2014 AIME II Problem 7

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Concepts:telescopinglogarithmparity

Difficulty rating: 2450

7.

Let f(x)=(x2+3x+2)cos(πx).f(x) = \left(x^2 + 3x + 2\right)^{\cos(\pi x)}. Find the sum of all positive integers nn for which k=1nlog10f(k)=1.\left|\sum_{k=1}^{n} \log_{10} f(k)\right| = 1.

Solution:

Since cos(πk)=(1)k\cos(\pi k) = (-1)^k and k2+3k+2=(k+1)(k+2),k^2 + 3k + 2 = (k+1)(k+2), we have f(k)=[(k+1)(k+2)](1)k.f(k) = \left[(k+1)(k+2)\right]^{(-1)^k}. The sum of the logarithms is the log of the product k=1nf(k),\prod_{k=1}^n f(k), which telescopes: consecutive factors 1(k+1)(k+2)\frac{1}{(k+1)(k+2)} and (k+2)(k+3)(k+2)(k+3) leave only boundary terms.

For even nn the product is 34(n+2)23(n+1)=n+22,\frac{3 \cdot 4 \cdots (n+2)}{2 \cdot 3 \cdots (n+1)} = \frac{n+2}{2}, and for odd nn it is 34(n+1)23(n+2)=12(n+2).\frac{3 \cdot 4 \cdots (n+1)}{2 \cdot 3 \cdots (n+2)} = \frac{1}{2(n+2)}. The absolute value of the log equals 11 exactly when the product is 1010 or 110.\frac{1}{10}.

For even n,n, n+22=10\frac{n+2}{2} = 10 gives n=18;n = 18; for odd n,n, 2(n+2)=102(n+2) = 10 gives n=3.n = 3. The requested sum is 18+3=21.18 + 3 = 21.

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