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Difference between revisions of "2000 AMC 12 Problems/Problem 15"

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== Solution ==
 
== Solution ==
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Let <math>y = \frac{x}{3}</math>; then <math>f(y) = (3y)^2 + 3y + 1 = 9y^2 + 3y+1</math>. Thus <math>f(3z)-7=81z^2+9z-6=3(9z-2)(3z+1)=0</math>, and <math>z = \frac{-1}{3}, \frac{2}{9}</math>. These sum up to <math>\boxed{-\frac{1}{9}\ \mathrm{(B)}}</math>.
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Let <math>y = \frac{x}{3}</math>; then <math>f(y) = (3y)^2 + 3y + 1 = 9y^2 + 3y+1</math>. Thus <math>f(3z)-7=81z^2+9z-6=3(9z-2)(3z+1)=0</math>, and <math>z = -\frac{1}{3}, \frac{2}{9}</math>. These sum up to <math>\boxed{-\frac{1}{9}\ \mathrm{(B)}}</math>. (We can also use Vieta's formulas to find the sum more quickly.)
  
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Alternative solution: When we have <math>0=81z^2+9z-6</math>, we just use Vieta's and get the sum is <math>\frac{-9}{81}=\boxed {-\frac{1}{9}\ \mathrm{(B)}}</math>
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'''Alternative solution:''' Set <math>f(\frac{x}{3}) = x^2+x+1=7</math> to get <math>x^2+x-6=0.</math> From either finding the roots or using Vieta's formulas, we find the sum of these roots to be <math>-1.</math> Each root of this equation is <math>9</math> times greater than a corresponding root of <math>f(3z) = 7</math> (because <math>\frac{x}{3} = 3z</math> gives <math>x = 9z</math>), thus the sum of the roots in the equation <math>f(3z)=7</math> is <math>-\frac{1}{9}.</math>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 15:27, 14 June 2013

The following problem is from both the 2000 AMC 12 #15 and 2000 AMC 10 #24, so both problems redirect to this page.

Problem

Let $f$ be a function for which $f(x/3) = x^2 + x + 1$. Find the sum of all values of $z$ for which $f(3z) = 7$.

$\text {(A)}\ -1/3 \qquad \text {(B)}\ -1/9 \qquad \text {(C)}\ 0 \qquad \text {(D)}\ 5/9 \qquad \text {(E)}\ 5/3$

Solution

Let $y = \frac{x}{3}$; then $f(y) = (3y)^2 + 3y + 1 = 9y^2 + 3y+1$. Thus $f(3z)-7=81z^2+9z-6=3(9z-2)(3z+1)=0$, and $z = -\frac{1}{3}, \frac{2}{9}$. These sum up to $\boxed{-\frac{1}{9}\ \mathrm{(B)}}$. (We can also use Vieta's formulas to find the sum more quickly.)

Alternative solution: Set $f(\frac{x}{3}) = x^2+x+1=7$ to get $x^2+x-6=0.$ From either finding the roots or using Vieta's formulas, we find the sum of these roots to be $-1.$ Each root of this equation is $9$ times greater than a corresponding root of $f(3z) = 7$ (because $\frac{x}{3} = 3z$ gives $x = 9z$), thus the sum of the roots in the equation $f(3z)=7$ is $-\frac{1}{9}.$

See also

2000 AMC 12 (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 14 		Followed by
Problem 16
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions
2000 AMC 10 (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 23 		Followed by
Problem 25
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 10 Problems and Solutions
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