1995 AIME Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 1995 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 1995 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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13.

Let f(n)f(n) be the integer closest to n4.\sqrt[4]{n}. Find k=119951f(k).\sum_{k=1}^{1995}\frac1{f(k)}.

Answer: 400
Concepts:radicalcounting integers in a rangesum of first n squares
Difficulty rating: 1940
Small Hint:

Count the integers nn for which j12<n4<j+12j-\tfrac12<\sqrt[4]n<j+\tfrac12

Big Hint:

The number of occurrences of f(n)=jf(n)=j simplifies to 4j3+j4j^3+j

Solution:

For j1,j\geq1, the number of positive integers nn for which f(n)=jf(n)=j is (j+12)4(j12)4=4j3+j.\begin{aligned}\left(j+\frac12\right)^4&-\left(j-\frac12\right)^4\\&=4j^3+j.\end{aligned} For j=1,,6,j=1,\ldots,6, these account for j=16(4j3+j)=1785\sum_{j=1}^6(4j^3+j)=1785 values, and their contribution to the requested sum is j=164j3+jj=4j=16j2+6=370.\begin{aligned}\sum_{j=1}^6\frac{4j^3+j}{j}&=4\sum_{j=1}^6j^2+6\\&=370.\end{aligned} The remaining 19951785=2101995-1785=210 values have f(n)=7,f(n)=7, contributing 30.30. The total is 400.400.

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