2024 AIME I Problem 2

Attempt Problem 2 of the 2024 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 2024 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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2.

There exist real numbers xx and y,y, both greater than 1,1, such that log⁡x(yx)=log⁡y(x4y)=10.\log_x\left(y^x\right) = \log_y\left(x^{4y}\right) = 10. Find xy.xy.

Answer: 25
Concepts:logarithmalgebraic manipulation
Difficulty rating: 2070
Small Hint:

Bring the exponents down: xlog⁡xy=10x \log_x y = 10 and 4ylog⁡yx=104y \log_y x = 10

Big Hint:

Multiply the two equations: since log⁡xy⋅log⁡yx=1,\log_x y \cdot \log_y x = 1, the logarithms disappear

Solution:

Pulling the exponents out of the logarithms, the conditions become xlog⁡xy=10 x \log_x y = 10 and 4ylog⁡yx=10. 4y \log_y x = 10. Multiplying these equations and using log⁡xy⋅log⁡yx=1\log_x y \cdot \log_y x = 1 gives 4xy=100,4xy = 100, so xy=25.xy = 25.

Such xx and yy do exist. Set y=25x.y = \frac{25}{x}. The continuous function xlog⁡x(25x)x\log_x(\frac{25}{x}) tends to infinity as x→1+,x \to 1^+, while at x=2x = 2 it is less than 10.10. Hence it equals 1010 for some 1<x<2,1 \lt x \lt 2, where y>1.y \gt 1.

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