2022 AIME II Problem 6

Attempt Problem 6 of the 2022 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 2022 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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6.

Let x1≤x2≤⋯≤x100x_1 \le x_2 \le \cdots \le x_{100} be real numbers such that ∣x1∣+∣x2∣+⋯+∣x100∣=1|x_1| + |x_2| + \cdots + |x_{100}| = 1 and x1+x2+⋯+x100=0.x_1 + x_2 + \cdots + x_{100} = 0. Among all such 100100-tuples of numbers, the greatest value that x76−x16x_{76} - x_{16} can achieve is mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 841
Concepts:inequalityabsolute valueoptimization
Difficulty rating: 2600
Small Hint:

The two conditions force the positive terms to sum to 12\frac{1}{2} and the negative terms to sum to −12-\frac{1}{2}

Big Hint:

If x16x_{16} were below −132,-\frac{1}{32}, the first 1616 terms alone would sum below −12;-\frac{1}{2}; bound x76x_{76} the same way using the last 2525 terms

Solution:

Since the terms sum to 00 while their absolute values sum to 1,1, the positive terms sum to 12\frac{1}{2} and the negative terms sum to −12.-\frac{1}{2}. If x16<−132,x_{16} \lt -\frac{1}{32}, then x1,…,x16x_1, \ldots, x_{16} are all less than −132-\frac{1}{32} and would sum below −12,-\frac{1}{2}, a contradiction; hence x16≥−132.x_{16} \ge -\frac{1}{32}. Similarly, if x76>150x_{76} \gt \frac{1}{50} then x76,…,x100x_{76}, \ldots, x_{100} are 2525 terms each exceeding 150,\frac{1}{50}, summing above 12;\frac{1}{2}; hence x76≤150.x_{76} \le \frac{1}{50}.

Therefore x76−x16≤150+132x_{76} - x_{16} \le \frac{1}{50} + \frac{1}{32} =16+25800= \frac{16 + 25}{800} =41800,= \frac{41}{800}, and this is achieved by taking x1=⋯=x16=−132,x_1 = \cdots = x_{16} = -\frac{1}{32}, x17=⋯=x75=0,x_{17} = \cdots = x_{75} = 0, and x76=⋯=x100=150.x_{76} = \cdots = x_{100} = \frac{1}{50}.

Since gcd⁡(41,800)=1,\gcd(41, 800) = 1, the answer is 41+800=841.41 + 800 = 841.

Problem 5#5
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