2025 AIME II Problem 9

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9.

There are nn values of xx in the interval 0<x<2π0 \lt x \lt 2\pi where f(x)=sin(7πsin(5x))=0.f(x) = \sin(7\pi \cdot \sin(5x)) = 0. For tt of these nn values of x,x, the graph of y=f(x)y = f(x) is tangent to the xx-axis. Find n+t.n + t.

Answer: 149
Concepts:trigonometrycalculussystematic listing
Difficulty rating: 2920
Solution:

f(x)=0f(x) = 0 exactly when 7πsin(5x)7\pi \sin(5x) is a multiple of π,\pi, that is, sin(5x)=k7\sin(5x) = \frac{k}{7} for an integer kk with k7.|k| \le 7. As xx runs over (0,2π),(0, 2\pi), the quantity 5x5x runs over (0,10π),(0, 10\pi), five full periods. For k=0,k = 0, the solutions are 5x=π,2π,,9π:5x = \pi, 2\pi, \ldots, 9\pi: 99 values. For each of the 1212 values k=±1,,±6,k = \pm 1, \ldots, \pm 6, each period contributes 22 solutions: 1010 values each. For k=±7,k = \pm 7, we need sin(5x)=±1,\sin(5x) = \pm 1, which happens 55 times each. So n=9+120+10=139.n = 9 + 120 + 10 = 139.

The graph is tangent to the xx-axis at a zero exactly when f(x)f'(x) =35πcos(7πsin(5x))cos(5x)= 35\pi \cos(7\pi \sin(5x)) \cos(5x) =0= 0 there. At any zero, cos(7πsin(5x))=cos(kπ)\cos(7\pi \sin(5x)) = \cos(k\pi) =±10,= \pm 1 \ne 0, so tangency requires cos(5x)=0,\cos(5x) = 0, which means sin(5x)=±1:\sin(5x) = \pm 1: exactly the 1010 zeros with k=±7k = \pm 7 (there sin(5x)\sin(5x) has an extremum, so ff touches without crossing). Thus t=10t = 10 and n+t=149.n + t = 149.

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