1991 AIME Problem 8

Attempt Problem 8 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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8.

For how many real numbers aa does the quadratic equation x2+ax+6a=0x^2+ax+6a=0 have only integer roots for x?x?

Answer: 10
Concepts:Diophantine EquationVieta’s Formulasfactoring
Difficulty rating: 1860
Small Hint:

Let the two integer roots be rr and ss, and eliminate aa using Vieta’s formulas

Big Hint:

Complete a product after obtaining rs=6(r+s)rs=-6(r+s)

Solution:

Let the integer roots be rr and s.s. Vieta’s formulas give r+s=ar+s=-a and rs=6a,rs=6a, so rs=6(r+s).rs=-6(r+s). Therefore (r+6)(s+6)=36.(r+6)(s+6)=36. Conversely, every ordered integer factorization uv=36uv=36 gives integer roots r=u6,r=u-6, s=v6,s=v-6, and a=12uv.a=12-u-v. Unordered positive factor pairs of 3636 have sums 37,37, 20,20, 15,15, 13,13, 12,12, and the corresponding negative factor pairs have their negatives as sums. These ten sums are distinct, so they give 1010 distinct values of a.a.

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