2022 AMC 12A Problem 14

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 14 of the 2022 AMC 12A, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2022 AMC 12A solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:logarithmsum and difference of cubes

Difficulty rating: 1730

14.

What is the value of

(log5)3+(log20)3+(log8)(log0.25)(\log 5)^3+(\log 20)^3+(\log 8)(\log 0.25)

where log\log denotes the base-ten logarithm?

32\dfrac32

74\dfrac74

22

94\dfrac94

33

Solution:

Let u=log2.u=\log 2. Then log5=1u,\log 5=1-u, log20=1+u,\log 20=1+u, log8=3u,\log 8=3u, and log0.25=2u.\log 0.25=-2u.

With a=1u, b=1+u,a=1-u,\ b=1+u, we have a+b=2a+b=2 and ab=1u2,ab=1-u^2, so a3+b3=(a+b)((a+b)23ab)=2(43(1u2))=2+6u2.a^3+b^3=(a+b)\big((a+b)^2-3ab\big)=2\big(4-3(1-u^2)\big)=2+6u^2.

The last term is (3u)(2u)=6u2,(3u)(-2u)=-6u^2, so the total is 2+6u26u2=2.2+6u^2-6u^2=2.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

Problem 14 in Other Years