Join our free webinar April 22 to learn about competitive programming!

G
Topic
First Poster
Last Poster
k a April Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Apr 2, 2025
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner, what are your plans? At AoPS Online our schedule has new classes starting now through July, so be sure to keep your skills sharp and be prepared for the Fall school year! Check out the schedule of upcoming classes below.

WOOT early bird pricing is in effect, don’t miss out! If you took MathWOOT Level 2 last year, no worries, it is all new problems this year! Our Worldwide Online Olympiad Training program is for high school level competitors. AoPS designed these courses to help our top students get the deep focus they need to succeed in their specific competition goals. Check out the details at this link for all our WOOT programs in math, computer science, chemistry, and physics.

Looking for summer camps in math and language arts? Be sure to check out the video-based summer camps offered at the Virtual Campus that are 2- to 4-weeks in duration. There are middle and high school competition math camps as well as Math Beasts camps that review key topics coupled with fun explorations covering areas such as graph theory (Math Beasts Camp 6), cryptography (Math Beasts Camp 7-8), and topology (Math Beasts Camp 8-9)!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the following events:
[list][*]April 3rd (Webinar), 4pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learning with AoPS: Perspectives from a Parent, Math Camp Instructor, and University Professor
[*]April 8th (Math Jam), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MATHCOUNTS State Discussion
April 9th (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learn about Video-based Summer Camps at the Virtual Campus
[*]April 10th (Math Jam), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MathILy and MathILy-Er Math Jam: Multibackwards Numbers
[*]April 22nd (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Competitive Programming at AoPS (USACO).[/list]
Our full course list for upcoming classes is below:
All classes run 7:30pm-8:45pm ET/4:30pm - 5:45pm PT unless otherwise noted.

Introductory: Grades 5-10

Prealgebra 1 Self-Paced

Prealgebra 1
Sunday, Apr 13 - Aug 10
Tuesday, May 13 - Aug 26
Thursday, May 29 - Sep 11
Sunday, Jun 15 - Oct 12
Monday, Jun 30 - Oct 20
Wednesday, Jul 16 - Oct 29

Prealgebra 2 Self-Paced

Prealgebra 2
Sunday, Apr 13 - Aug 10
Wednesday, May 7 - Aug 20
Monday, Jun 2 - Sep 22
Sunday, Jun 29 - Oct 26
Friday, Jul 25 - Nov 21

Introduction to Algebra A Self-Paced

Introduction to Algebra A
Monday, Apr 7 - Jul 28
Sunday, May 11 - Sep 14 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Wednesday, May 14 - Aug 27
Friday, May 30 - Sep 26
Monday, Jun 2 - Sep 22
Sunday, Jun 15 - Oct 12
Thursday, Jun 26 - Oct 9
Tuesday, Jul 15 - Oct 28

Introduction to Counting & Probability Self-Paced

Introduction to Counting & Probability
Wednesday, Apr 16 - Jul 2
Thursday, May 15 - Jul 31
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Wednesday, Jul 9 - Sep 24
Sunday, Jul 27 - Oct 19

Introduction to Number Theory
Thursday, Apr 17 - Jul 3
Friday, May 9 - Aug 1
Wednesday, May 21 - Aug 6
Monday, Jun 9 - Aug 25
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14
Tuesday, Jul 15 - Sep 30

Introduction to Algebra B Self-Paced

Introduction to Algebra B
Wednesday, Apr 16 - Jul 30
Tuesday, May 6 - Aug 19
Wednesday, Jun 4 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Oct 19
Friday, Jul 18 - Nov 14

Introduction to Geometry
Wednesday, Apr 23 - Oct 1
Sunday, May 11 - Nov 9
Tuesday, May 20 - Oct 28
Monday, Jun 16 - Dec 8
Friday, Jun 20 - Jan 9
Sunday, Jun 29 - Jan 11
Monday, Jul 14 - Jan 19

Intermediate: Grades 8-12

Intermediate Algebra
Monday, Apr 21 - Oct 13
Sunday, Jun 1 - Nov 23
Tuesday, Jun 10 - Nov 18
Wednesday, Jun 25 - Dec 10
Sunday, Jul 13 - Jan 18
Thursday, Jul 24 - Jan 22

Intermediate Counting & Probability
Wednesday, May 21 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Nov 2

Intermediate Number Theory
Friday, Apr 11 - Jun 27
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Wednesday, Jun 18 - Sep 3

Precalculus
Wednesday, Apr 9 - Sep 3
Friday, May 16 - Oct 24
Sunday, Jun 1 - Nov 9
Monday, Jun 30 - Dec 8

Advanced: Grades 9-12

Olympiad Geometry
Tuesday, Jun 10 - Aug 26

Calculus
Tuesday, May 27 - Nov 11
Wednesday, Jun 25 - Dec 17

Group Theory
Thursday, Jun 12 - Sep 11

Contest Preparation: Grades 6-12

MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Basics
Wednesday, Apr 16 - Jul 2
Friday, May 23 - Aug 15
Monday, Jun 2 - Aug 18
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Advanced
Friday, Apr 11 - Jun 27
Sunday, May 11 - Aug 10
Tuesday, May 27 - Aug 12
Wednesday, Jun 11 - Aug 27
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

AMC 10 Problem Series
Friday, May 9 - Aug 1
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Tuesday, Jun 17 - Sep 2
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Monday, Jun 23 - Sep 15
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

AMC 10 Final Fives
Sunday, May 11 - Jun 8
Tuesday, May 27 - Jun 17
Monday, Jun 30 - Jul 21

AMC 12 Problem Series
Tuesday, May 27 - Aug 12
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Wednesday, Aug 6 - Oct 22

AMC 12 Final Fives
Sunday, May 18 - Jun 15

F=ma Problem Series
Wednesday, Jun 11 - Aug 27

WOOT Programs
Visit the pages linked for full schedule details for each of these programs!


MathWOOT Level 1
MathWOOT Level 2
ChemWOOT
CodeWOOT
PhysicsWOOT

Programming

Introduction to Programming with Python
Thursday, May 22 - Aug 7
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Tuesday, Jun 17 - Sep 2
Monday, Jun 30 - Sep 22

Intermediate Programming with Python
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Monday, Jun 30 - Sep 22

USACO Bronze Problem Series
Tuesday, May 13 - Jul 29
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 1

Physics

Introduction to Physics
Wednesday, May 21 - Aug 6
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14
Monday, Jun 23 - Sep 15

Physics 1: Mechanics
Thursday, May 22 - Oct 30
Monday, Jun 23 - Dec 15

Relativity
Sat & Sun, Apr 26 - Apr 27 (4:00 - 7:00 pm ET/1:00 - 4:00pm PT)
Mon, Tue, Wed & Thurs, Jun 23 - Jun 26 (meets every day of the week!)
0 replies
jlacosta
Apr 2, 2025
0 replies
k i Adding contests to the Contest Collections
dcouchman   1
N Apr 5, 2023 by v_Enhance
Want to help AoPS remain a valuable Olympiad resource? Help us add contests to AoPS's Contest Collections.

Find instructions and a list of contests to add here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c40244h1064480_contests_to_add
1 reply
dcouchman
Sep 9, 2019
v_Enhance
Apr 5, 2023
k i Zero tolerance
ZetaX   49
N May 4, 2019 by NoDealsHere
Source: Use your common sense! (enough is enough)
Some users don't want to learn, some other simply ignore advises.
But please follow the following guideline:


To make it short: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!
If you don't have common sense, don't post.


More specifically:

For new threads:


a) Good, meaningful title:
The title has to say what the problem is about in best way possible.
If that title occured already, it's definitely bad. And contest names aren't good either.
That's in fact a requirement for being able to search old problems.

Examples:
Bad titles:
- "Hard"/"Medium"/"Easy" (if you find it so cool how hard/easy it is, tell it in the post and use a title that tells us the problem)
- "Number Theory" (hey guy, guess why this forum's named that way¿ and is it the only such problem on earth¿)
- "Fibonacci" (there are millions of Fibonacci problems out there, all posted and named the same...)
- "Chinese TST 2003" (does this say anything about the problem¿)
Good titles:
- "On divisors of a³+2b³+4c³-6abc"
- "Number of solutions to x²+y²=6z²"
- "Fibonacci numbers are never squares"


b) Use search function:
Before posting a "new" problem spend at least two, better five, minutes to look if this problem was posted before. If it was, don't repost it. If you have anything important to say on topic, post it in one of the older threads.
If the thread is locked cause of this, use search function.

Update (by Amir Hossein). The best way to search for two keywords in AoPS is to input
[code]+"first keyword" +"second keyword"[/code]
so that any post containing both strings "first word" and "second form".


c) Good problem statement:
Some recent really bad post was:
[quote]$lim_{n\to 1}^{+\infty}\frac{1}{n}-lnn$[/quote]
It contains no question and no answer.
If you do this, too, you are on the best way to get your thread deleted. Write everything clearly, define where your variables come from (and define the "natural" numbers if used). Additionally read your post at least twice before submitting. After you sent it, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.


For answers to already existing threads:


d) Of any interest and with content:
Don't post things that are more trivial than completely obvious. For example, if the question is to solve $x^{3}+y^{3}=z^{3}$, do not answer with "$x=y=z=0$ is a solution" only. Either you post any kind of proof or at least something unexpected (like "$x=1337, y=481, z=42$ is the smallest solution). Someone that does not see that $x=y=z=0$ is a solution of the above without your post is completely wrong here, this is an IMO-level forum.
Similar, posting "I have solved this problem" but not posting anything else is not welcome; it even looks that you just want to show off what a genius you are.

e) Well written and checked answers:
Like c) for new threads, check your solutions at least twice for mistakes. And after sending, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.



To repeat it: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!


Everything definitely out of range of common sense will be locked or deleted (exept for new users having less than about 42 posts, they are newbies and need/get some time to learn).

The above rules will be applied from next monday (5. march of 2007).
Feel free to discuss on this here.
49 replies
ZetaX
Feb 27, 2007
NoDealsHere
May 4, 2019
2025 MATHCOUNTS State Hub
SirAppel   587
N 2 minutes ago by ethan2011
Previous Years' "Hubs": (2022) (2023) (2024)Please Read

Now that it's April and we're allowed to discuss ...
[list=disc]
[*] CA: 43 (45 44 43 43 43 42 42 41 41 41)
[*] NJ: 43 (45 44 44 43 39 42 40 40 39 38) *
[*] NY: 42 (43 42 42 42 41 40)
[*] TX: 42 (43 43 43 42 42 40 40 38 38 38)
[*] MA: 41 (45 43 42 41)
[*] WA: 41 (41 45 42 41 41 41 41 41 41 40) *
[*]VA: 40 (41 40 40 40)
[*] FL: 39 (42 41 40 39 38 37 37)
[*] IN: 39 (41 40 40 39 36 35 35 35 34 34)
[*] NC: 39 (42 42 41 39)
[*] IL: 38 (41 40 39 38 38 38)
[*] OR: 38 (44 39 38 38)
[*] PA: 38 (41 40 40 38 38 37 36 36 34 34) *
[*] MD: 37 (43 39 39 37 37 37)
[*] AZ: 36 (40? 39? 39 36)
[*] CT: 36 (44 38 38 36 35 35 34 34 34 33 33)
[*] MI: 36 (39 41 41 36 37 37 36 36 36 36) *
[*] MN: 36 (40 36 36 36 35 35 35 34)
[*] CO: 35 (41 37 37 35 35 35 ?? 31 31 30) *
[*] GA: 35 (38 37 36 35 34 34 34 34 34 33)
[*] OH: 35 (41 37 36 35)
[*] AR: 34 (46 45 35 34 33 31 31 31 29 29)
[*] NV: 34 (41 38 ?? 34)
[*] TN: 34 (38 ?? ?? 34)
[*] WI: 34 (40 37 37 34 35 30 28 29 29 29) *
[*] HI: 32 (35 34 32 32)
[*] NH: 31 (42 35 33 31 30)
[*] DE: 30 (34 33 32 30 30 29 28 27 26? 24)
[*] SC: 30 (33 33 31 30)
[*] IA: 29 (33 30 31 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29) *
[*] NE: 28 (34 30 28 28 27 27 26 26 25 25)
[*] SD: 22 (30 29 24 22 22 22 21 21 20 20)
[/list]
Cutoffs Unknown

* means that CDR is official in that state.

Notes

For those asking about the removal of the tiers, I'd like to quote Jason himself:
[quote=peace09]
learn from my mistakes
[/quote]

Help contribute by sharing your state's cutoffs!
587 replies
SirAppel
Apr 1, 2025
ethan2011
2 minutes ago
Website to learn math
hawa   36
N 33 minutes ago by EthanNg6
Hi, I'm kinda curious what website do yall use to learn math, like i dont find any website thats fun to learn math
36 replies
hawa
Apr 9, 2025
EthanNg6
33 minutes ago
Camp Conway acceptance
fossasor   18
N 35 minutes ago by EthanNg6
Hello! I've just been accepted into Camp Conway, but I'm not sure how popular this camp actually is, given that it's new. Has anyone else applied/has been accepted/is going? (I'm trying to figure out to what degree this acceptance was just lack of qualified applicants, so I can better predict my chances of getting into my preferred math camp.)
18 replies
fossasor
Feb 20, 2025
EthanNg6
35 minutes ago
1234th Post!
PikaPika999   128
N an hour ago by iwastedmyusername
I hit my 1234th post! (I think I missed it, I'm kinda late, :oops_sign:)

But here's a puzzle for you all! Try to create the numbers 1 through 25 using the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4! You are only allowed to use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and parenthesis. If you're post #1, try to make 1. If you're post #2, try to make 2. If you're post #3, try to make 3, and so on. If you're a post after 25, then I guess you can try to make numbers greater than 25 but you can use factorials, square roots, and that stuff. Have fun!

1: $(4-3)\cdot(2-1)$
128 replies
PikaPika999
5 hours ago
iwastedmyusername
an hour ago
Another System
worthawholebean   3
N 2 hours ago by P162008
Source: HMMT 2008 Guts Problem 33
Let $ a$, $ b$, $ c$ be nonzero real numbers such that $ a+b+c=0$ and $ a^3+b^3+c^3=a^5+b^5+c^5$. Find the value of
$ a^2+b^2+c^2$.
3 replies
worthawholebean
May 13, 2008
P162008
2 hours ago
Inequality with three conditions
oVlad   2
N 2 hours ago by Quantum-Phantom
Source: Romania EGMO TST 2019 Day 1 P3
Let $a,b,c$ be non-negative real numbers such that \[b+c\leqslant a+1,\quad c+a\leqslant b+1,\quad a+b\leqslant c+1.\]Prove that $a^2+b^2+c^2\leqslant 2abc+1.$
2 replies
oVlad
Yesterday at 1:48 PM
Quantum-Phantom
2 hours ago
GCD Functional Equation
pinetree1   61
N 2 hours ago by ihategeo_1969
Source: USA TSTST 2019 Problem 7
Let $f: \mathbb Z\to \{1, 2, \dots, 10^{100}\}$ be a function satisfying
$$\gcd(f(x), f(y)) = \gcd(f(x), x-y)$$for all integers $x$ and $y$. Show that there exist positive integers $m$ and $n$ such that $f(x) = \gcd(m+x, n)$ for all integers $x$.

Ankan Bhattacharya
61 replies
pinetree1
Jun 25, 2019
ihategeo_1969
2 hours ago
An easy FE
oVlad   3
N 3 hours ago by jasperE3
Source: Romania EGMO TST 2017 Day 1 P3
Determine all functions $f:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R$ such that \[f(xy-1)+f(x)f(y)=2xy-1,\]for any real numbers $x{}$ and $y{}.$
3 replies
1 viewing
oVlad
Yesterday at 1:36 PM
jasperE3
3 hours ago
Interesting F.E
Jackson0423   12
N 3 hours ago by jasperE3
Show that there does not exist a function
\[
f : \mathbb{R}^+ \to \mathbb{R}
\]satisfying the condition that for all \( x, y \in \mathbb{R}^+ \),
\[
f(x + y^2) \geq f(x) + y.
\]

~Korea 2017 P7
12 replies
Jackson0423
Apr 18, 2025
jasperE3
3 hours ago
p^3 divides (a + b)^p - a^p - b^p
62861   49
N 3 hours ago by Ilikeminecraft
Source: USA January TST for IMO 2017, Problem 3
Prove that there are infinitely many triples $(a, b, p)$ of positive integers with $p$ prime, $a < p$, and $b < p$, such that $(a + b)^p - a^p - b^p$ is a multiple of $p^3$.

Noam Elkies
49 replies
62861
Feb 23, 2017
Ilikeminecraft
3 hours ago
3D geometry theorem
KAME06   0
3 hours ago
Let $M$ a point in the space and $G$ the centroid of a tetrahedron $ABCD$. Prove that:
$$\frac{1}{4}(AB^2+AC^2+AD^2+BC^2+BD^2+CD^2)+4MG^2=MA^2+MB^2+MC^2+MD^2$$
0 replies
KAME06
3 hours ago
0 replies
Funny easy transcendental geo
qwerty123456asdfgzxcvb   1
N 3 hours ago by golue3120
Let $\mathcal{S}$ be a logarithmic spiral centered at the origin (ie curve satisfying for any point $X$ on it, line $OX$ makes a fixed angle with the tangent to $\mathcal{S}$ at $X$). Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a rectangular hyperbola centered at the origin, scaled such that it is tangent to the logarithmic spiral at some point.

Prove that for a point $P$ on the spiral, the polar of $P$ wrt. $\mathcal{H}$ is tangent to the spiral.
1 reply
qwerty123456asdfgzxcvb
Yesterday at 7:23 PM
golue3120
3 hours ago
domino question
kjhgyuio   0
3 hours ago
........
0 replies
kjhgyuio
3 hours ago
0 replies
demonic monic polynomial problem
iStud   0
4 hours ago
Source: Monthly Contest KTOM April P4 Essay
(a) Let $P(x)$ be a monic polynomial so that there exists another real coefficients $Q(x)$ that satisfy
\[P(x^2-2)=P(x)Q(x)\]Determine all complex roots that are possible from $P(x)$
(b) For arbitrary polynomial $P(x)$ that satisfies (a), determine whether $P(x)$ should have real coefficients or not.
0 replies
iStud
4 hours ago
0 replies
two solutions
τρικλινο   10
N Apr 14, 2025 by Safal
in a book:CORE MATHS for A-LEVEL ON PAGE 41 i found the following


1st solution


$x^2-5x=0$



$ x(x-5)=0$



hence x=0 or x=5



2nd solution



$x^2-5x=0$

$x-5=0$ dividing by x



hence the solution x=0 has been lost



is the above correct?
10 replies
τρικλινο
Apr 12, 2025
Safal
Apr 14, 2025
two solutions
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
τρικλινο
502 posts
#1
Y by
in a book:CORE MATHS for A-LEVEL ON PAGE 41 i found the following


1st solution


$x^2-5x=0$



$ x(x-5)=0$



hence x=0 or x=5



2nd solution



$x^2-5x=0$

$x-5=0$ dividing by x



hence the solution x=0 has been lost



is the above correct?
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Safal
168 posts
#2
Y by
2nd Solution is basically wrong. Why? Here is the explanation.

$$x(x-5)=0$$Then there are two cases either $x=0$ or $x\neq 0$.When we are admitting the case $x=0$ we cannot divide by $0$. So, in the case we apply divison by $x$ then $x\neq 0$ is a solid prerequisite to do so.Thus, $x-5=0$ from $x(x-5)=0$ we must take the assumption in hand that $x\neq 0$. For example take the extension of the same problem in $\mathbb{F}_5$ then the same problem reads $$x^2=0$$,implying only one solution with optimistic repetation of root $0$, two times that is the multiplicity of $0$ in $x^2$. Thankfully, we are lucky enough that we are in the field of $\text{char}$ $0$.The reason is that, the book you mention was a book for below 10std (as far as I remember it is below 10th std) students, where prerequisite assumption is that ,we should work on field of $\text{char}$ $0$.
This post has been edited 10 times. Last edited by Safal, Apr 12, 2025, 7:52 PM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
τρικλινο
502 posts
#3
Y by
Safal wrote:
2nd Solution is basically wrong. Why? Here is the explanation.

$$x(x-5)=0$$Then there are two cases either $x=0$ or $x\neq 0$.When we are admitting the case $x=0$ we cannot divide by $0$. So, in the case we apply divison by $x$ then $x\neq 0$ is a solid prerequisite to do so.Thus, $x-5=0$ from $x(x-5)=0$ we must take the assumption in hand that $x\neq 0$. For example take the extension of the same problem in $\mathbb{F}_5$ then the same problem reads $$x^2=0$$,implying only one solution with optimistic repetation of root $0$, two times that is the multiplicity of $0$ in $x^2$. Thankfully, we are lucky enough that we are in the field of $\text{char}$ $0$.The reason is that, the book you mention was a book for below 10std (as far as I remember it is below 10th std) students, where prerequisite assumption is that ,we should work on field of $\text{char}$ $0$.

so how do we get x=0 or x=5 ,since we assumed $x\neq 0$.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
maxamc
549 posts
#4
Y by
Move this to MSM, reported
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Safal
168 posts
#5
Y by
τρικλινο wrote:
Safal wrote:
2nd Solution is basically wrong. Why? Here is the explanation.

$$x(x-5)=0$$Then there are two cases either $x=0$ or $x\neq 0$.When we are admitting the case $x=0$ we cannot divide by $0$. So, in the case we apply divison by $x$ then $x\neq 0$ is a solid prerequisite to do so.Thus, $x-5=0$ from $x(x-5)=0$ we must take the assumption in hand that $x\neq 0$. For example take the extension of the same problem in $\mathbb{F}_5$ then the same problem reads $$x^2=0$$,implying only one solution with optimistic repetation of root $0$, two times that is the multiplicity of $0$ in $x^2$. Thankfully, we are lucky enough that we are in the field of $\text{char}$ $0$.The reason is that, the book you mention was a book for below 10std (as far as I remember it is below 10th std) students, where prerequisite assumption is that ,we should work on field of $\text{char}$ $0$.

so how do we get x=0 or x=5 ,since we assumed $x\neq 0$.

If you read carefully I haven't said that we cannot get $x=0$.The assumption whenever $x\neq 0$ we get $x=5$ else we get the case $x=0$.I can explain you more but the fact is I cannot use argument of field theory to explain it in total details.The reason why it's actually the case lies in field theory logics.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Safal, Apr 13, 2025, 6:23 AM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
τρικλινο
502 posts
#6
Y by
what is field theory logic.
IS the logic that suports the development of field theory?
THIS post should not be moved to Middle School Math
Because in the 2nd solution we have the answer : x different than zero this implies x=5
And according to logic this is equivelant to x=0 or x=5.Hence no solution is lost as the book claims
There for it should be removed back to at least college algebra although i doupt if even there anyone knew of that solution
WEmake use of the law of propositional calculus: ¬p implies q this is equivelant to p or q
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Safal
168 posts
#7
Y by
"If you judge a fish because it cannot climb a tree , it will be foolish"-Unknown.

I am not commenting further in this post thank you.

Thanks to aops for moving it to MSM and I support it.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Safal, Apr 13, 2025, 4:51 PM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
SpeedCuber7
1814 posts
#8
Y by
@triklino dude that's an awesome username i didn't even know greek letters were allowed lol
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
sadas123
1229 posts
#9
Y by
Proof: $x^2-5x=0$ Which means that the roots of this equation have to be real so we can use an method that is lost in the darkness called factoring. We can factor out the $x$ from each of the terms on the left hand side and get $x(x-5)=0$ which with more logic we can find that the possible outcomes is that if the Parantheses are 0 or the x=0 so first we can subsitute a value of x into that to make the value 0 so we get that x=5 and we finally get the solutions of $x=5$ and $x=0$ and to wrap up our proof we can prove that factoring is the best way to go because with quadratics you would only find 2 possibiliteis or 1 depending on the plus minus. And the other thing is that if you divide by x and just solve it with algebra then you will only get the solution of 5. Thus, proving that factoring is the best method out of all of them. We can use the remainder theorem to prove this which can be done easily. $\blacksquare$
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
τρικλινο
502 posts
#10
Y by
please read the previous posts


The question here is not which is the best method to solve the problem,but if we lose a solution if we solve the problem by dividing the equation by a non zero x
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Safal
168 posts
#13
Y by
Dear Triklino , I am high yesterday I am sorry for being rude. Can you please explain your Question properly that is what the thing you exactly want to know. According to what I understand, you wanted to know why in 2nd Solution $x=0$ is lost? right. Well forget about field theory and all that, Let me explain it in layman's term what is actually happening. In second solution , the solution $x=0$ is not actually lost. The reason we are getting $x=5$ but not $x=0$ is beacuse when we are dividing by $x$ we making an assumption that $x\neq 0$ and since we are making this assumption the solution $x=0$ is lost. For example when we divide by $x-5$ the solution $x=5$ is lost why $x-5=y(say)$ and we are assuming $y\neq 0$ which is equivalent to $x\neq 5$. Now divison by zero is not possible which is not at all very easy to explain. Now $x=5$ and $x=0$ is not possible at the same time. Thus either $x=0$ or $x=5$.

Now why I am talking about field beacuse $0$ and $5$ can be same when we are in a field of $\text{char} 5$. If you are avoid knowing what is field that's perfectly fine to learn later, but just in layman's term note that $0=5$ is possible in finite fields of charecteristic $5$.

Well I like sour grapes but fox will be happy if he clear your doubt thanks.

I hope it is clear now. If it is not then text me in dm.
Z K Y
N Quick Reply
G
H
=
a