Difference between revisions of "1976 AHSME Problems/Problem 27"

Line 13: Line 13:
 
x^2&=\frac{\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}+\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}\right)^2}{\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+1}\right)^2} \\
 
x^2&=\frac{\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}+\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}\right)^2}{\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+1}\right)^2} \\
 
&=\frac{\left(\sqrt{5}+2\right)+2\cdot\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}\cdot\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}\right)+\left(\sqrt{5}-2\right)}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\
 
&=\frac{\left(\sqrt{5}+2\right)+2\cdot\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}\cdot\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}\right)+\left(\sqrt{5}-2\right)}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\
 +
&=\frac{\left(\sqrt{5}+2\right)+2+\left(\sqrt{5}-2\right)}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\
 
&=\frac{2\sqrt{5}+2}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\
 
&=\frac{2\sqrt{5}+2}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\
 
&=2.
 
&=2.
 
\end{align*}</cmath>
 
\end{align*}</cmath>
 +
It is clear that <math>x>0,</math> from which <math>x=\sqrt{2}.</math>
  
 
~Someonenumber011 (Solution)
 
~Someonenumber011 (Solution)

Revision as of 02:17, 8 September 2021

Problem

If \[N=\frac{\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}+\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}}{\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+1}}-\sqrt{3-2\sqrt{2}},\] then $N$ equals

$\textbf{(A) }1\qquad \textbf{(B) }2\sqrt{2}-1\qquad \textbf{(C) }\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}\qquad \textbf{(D) }\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{none of these}$

Solution

Let $x=\frac{\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}+\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}}{\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+1}}$ and $y=\sqrt{3-2\sqrt{2}}.$ Note that \begin{align*} x^2&=\frac{\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}+\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}\right)^2}{\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+1}\right)^2} \\ &=\frac{\left(\sqrt{5}+2\right)+2\cdot\left(\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+2}\cdot\sqrt{\sqrt{5}-2}\right)+\left(\sqrt{5}-2\right)}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\ &=\frac{\left(\sqrt{5}+2\right)+2+\left(\sqrt{5}-2\right)}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\ &=\frac{2\sqrt{5}+2}{\sqrt{5}+1} \\ &=2. \end{align*} It is clear that $x>0,$ from which $x=\sqrt{2}.$

~Someonenumber011 (Solution)

~MRENTHUSIASM (Revision)

See also

1976 AHSME (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 26
Followed by
Problem 28
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