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Difference between revisions of "2014 AIME II Problems/Problem 5"

m (→‎Solution: ax, not a * x)
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Substitution into (*) should give <math>r = -5</math> and <math>r = 1</math>, corresponding to <math>s = -6</math> and <math>s = 9</math>, and <math>|b| = 330, 90</math>, for an answer of <math>\boxed{420}</math>.
 
Substitution into (*) should give <math>r = -5</math> and <math>r = 1</math>, corresponding to <math>s = -6</math> and <math>s = 9</math>, and <math>|b| = 330, 90</math>, for an answer of <math>\boxed{420}</math>.
  
 +
==Solution 2==
 +
As above, we know from Vieta's that the roots of <math>p(x)</math> are <math>r</math>, <math>s</math>, and <math>-r-s</math>. Similarly, the roots of <math>q(x)</math> are <math>r + 4</math>, <math>s - 3</math>, and <math>-r-s-1</math>. Then <math>rs+r(-r-s)+s(-r-s) = rs-(r+s)^2 = a</math> and <math>rs(-r-s) = -b</math> from <math>p(x)</math> and <math>(r+4)(s-3)+(r+4)(-r-s-1)+(s-3)(-r-s-1) = (r+4)(s-3)-(r+s+1)^2 = a</math> and <math>(r+4)(s-3)(-r-s-1)=b</math> from <math>q(x)</math>.
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
{{AIME box|year=2014|n=II|num-b=4|num-a=6}}
 
{{AIME box|year=2014|n=II|num-b=4|num-a=6}}

Revision as of 19:24, 12 March 2016

Problem 5

Real numbers $r$ and $s$ are roots of $p(x)=x^3+ax+b$, and $r+4$ and $s-3$ are roots of $q(x)=x^3+ax+b+240$. Find the sum of all possible values of $|b|$.

Solution

Let $r$, $s$, and $-r-s$ be the roots of $p(x)$ (per Vieta's). Then $r^3 + ar + b = 0$ and similarly for $s$. Also, \[q(r+4) = (r+4)^3 + a(r+4) + b + 240 = 12r^2 + 48r + 304 + 4a = 0\]

Set up a similar equation for $s$:

\[q(s-3) = (s-3)^3 + a(s-3) + b + 240 = -9s^2 + 27s + 213 - 3a = 0.\]

Simplifying and adding the equations gives \[3r^2 - 3s^2 + 12r + 9s + 147 = 0\]

\[r^2 - s^2 + 4r + 3s + 49 = 0 (*)\]

Now, let's deal with the $ax$ terms. Plugging the roots $r$, $s$, and $-r-s$ into $p(x)$ yields a long polynomial, and plugging the roots $r+4$, $s-3$, and $-1-r-s$ into $q(x)$ yields another long polynomial. Equating the coefficients of x in both polynomials: \[rs + (-r-s)(r+s) = (r+4)(s-3) + (-r-s-1)(r+s+1),\] which eventually simplifies to

\[s = \frac{13 + 5r}{2}.\]

Substitution into (*) should give $r = -5$ and $r = 1$, corresponding to $s = -6$ and $s = 9$, and $|b| = 330, 90$, for an answer of $\boxed{420}$.

Solution 2

As above, we know from Vieta's that the roots of $p(x)$ are $r$, $s$, and $-r-s$. Similarly, the roots of $q(x)$ are $r + 4$, $s - 3$, and $-r-s-1$. Then $rs+r(-r-s)+s(-r-s) = rs-(r+s)^2 = a$ and $rs(-r-s) = -b$ from $p(x)$ and $(r+4)(s-3)+(r+4)(-r-s-1)+(s-3)(-r-s-1) = (r+4)(s-3)-(r+s+1)^2 = a$ and $(r+4)(s-3)(-r-s-1)=b$ from $q(x)$.

See also

2014 AIME II (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 4 		Followed by
Problem 6
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All AIME Problems and Solutions

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