1965 AHSME Problems/Problem 19

Problem 19

If $x^4 + 4x^3 + 6px^2 + 4qx + r$ is exactly divisible by $x^3 + 3x^2 + 9x + 3$ , the value of $(p + q)r$ is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ - 18 \qquad \textbf{(B) }\ 12 \qquad \textbf{(C) }\ 15 \qquad \textbf{(D) }\ 27 \qquad \textbf{(E) }\ 45 \qquad$

Solution 1

Let $f(x)=x^3+3x^2+9x+3$ and $g(x)=x^4+4x^3+6px^2+4qx+r$ .

Let 3 roots of $f(x)$ be $r_1, r_2$ and $r_3$ . As $f(x)|g(x)$ , 3 roots of 4 roots of $g(x)$ will be same as roots of $f(x)$ . Let the 4th root of $g(x)$ be $r_4$ . By vieta's formula

In $f(x)$

$r_1+r_2+r_3=-3$

$r_1r_2+r_2r_3+r_1r_3=9$

$r_1r_2r_3=-3$

In $g(x)$

$r_1+r_2+r_3+r_4=-4$

$=>r_4=-1$

$r_1r_2+r_1r_3+r_1r_4+r_2r_3+r_2r_4+r_3r_4=6p$

$=>r_1r_2+r_1r_3+r_2r_3+r_4(r_1+r_2+r_3)=6p$

$=>9+(-1)(-3)=6p$

$=>p=2$

$r_1r_2r_3+r_1r_3r_4+r_1r_2r_4+r_2r_3r_4=-4q$

$=>-3+r_4(r_1r_3+r_1r_2+r_2r_3)=-4q$

$=>-3+(-1)(9)=-4q$

$=>q=3$

$r_1r_2r_3r_4=r$

$=>(-3)(-1)=r$

$=>r=3$

so $(p+q)r=\fbox{15}$

By ~Ahmed_Ashhab

Solution 2

Notice that to obtain the $x^4$ term one must multiply $x^4+4x^3+6px^2+4qx+r$ by some linear function of the form $x-a$ . Looking at the $x^3$ term, it is clear that $a$ must equal $1$ . Therefore by multiplying $x^4+4x^3+6px^2+4qx+r$ by $x+1$ , the product will be $x^4+4x^3+12x^2+12x+3$ . Therefore $p=2$ , $q=3$ , $r=3$ . Thus $(2+3)3=\fbox{15}$

1965 AHSC (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
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1965 AHSME Problems/Problem 19

Contents

Problem 19

Solution 1

Solution 2

See Also