2010 AIME I Problem 5

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Concepts:difference of squaresbounding to limit casescounting integers in a range

Difficulty rating: 2230

5.

Positive integers a,a, b,b, c,c, and dd satisfy a>b>c>d,a \gt b \gt c \gt d, a+b+c+d=2010,a + b + c + d = 2010, and a2b2+c2d2=2010.a^2 - b^2 + c^2 - d^2 = 2010. Find the number of possible values of a.a.

Solution:

Factoring, a2b2+c2d2=(ab)(a+b)+(cd)(c+d)(a+b)+(c+d)=2010,a^2 - b^2 + c^2 - d^2 = (a-b)(a+b) + (c-d)(c+d) \ge (a+b) + (c+d) = 2010, since ab1a - b \ge 1 and cd1.c - d \ge 1. Equality holds, so ab=cd=1,a - b = c - d = 1, that is, b=a1b = a - 1 and d=c1.d = c - 1. Then 2010=a+(a1)+c+(c1)2010 = a + (a-1) + c + (c-1) gives a+c=1006.a + c = 1006.

The condition b>cb \gt c means a1>c=1006a,a - 1 \gt c = 1006 - a, so a504,a \ge 504, and d1d \ge 1 means c2,c \ge 2, so a1004.a \le 1004. Every aa in this range works, via (a,b,c,d)=(a,a1,1006a,1005a).(a, b, c, d) = (a,\, a-1,\, 1006-a,\, 1005-a).

The count is 1004504+1=501.1004 - 504 + 1 = 501.

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