2020 AMC 12A Problem 25

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25.

The number a=pq,a = \dfrac{p}{q}, where pp and qq are relatively prime positive integers, has the property that the sum of all real numbers xx satisfying x{x}=ax2\lfloor x \rfloor \cdot \{x\} = a \cdot x^2 is 420,420, where x\lfloor x \rfloor denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to xx and {x}=xx\{x\} = x - \lfloor x \rfloor denotes the fractional part of x.x. What is p+q?p + q?

245245

593593

929929

13311331

13321332

Answer: C
Concepts:floor and ceiling functionsquadraticsummation
Difficulty rating: 2520
Solution:

There are no negative solutions, while x=0x=0 is always a solution. For n1n\ge1 and x[n,n+1),x\in[n,n+1), put y=x/n.y=x/n. The equation becomes ay2y+1=0.ay^2-y+1=0. Its roots must be real, so 0<a14.0\lt a\le\tfrac14.

If the two roots are αβ,\alpha\le\beta, their sum and product are both 1/a,1/a, so (α1)(β1)=1.(\alpha-1)(\beta-1)=1. Write α=1+1u,β=1+u \alpha=1+\dfrac1u,\qquad \beta=1+u with u1.u\ge1. Then a=u(u+1)2.a=\dfrac{u}{(u+1)^2}. The root x=nαx=n\alpha lies in [n,n+1)[n,n+1) exactly when n<u,n\lt u, while nβn\beta never lies there for a positive integer n.n.

The required positive total ensures u>1.u\gt1. Let NN be the largest positive integer less than u,u, so N<uN+1.N\lt u\le N+1. The sum of all solutions is therefore u+1uN(N+1)2=420. \dfrac{u+1}{u}\cdot\dfrac{N(N+1)}2=420. Because u+1u\dfrac{u+1}{u} decreases with u,u, these inequalities imply N(N+2)2420<(N+1)22, \dfrac{N(N+2)}2\le420\lt\dfrac{(N+1)^2}{2}, which forces N=28.N=28.

Substitution gives 406u+1u=420,406\cdot\dfrac{u+1}{u}=420, so u=29.u=29. Hence a=29302=29900.a=\dfrac{29}{30^2}=\dfrac{29}{900}. Indeed the positive solutions are x=30n29x=\dfrac{30n}{29} for 1n28,1\le n\le28, and their sum is 420.420. Therefore p+q=29+900=929.p+q=29+900=929.

Thus, C is the correct answer.

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