1959 AMC 12 Problem 38

Attempt Problem 38 of the 1959 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 1959 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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38.

If 4x+2x=1,4x+\sqrt{2x}=1, then x:x:

is an integer

is fractional

is irrational

is imaginary

may have two different values

Answer: B
Concepts:radicalsubstitutionquadratic
Difficulty rating: 1360
Small Hint:

Set u=2x,u=\sqrt{2x}, so x=u22x=\frac{u^2}{2} and u0u\ge0

Big Hint:

Solve the resulting quadratic 2u2+u1=02u^2+u-1=0

Solution:

Let u=2x0.u=\sqrt{2x}\ge0. Since x=u22,x=\frac{u^2}{2}, the equation becomes 2u2+u=1, 2u^2+u=1, or (2u1)(u+1)=0.(2u-1)(u+1)=0. Thus u=12u=\frac{1}{2} and x=u22=18.x=\frac{u^2}{2}=\frac{1}{8}. The other quadratic root is inadmissible because u0.u\ge0. Hence xx is fractional.

Therefore, the correct answer is B.

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