Difference between revisions of "2010 AMC 12B Problems/Problem 21"

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== Solution ==
 
== Solution ==
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There must be some polynomial <math>Q(x)</math> such that <math>P(x)-a=(x-1)(x-3)(x-5)(x-7)Q(x)</math>
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Then, plugging in values of <math>2,4,6,8,</math> we get
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<math>P(2)-a=(2-1)(2-3)(2-5)(2-7)Q(2) = -15Q(2) = -2a</math>
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<math>P(4)-a=(4-1)(4-3)(4-5)(4-7)Q(4) = 9Q(4) = -2a</math>
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<math>P(6)-a=(6-1)(6-3)(6-5)(6-7)Q(6) = -15Q(6) = -2a</math>
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<math>P(8)-a=(8-1)(8-3)(8-5)(8-7)Q(8) = 105Q(8) = -2a</math>
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<math>-2a=-15Q(2)=9Q(4)=-15Q(6)=105Q(8).</math>
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Thus, the least value of <math>a</math> must be the <math>lcm(15,9,15,105)</math>.
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Solving, we receive <math>315</math>, so our answer is <math> \boxed{\textbf{(B)}\ 315} </math>.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
{{AMC12 box|year=2010|num-b=20|num-a=22|ab=B}}
 
{{AMC12 box|year=2010|num-b=20|num-a=22|ab=B}}

Revision as of 21:20, 7 February 2011

Problem 21

Let $a > 0$, and let $P(x)$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients such that

$P(1) = P(3) = P(5) = P(7) = a$, and
$P(2) = P(4) = P(6) = P(8) = -a$.

What is the smallest possible value of $a$?

$\textbf{(A)}\ 105 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 315 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 945 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 7! \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 8!$

Solution

There must be some polynomial $Q(x)$ such that $P(x)-a=(x-1)(x-3)(x-5)(x-7)Q(x)$

Then, plugging in values of $2,4,6,8,$ we get

$P(2)-a=(2-1)(2-3)(2-5)(2-7)Q(2) = -15Q(2) = -2a$ $P(4)-a=(4-1)(4-3)(4-5)(4-7)Q(4) = 9Q(4) = -2a$ $P(6)-a=(6-1)(6-3)(6-5)(6-7)Q(6) = -15Q(6) = -2a$ $P(8)-a=(8-1)(8-3)(8-5)(8-7)Q(8) = 105Q(8) = -2a$

$-2a=-15Q(2)=9Q(4)=-15Q(6)=105Q(8).$ Thus, the least value of $a$ must be the $lcm(15,9,15,105)$. Solving, we receive $315$, so our answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(B)}\ 315}$.

See also

2010 AMC 12B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 20
Followed by
Problem 22
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
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions