2015 AIME II Problem 14

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Concepts:symmetry (algebra)substitutionfactoring

Difficulty rating: 3160

14.

Let xx and yy be real numbers satisfying x4y5+y4x5=810x^4 y^5 + y^4 x^5 = 810 and x3y6+y3x6=945.x^3 y^6 + y^3 x^6 = 945. Evaluate 2x3+(xy)3+2y3.2x^3 + (xy)^3 + 2y^3.

Solution:

The equations factor as x4y4(x+y)=810x^4y^4(x + y) = 810 and x3y3(x3+y3)=945.x^3y^3(x^3 + y^3) = 945. With s=x+ys = x + y and p=xy,p = xy, using x3+y3=s(s23p),x^3 + y^3 = s(s^2 - 3p), they become p4s=810p^4 s = 810 and p3s(s23p)=945.p^3 s\,(s^2 - 3p) = 945. Dividing, s23pp=945810=76,so6s2=25p.\frac{s^2 - 3p}{p} = \frac{945}{810} = \frac{7}{6}, \qquad \text{so} \qquad 6s^2 = 25p.

Substituting p=6s225p = \frac{6s^2}{25} into p4s=810p^4 s = 810 gives (625)4s9=810,\left(\frac{6}{25}\right)^4 s^9 = 810, so s9=8103906251296=19531258,s^9 = 810 \cdot \frac{390625}{1296} = \frac{1953125}{8}, which means s3=1252.s^3 = \frac{125}{2}. Then ps=6s325=15ps = \frac{6s^3}{25} = 15 and p3=216s6253=21615625/415625=54.p^3 = \frac{216 s^6}{25^3} = \frac{216 \cdot 15625/4}{15625} = 54.

Finally 2x3+(xy)3+2y3=2(s33ps)+p3=2(125245)+54=35+54=89.2x^3 + (xy)^3 + 2y^3 = 2(s^3 - 3ps) + p^3 = 2\left(\frac{125}{2} - 45\right) + 54 = 35 + 54 = 89.

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