2007 AMC 12B Problem 24

Attempt Problem 24 of the 2007 AMC 12B 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 2007 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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

24.

How many pairs of positive integers (a,b)(a,b) are there such that gcd⁡(a,b)=1\gcd(a,b)=1 and ab+14b9a\dfrac{a}{b}+\dfrac{14b}{9a} is an integer?
44
66
99
1212
infinitely many
Answer: A
Concepts:divisibilitygreatest common divisorcasework
Small hint:
Clearing bb shows 14b29a\dfrac{14b^2}{9a} is an integer, and since gcd⁡(a,b)=1,\gcd(a,b)=1, 1414 is divisible by aa
Big hint:
Similarly 99 is divisible by b,b, so a∈{1,2,7,14}a\in\{1,2,7,14\} and b∈{1,3,9};b\in\{1,3,9\}; test the coprime pairs
Solution:
Let kk be the integer value of the original expression. Multiplying by bb and subtracting aa gives 14b29a=bk−a,\dfrac{14b^2}{9a}=bk-a, an integer. Since gcd⁡(a,b)=1,\gcd(a,b)=1, it follows that 1414 is divisible by a.a. Multiplying instead by 9a9a and subtracting 14b14b gives 9a2b=9ak−14b,\dfrac{9a^2}{b}=9ak-14b, so 99 is divisible by b.b.
Thus a∈{1,2,7,14}a\in\{1,2,7,14\} and b∈{1,3,9}.b\in\{1,3,9\}. Checking the coprime candidates, the expression is an integer only for (a,b)=(1,3),(a,b)=(1,3), (2,3),(2,3), (7,3),(7,3), (14,3).(14,3).
So there are 44 such pairs.
Thus, the correct answer is A.
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