2021 AMC 10A Fall Problem 14

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Concepts:absolute valuesystem of equationscasework

Difficulty rating: 1540

14.

How many ordered pairs (x,y)(x,y) of real numbers satisfy the following system of equations? x2+3y=9(x+y4)2=1\begin{align*} x^2+3y&=9 \\ (|x|+|y|-4)^2 &= 1 \end{align*}

11

22

33

55

77

Solution:

The second equation gives x+y4=±1|x|+|y|-4=\pm1, so x+y=3|x|+|y|=3 or x+y=5|x|+|y|=5. Also the first equation gives y=3x23y=3-\frac{x^2}{3}.

If x+y=3|x|+|y|=3 and y0y\ge0, then x+y=3|x|+y=3. For x0x\ge0, this gives x+3x23=3x+3-\frac{x^2}{3}=3, so x=0,3x=0,3. For x0x\le0, it gives x+3x23=3-x+3-\frac{x^2}{3}=3, so x=0,3x=0,-3. These give 33 distinct points.

If x+y=3|x|+|y|=3 and y<0y\lt0, then xy=3|x|-y=3. For x0x\ge0, x3+x23=3x-3+\frac{x^2}{3}=3, so x=3x=3, which has y=0y=0, not y<0y\lt0. The case x0x\le0 similarly only gives x=3x=-3, also already counted.

If x+y=5|x|+|y|=5 and y0y\ge0, then x+3x23=5|x|+3-\frac{x^2}{3}=5, which has no real solution in the required sign ranges. If y<0y\lt0, then x3+x23=5|x|-3+\frac{x^2}{3}=5. This gives x=4x=4 for x0x\ge0 and x=4x=-4 for x0x\le0, producing 22 more points.

The total number of ordered pairs is 3+2=53+2=5.

Thus, D is the correct answer.

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