$, so $x_1 = x+(y+3)i$, $x_2 = x+(y+9)i$, $x_3 = 2x-4+2yi$.

Since $a,b,c\in{R}$, the imaginary part of a,b,c must be 0.

Start with a, since it's the easiest one to do: $y+3+y+9+2y=0, y=-3$,

and therefore: $x_1 = x$, $x_2 = x+6i$, $x_3 = 2x-4-6i$.

Now, do the part where the imaginary part of c is 0, since it's the second easiest one to do: $x(x+6i)(2x-4-6i)$. The imaginary part is: $6x^2-24x$, which is 0, and therefore x=4, since x=0 doesn't work.

So now, $x_1 = 4, x_2 = 4+6i, x_3 = 4-6i$,

and therefore: $a=-12, b=84, c=-208$. Finally, we have $|a+b+c|=|-12+84-208|=\boxed{136}$.

See also

2010 AIME II (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 6 		Followed by
Problem 8
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions

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