2005 AIME I Problem 8

Attempt Problem 8 of the 2005 AIME I 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 2005 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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8.

The equation 2333x2+2111x+2=2222x+1+12^{333x-2} + 2^{111x+2} = 2^{222x+1} + 1 has three real roots. Given that their sum is mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers, find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 113
Concepts:exponentsubstitutionVieta’s Formulaslogarithm
Difficulty rating: 2500
Solution:

Let y=2111x.y = 2^{111x}. Then 2333x2=y34,2^{333x-2} = \frac{y^3}{4}, 2111x+2=4y,2^{111x+2} = 4y, and 2222x+1=2y2,2^{222x+1} = 2y^2, so the equation becomes y34+4y=2y2+1,\frac{y^3}{4} + 4y = 2y^2 + 1, that is, y38y2+16y4=0.y^3 - 8y^2 + 16y - 4 = 0. Since the three roots x1,x2,x3x_1, x_2, x_3 are real and y=2111xy = 2^{111x} is strictly increasing, they correspond to three positive real roots y1,y2,y3y_1, y_2, y_3 of the cubic.

Each xi=1111log2yi,x_i = \frac{1}{111}\log_2 y_i, so x1+x2+x3=1111log2(y1y2y3)=1111log24=2111, \begin{aligned} x_1 + x_2 + x_3 &= \frac{1}{111}\log_2(y_1 y_2 y_3) \\ &= \frac{1}{111}\log_2 4 \\ &= \frac{2}{111}, \end{aligned} using Vieta's formulas for the product of the roots. Then m+n=2+111=113.m + n = 2 + 111 = 113.

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