2009 AIME II Problem 2

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Concepts:logarithmexponent

Difficulty rating: 2150

2.

Suppose that a,a, b,b, and cc are positive real numbers such that alog37=27,a^{\log_3 7} = 27, blog711=49,b^{\log_7 11} = 49, and clog1125=11.c^{\log_{11} 25} = \sqrt{11}. Find a(log37)2+b(log711)2+c(log1125)2.a^{(\log_3 7)^2} + b^{(\log_7 11)^2} + c^{(\log_{11} 25)^2}.

Solution:

By the power rule for exponents, a(log37)2=(alog37)log37=27log37=(3log37)3=73=343.a^{(\log_3 7)^2} = \left(a^{\log_3 7}\right)^{\log_3 7} = 27^{\log_3 7} = \left(3^{\log_3 7}\right)^3 = 7^3 = 343.

In the same way, b(log711)2=49log711=(7log711)2=112=121,b^{(\log_7 11)^2} = 49^{\log_7 11} = \left(7^{\log_7 11}\right)^2 = 11^2 = 121, and c(log1125)2=(11)log1125=(11log1125)1/2=251/2=5.c^{(\log_{11} 25)^2} = \left(\sqrt{11}\right)^{\log_{11} 25} = \left(11^{\log_{11} 25}\right)^{1/2} = 25^{1/2} = 5.

The sum is 343+121+5=469.343 + 121 + 5 = 469.

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