Difference between revisions of "1983 AIME Problems/Problem 3"
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Instead, we substitute <math>y</math> for <math>x^2+18x+30</math> and our equation becomes <math>y=2\sqrt{y+15}</math>. | Instead, we substitute <math>y</math> for <math>x^2+18x+30</math> and our equation becomes <math>y=2\sqrt{y+15}</math>. | ||
− | Now we can square; solving for <math>y</math>, we get <math>y=10</math> or <math>y=-6</math>. The second solution is extraneous since <math>2\sqrt{y | + | Now we can square; solving for <math>y</math>, we get <math>y=10</math> or <math>y=-6</math>. The second solution is extraneous since <math>2\sqrt{y+15}</math> is positive. So, we have <math>y=10</math> as the only solution for <math>y</math>. Substituting <math>x^2+18x+30</math> back in for <math>y</math>, |
<center><math>x^2+18x+30=10 \Longrightarrow x^2+18x+20=0.</math></center> By [[Vieta's formulas]], the product of our roots is therefore <math>\boxed{020}</math>. | <center><math>x^2+18x+30=10 \Longrightarrow x^2+18x+20=0.</math></center> By [[Vieta's formulas]], the product of our roots is therefore <math>\boxed{020}</math>. | ||
Revision as of 20:22, 22 May 2009
Contents
Problem
What is the product of the real roots of the equation ?
Solution
If we expand by squaring, we get a quartic polynomial, which obviously isn't very helpful.
Instead, we substitute for
and our equation becomes
.
Now we can square; solving for , we get
or
. The second solution is extraneous since
is positive. So, we have
as the only solution for
. Substituting
back in for
,
![$x^2+18x+30=10 \Longrightarrow x^2+18x+20=0.$](http://latex.artofproblemsolving.com/4/f/b/4fbfb8c3979ed14768e003b2256da6a1b2b0fd3e.png)
By Vieta's formulas, the product of our roots is therefore .
Solution 2
There is an error with solution one since the second solution for does NOT give us non-real roots, since the discriminant is positive. Another way to do this problem would be without substitution, and by just squaring both sides and making the quartic equation equal to 0. We have:
By Vieta's formula we get that the product is .
See also
1983 AIME (Problems • Answer Key • Resources) | ||
Preceded by Problem 2 |
Followed by Problem 4 | |
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 | ||
All AIME Problems and Solutions |