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Difference between revisions of "1989 AIME Problems/Problem 1"

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== Solution ==
 
== Solution ==
 
=== Solution 1===
 
=== Solution 1===
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Notice <math>{31*28 = 868}</math> and <math>{30*29 =870}</math>. So now our expression is <math>\sqrt{(870)(868) + 1}</math>. Setting 870 equal to <math>y</math>, we get <math>\sqrt{(y-1)^{2}}</math> which then equals <math>{(y-1)}</math>. So since <math>{y = 870}</math>, <math>{y-1}=869</math>, our answer is <math>\boxed{869}</math>.
 
Notice <math>{31*28 = 868}</math> and <math>{30*29 =870}</math>. So now our expression is <math>\sqrt{(870)(868) + 1}</math>. Setting 870 equal to <math>y</math>, we get <math>\sqrt{(y-1)^{2}}</math> which then equals <math>{(y-1)}</math>. So since <math>{y = 870}</math>, <math>{y-1}=869</math>, our answer is <math>\boxed{869}</math>.
  

Revision as of 10:47, 23 April 2017

Problem

Compute $\sqrt{(31)(30)(29)(28)+1}$.

Solution

Solution 1

Notice ${31*28 = 868}$ and ${30*29 =870}$. So now our expression is $\sqrt{(870)(868) + 1}$. Setting 870 equal to $y$, we get $\sqrt{(y-1)^{2}}$ which then equals ${(y-1)}$. So since ${y = 870}$, ${y-1}=869$, our answer is $\boxed{869}$.

Solution 2

Note that the four numbers to multiply are symmetric with the center at $29.5$. Multiply the symmetric pairs to get $31\cdot 28=868$ and $30\cdot 29=870$. $\sqrt{868\cdot 870 + 1} = \sqrt{(869-1)(869+1) + 1} = \sqrt{869^2 - 1^2 + 1} = \sqrt{869^2} = \boxed{869}$.

Solution 3

The last digit under the radical is $1$, so the square root must either end in $1$ or $9$, since $x^2 = 1\pmod {10}$ means $x = \pm 1$. Additionally, the number must be near $29 \cdot 30 = 870$, narrowing the reasonable choices to $869$ and $871$.

Continuing the logic, the next-to-last digit under the radical is the same as the last digit of $28 \cdot 29 \cdot 3 \cdot 31$, which is $6$. Quick computation shows that $869^2$ ends in $61$, while $871^2$ ends in $41$. Thus, the answer is $\boxed{869}$.

Solution 4

Similar to Solution 1 above, call the consecutive integers $\left(n-\frac{3}{2}\right), \left(n-\frac{1}{2}\right), \left(n+\frac{1}{2}\right), \left(n+\frac{3}{2}\right)$ to make use of symmetry. Note that $n$ itself is not an integer - in this case, $n = 29.5$. The expression becomes $\sqrt{\left(n-\frac{3}{2}\right)\left(n + \frac{3}{2}\right)\left(n - \frac{1}{2}\right)\left(n + \frac{1}{2}\right) + 1}$. Distributing each pair of difference of squares first, and then distributing the two resulting quadratics and adding the constant, gives $\sqrt{n^4 - \frac{5}{2}n^2 + \frac{25}{16}}$. The inside is a perfect square trinomial, since $b^2 = 4ac$. It's equal to $\sqrt{\left(n^2 - \frac{5}{4}\right)^2}$, which simplifies to $n^2 - \frac{5}{4}$. You can plug in the value of $n$ from there, or further simplify to $\left(n - \frac{1}{2}\right)\left(n + \frac{1}{2}\right) - 1$, which is easier to compute. Either way, plugging in $n=29.5$ gives $\boxed{869}$.

See also

1989 AIME (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
First Question 		Followed by
Problem 2
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions

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