2002 AIME I Problem 6

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 6 of the 2002 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2002 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:logarithmVieta’s Formulassubstitution

Difficulty rating: 2360

6.

The solutions to the system of equations log225x+log64y=4\log_{225} x + \log_{64} y = 4 logx225logy64=1\log_x 225 - \log_y 64 = 1 are (x1,y1)(x_1, y_1) and (x2,y2).(x_2, y_2). Find log30(x1y1x2y2).\log_{30}\left(x_1 y_1 x_2 y_2\right).

Solution:

Let p=log225xp = \log_{225} x and q=log64y,q = \log_{64} y, so logx225=1p\log_x 225 = \frac{1}{p} and logy64=1q.\log_y 64 = \frac{1}{q}. The system becomes p+q=4p + q = 4 and 1p1q=1.\frac{1}{p} - \frac{1}{q} = 1. Substituting q=4pq = 4 - p into the second equation and clearing denominators gives 42p=p(4p),4 - 2p = p(4 - p), that is, p26p+4=0.p^2 - 6p + 4 = 0.

The two solutions of the system correspond to the two roots of this quadratic, so by Vieta's formulas p1+p2=6,p_1 + p_2 = 6, and then q1+q2=86=2.q_1 + q_2 = 8 - 6 = 2. Hence x1y1x2y2=225p1+p264q1+q2=2256642=1512212=3012,x_1 y_1 x_2 y_2 = 225^{p_1 + p_2} \cdot 64^{q_1 + q_2} = 225^6 \cdot 64^2 = 15^{12} \cdot 2^{12} = 30^{12}, so log30(x1y1x2y2)=12.\log_{30}\left(x_1 y_1 x_2 y_2\right) = 12.

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