2005 AIME II Problem 3

Attempt Problem 3 of the 2005 AIME II 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 II solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

3.

An infinite geometric series has sum 2005.2005. A new series, obtained by squaring each term of the original series, has sum 1010 times the sum of the original series. The common ratio of the original series is mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 802
Concepts:geometric sequencedifference of squares
Difficulty rating: 2070
Solution:

Let the original series have first term aa and ratio r,r, so a1r=2005.\frac{a}{1-r} = 2005. The squared series is geometric with first term a2a^2 and ratio r2,r^2, so a21r2=a1ra1+r=2005a1+r=102005, \begin{aligned} \frac{a^2}{1-r^2} &= \frac{a}{1-r} \cdot \frac{a}{1+r} \\ &= 2005 \cdot \frac{a}{1+r} \\ &= 10 \cdot 2005, \end{aligned} which gives a1+r=10.\frac{a}{1+r} = 10.

Dividing the two equations, 1+r1r=200510,\frac{1+r}{1-r} = \frac{2005}{10}, so 2(1+r)=401(1r),2(1+r) = 401(1-r), giving 403r=399403r = 399 and r=399403.r = \frac{399}{403}. Since 399=3719399 = 3 \cdot 7 \cdot 19 and 403=1331,403 = 13 \cdot 31, the fraction is in lowest terms, and m+n=399+403=802.m + n = 399 + 403 = 802.

← Problem 2#2
Full Exam

Problem 3 in Other Years