2021 AMC 12B Spring Problem 21

Attempt Problem 21 of the 2021 AMC 12B Spring 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 2021 AMC 12B Spring solutions, or check the answer key.

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21.

Let SS be the sum of all positive real numbers xx for which x22=22x.x^{2^{\sqrt2}}=\sqrt2^{\,2^x}.

Which of the following statements is true?

S<2S\lt\sqrt2

S=2S=\sqrt2

2<S<2\sqrt2\lt S\lt 2

2S<62\le S\lt 6

S6S\ge 6

Answer: D
Concepts:logarithmbounding to limit cases
Difficulty rating: 2260
Solution:

Taking log2,\log_2, the equation becomes 22log2x=2x1.2^{\sqrt2}\log_2 x=2^{x-1}. Substituting x=2x=\sqrt2 gives 2212=221,2^{\sqrt2}\cdot\tfrac12=2^{\sqrt2-1}, which holds, so x=2x=\sqrt2 is a solution.

Let f(x)=2x122log2x.f(x)=2^{x-1}-2^{\sqrt2}\log_2 x. Then f(1)>0,f(1)\gt 0, f(2)=0,f(\sqrt2)=0, f(2)<0,f(2)\lt 0, and f(4)>0,f(4)\gt 0, so there is a second root x0x_0 between 22 and 4.4.

To prove there are no others, divide the equation by 2x2^x and consider h(x)=lnx/2xh(x)=\ln x/2^x for x>1.x\gt1. Its derivative has the sign of 1/x(ln2)(lnx),1/x-(\ln2)(\ln x), a strictly decreasing expression. Thus hh increases once and then decreases, so a horizontal line meets its graph at most twice. The two roots already found are all the solutions. Since 2<x0<4,2\lt x_0\lt4, we have 2<S=2+x0<6.2\lt S=\sqrt2+x_0\lt6.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

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