1991 AIME Problem 7

Attempt Problem 7 of the 1991 AIME below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1991 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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7.

Find A2,A^2, where AA is the sum of the absolute values of all roots of the following equation:

x=19+9119+9119+9119+9119+91x.x=\sqrt{19}+\cfrac{91}{\sqrt{19}+\cfrac{91}{\sqrt{19}+\cfrac{91}{\sqrt{19}+\cfrac{91}{\sqrt{19}+\cfrac{91}{x}}}}}.

Answer: 383
Concepts:continued fractionfunctionquadratic
Difficulty rating: 2720
Small Hint:

Define f(t)=19+91tf(t)=\sqrt{19}+\frac{91}{t}; the equation says that ff applied five times returns xx

Big Hint:

Use the two fixed points of ff and track the ratio f(t)αf(t)β\frac{f(t)-\alpha}{f(t)-\beta}

Solution:

Let f(t)=19+91t,f(t)=\sqrt{19}+\frac{91}{t}, and let α>0>β\alpha>0>\beta be its fixed points. They satisfy t219t91=0.t^2-\sqrt{19}\,t-91=0. A direct subtraction using 91=α(α19)=β(β19)91=\alpha(\alpha-\sqrt{19})=\beta(\beta-\sqrt{19}) gives f(t)αf(t)β=βαtαtβ.\frac{f(t)-\alpha}{f(t)-\beta}=\frac{\beta}{\alpha}\,\frac{t-\alpha}{t-\beta}. The given equation is f5(x)=x.f^5(x)=x. If xx were neither α\alpha nor β,\beta, iterating the displayed ratio five times would force (βα)5=1,(\frac{\beta}{\alpha})^5=1, which is impossible because βα<0.\frac{\beta}{\alpha}<0. Thus the only roots are α\alpha and β.\beta.

Their absolute values sum to αβ,\alpha-\beta, the difference of the roots of the quadratic. Hence A=(19)2+4(91)=383,A=\sqrt{(\sqrt{19})^2+4(91)}=\sqrt{383}, so A2=383.A^2=383.

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