2010 AMC 12A Problem 24

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Concepts:trigonometrysymmetrycasework

Difficulty rating: 2460

24.

Let f(x)=log10(sin(πx)sin(2πx)sin(3πx)sin(8πx)).f(x)=\log_{10}\big(\sin(\pi x)\cdot\sin(2\pi x)\cdot\sin(3\pi x)\cdots\sin(8\pi x)\big). The intersection of the domain of f(x)f(x) with the interval [0,1][0,1] is a union of nn disjoint open intervals. What is n?n?

22

1212

1818

2222

3636

Solution:

Let g(x)=k=18sin(kπx);g(x)=\prod_{k=1}^8\sin(k\pi x); the domain of ff is where g(x)>0.g(x)\gt0. Since sin(kπ(1x))=(1)k+1sin(kπx)\sin(k\pi(1-x))=(-1)^{k+1}\sin(k\pi x) and k=18(k+1)\sum_{k=1}^8(k+1) is even, g(1x)=g(x),g(1-x)=g(x), so it suffices to study (0,12)\big(0,\tfrac12\big) and double.

In (0,12)\big(0,\tfrac12\big) the zeros of gg are the fractions kn\tfrac{k}{n} with 2n8,2\le n\le8, 1k<n2,1\le k\lt\tfrac n2, and gcd(k,n)=1.\gcd(k,n)=1. For n=2,,8n=2,\ldots,8 there are 0,1,1,2,1,3,20,1,1,2,1,3,2 of them, totaling 10.10.

These 1010 zeros split (0,12)\big(0,\tfrac12\big) into 1111 subintervals on which gg has constant sign. Near 00 every factor is positive, so g>0g\gt0 there, and the sign flips at each zero except 14=28\tfrac14=\tfrac28 and 13=26,\tfrac13=\tfrac26, where an even number of factors vanish.

Tracking the signs, exactly 66 of the 1111 subintervals have g>0.g\gt0. By symmetry there are 66 more in (12,1),\big(\tfrac12,1\big), so n=12.n=12.

Thus, B is the correct answer.

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