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Difference between revisions of "1984 AIME Problems/Problem 1"
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One approach to this problem is to apply the formula for the sum of an [[arithmetic series]] in order to find the value of <math>a_1</math>, then use that to calculate <math>a_2</math> and sum another arithmetic series to get our answer.
 
One approach to this problem is to apply the formula for the sum of an [[arithmetic series]] in order to find the value of <math>a_1</math>, then use that to calculate <math>a_2</math> and sum another arithmetic series to get our answer.
  
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A somewhat quicker method is to do the following: for each <math>n \geq 1</math>, we have <math>a_{2n - 1} = a_{2n} - 1</math>.  We can substitute this into our given equation to get <math>(a_2 - 1) + a_2 + (a_4 - 1) + a_4 + \ldots + (a_{98} - 1) + a_{98} = 137</math>.  The left-hand side of this equation is simply <math>2(a_2 + a_4 + \ldots + a_{98}) - 49</math>, so our desired value is <math>\frac{137 + 49}{2} = 093</math>.
+
A somewhat quicker method is to do the following: for each <math>n \geq 1</math>, we have <math>a_{2n - 1} = a_{2n} - 1</math>.  We can substitute this into our given equation to get <math>(a_2 - 1) + a_2 + (a_4 - 1) + a_4 + \ldots + (a_{98} - 1) + a_{98} = 137</math>.  The left-hand side of this equation is simply <math>2(a_2 + a_4 + \ldots + a_{98}) - 49</math>, so our desired value is <math>\frac{137 + 49}{2} = \boxed{093}</math>.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 17:04, 21 March 2009

Problem

Find the value of $\displaystyle a_2+a_4+a_6+a_8+\ldots+a_{98}$ if $\displaystyle a_1$, $\displaystyle a_2$, $\displaystyle a_3\ldots$ is an arithmetic progression with common difference 1, and $\displaystyle a_1+a_2+a_3+\ldots+a_{98}=137$.

Solution

One approach to this problem is to apply the formula for the sum of an arithmetic series in order to find the value of $a_1$, then use that to calculate $a_2$ and sum another arithmetic series to get our answer.

A somewhat quicker method is to do the following: for each $n \geq 1$, we have $a_{2n - 1} = a_{2n} - 1$. We can substitute this into our given equation to get $(a_2 - 1) + a_2 + (a_4 - 1) + a_4 + \ldots + (a_{98} - 1) + a_{98} = 137$. The left-hand side of this equation is simply $2(a_2 + a_4 + \ldots + a_{98}) - 49$, so our desired value is $\frac{137 + 49}{2} = \boxed{093}$.

See also

1984 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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