2020 AMC 10B Problem 9

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 9 of the 2020 AMC 10B, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2020 AMC 10B solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:Diophantine Equationcompleting the squarebounding to limit cases

Difficulty rating: 1070

9.

How many ordered pairs of integers (x,y)(x, y) satisfy the equation x2020+y2=2y?x^{2020}+y^2=2y?

11

22

33

44

infinitely many

Solution:

Move all terms to one side and complete the square: x2020+y2=2yx2020+(y1)2=1.x^{2020}+y^2=2y\quad\Longrightarrow\quad x^{2020}+(y-1)^2=1. Because (y1)20(y-1)^2\ge 0, we must have x20201x^{2020}\le 1. Since xx is an integer, x=1,0,1x=-1,0,1.

If x=±1x=\pm1, then (y1)2=0(y-1)^2=0, so y=1y=1. If x=0x=0, then (y1)2=1(y-1)^2=1, so y=0y=0 or 22. This gives 44 ordered pairs.

Thus, D is the correct answer.

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