1953 AMC 12 Problem 7

Attempt Problem 7 of the 1953 AMC 12 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 1953 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

7.

The fraction a2+x2−x2−a2a2+x2a2+x2 \frac{\sqrt{a^2+x^2}-\dfrac{x^2-a^2}{\sqrt{a^2+x^2}}}{a^2+x^2} reduces to:
00
2a2a2+x2\dfrac{2a^2}{a^2+x^2}
2x2(a2+x2)32\dfrac{2x^2}{(a^2+x^2)^{\frac{3}{2}}}
2a2(a2+x2)32\dfrac{2a^2}{(a^2+x^2)^{\frac{3}{2}}}
2x2a2+x2\dfrac{2x^2}{a^2+x^2}
Answer: D
Concepts:radicalscomplex fractionsalgebraic simplification
Small hint:
Combine the two terms in the numerator over a common denominator
Big hint:
The new numerator simplifies to (a2+x2)−(x2−a2)(a^2+x^2)-(x^2-a^2)
Solution:
The numerator is a2+x2−(x2−a2)a2+x2=2a2a2+x2. \begin{aligned} &\frac{a^2+x^2-(x^2-a^2)} {\sqrt{a^2+x^2}}\\ &\qquad{}=\frac{2a^2}{\sqrt{a^2+x^2}}. \end{aligned} Dividing by a2+x2a^2+x^2 gives 2a2(a2+x2)32. \frac{2a^2}{(a^2+x^2)^{\frac{3}{2}}}.
Thus, the correct answer is D.
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