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Difference between revisions of "1994 AHSME Problems/Problem 12"

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--Solution by [http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=200685 TheMaskedMagician]
 
--Solution by [http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=200685 TheMaskedMagician]
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==See Also==
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{{AHSME box|year=1994|num-b=11|num-a=13}}
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{{MAA Notice}}

Latest revision as of 16:34, 9 January 2021

Problem

If $i^2=-1$, then $(i-i^{-1})^{-1}=$

$\textbf{(A)}\ 0 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ -2i \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 2i \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ -\frac{i}{2} \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \frac{i}{2}$

Solution

We simplify step by step as follows: \begin{align*}(i-i^{-1})^{-1}&=\frac{1}{i-i^{-1}}\\&=\frac{1}{i-\frac{1}{i}}\\&=\frac{1}{\left(\frac{i^2-1}{i}\right)}\\&=\frac{i}{i^2-1}\\&=\boxed{\textbf{(D) }-\frac{i}{2}.}\end{align*}

--Solution by TheMaskedMagician

See Also

1994 AHSME (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 11 		Followed by
Problem 13
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
All AHSME Problems and Solutions

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