2021 AIME II Problem 7

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Concepts:system of equationssymmetry (algebra)factoring

Difficulty rating: 2650

7.

Let a,b,c,a, b, c, and dd be real numbers that satisfy the system of equations a+b=3,ab+bc+ca=4,a + b = -3, \qquad ab + bc + ca = -4, abc+bcd+cda+dab=14,abcd=30.abc + bcd + cda + dab = 14, \qquad abcd = 30. There exist relatively prime positive integers mm and nn such that a2+b2+c2+d2=mn.a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 = \frac{m}{n}. Find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

Since a+b=3,a + b = -3, the second equation reads ab+c(a+b)=ab3c=4,ab + c(a + b) = ab - 3c = -4, so ab=3c4.ab = 3c - 4. Grouping the third equation as ab(c+d)+cd(a+b)=14ab(c + d) + cd(a + b) = 14 gives (3c4)(c+d)3cd=14,(3c - 4)(c + d) - 3cd = 14, which simplifies to 3c24c4d=14,3c^2 - 4c - 4d = 14, so d=3c24c144.d = \frac{3c^2 - 4c - 14}{4}. The fourth equation becomes (3c4)cd=30.(3c - 4)\,cd = 30.

Substituting for dd yields c(3c4)(3c24c14)=120,c(3c - 4)(3c^2 - 4c - 14) = 120, i.e. 9c424c326c2+56c120=(c+2)(3c10)(3c24c+6)=0.9c^4 - 24c^3 - 26c^2 + 56c - 120 = (c + 2)(3c - 10)(3c^2 - 4c + 6) = 0. The quadratic factor has negative discriminant, so c=2c = -2 or c=103.c = \frac{10}{3}. If c=103,c = \frac{10}{3}, then ab=6ab = 6 with a+b=3,a + b = -3, impossible for real a,ba, b since 924<0.9 - 24 \lt 0. So c=2,c = -2, giving ab=10ab = -10 and d=12+8144=32.d = \frac{12 + 8 - 14}{4} = \frac{3}{2}.

Then a2+b2=(a+b)22ab=9+20=29a^2 + b^2 = (a + b)^2 - 2ab = 9 + 20 = 29 and c2+d2=4+94=254,c^2 + d^2 = 4 + \frac{9}{4} = \frac{25}{4}, so a2+b2+c2+d2=1414a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 = \frac{141}{4} and m+n=141+4=145.m + n = 141 + 4 = 145.

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