2021 AMC 12A Fall Problem 9

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 9 of the 2021 AMC 12A Fall, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2021 AMC 12A Fall solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:surface area volume logarithm

Difficulty rating: 1500

A right rectangular prism whose surface area and volume are numerically equal has edge lengths $\log_2 x, \log_3 x,$ and $\log_4 x.$ What is $x?$

$2\sqrt{6}$

$6\sqrt{6}$

$24$

$48$

$576$

Solution:

Let $a = \log_2 x,$ $b = \log_3 x,$ $c = \log_4 x.$ Surface area equals volume gives $2(ab + bc + ca) = abc.$ Dividing by $abc,$ $1 = 2\left(\frac{1}{c} + \frac{1}{a} + \frac{1}{b}\right).$

Since $\dfrac{1}{a} = \log_x 2,$ etc., the sum is $\log_x 2 + \log_x 3 + \log_x 4 = \log_x 24.$ Thus $1 = 2\log_x 24,$ so $\log_x 24 = \tfrac{1}{2},$ meaning $x^{1/2} = 24$ and $x = 576.$

Thus, the correct answer is E.

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