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Difference between revisions of "2002 AMC 12P Problems/Problem 10"

m (→‎Solution)
m (→‎Solution 1)
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Divide by 2 on both sides to get <cmath>3f_{4}(x)-2f_{6}(x)=f_{2}(x)</cmath>
 
Divide by 2 on both sides to get <cmath>3f_{4}(x)-2f_{6}(x)=f_{2}(x)</cmath>
 
Substituting the definitions of <math>f_{2}(x)</math>, <math>f_{4}(x)</math>, and <math>f_{6}(x)</math>, we may rewrite the expression as
 
Substituting the definitions of <math>f_{2}(x)</math>, <math>f_{4}(x)</math>, and <math>f_{6}(x)</math>, we may rewrite the expression as
−
<cmath>3(\text{sin}^4 x + \text{cos}^4 x) - 2(\text{sin}^6 x + \text{cos}^6 x) = 1</cmath>
+
<cmath>3(\text{sin}^4{x} + \text{cos}^4{x}) - 2(\text{sin}^6{x} + \text{cos}^6{x}) = 1</cmath>
 
We now simplify each term separately using some algebraic manipulation and the Pythagorean identity.
 
We now simplify each term separately using some algebraic manipulation and the Pythagorean identity.
  

Revision as of 19:53, 10 March 2024

Problem

Let $f_n (x) = \text{sin}^n x + \text{cos}^n x.$ For how many $x$ in $[0,\pi]$ is it true that

\[6f_{4}(x)-4f_{6}(x)=2f_{2}(x)?\]

$\text{(A) }2 \qquad \text{(B) }4 \qquad \text{(C) }6 \qquad \text{(D) }8 \qquad \text{(E) more than }8$

Solution 1

Divide by 2 on both sides to get \[3f_{4}(x)-2f_{6}(x)=f_{2}(x)\] Substituting the definitions of $f_{2}(x)$, $f_{4}(x)$, and $f_{6}(x)$, we may rewrite the expression as \[3(\text{sin}^4{x} + \text{cos}^4{x}) - 2(\text{sin}^6{x} + \text{cos}^6{x}) = 1\] We now simplify each term separately using some algebraic manipulation and the Pythagorean identity.

We can rewrite $3(\text{sin}^4 x + \text{cos}^4 x)$ as $3(\text{sin}^2 x + \text{cos}^2 x)^2 - 6\text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x$, which is equivalent to $3 - 6\text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x$.

As for $2(\text{sin}^6 x + \text{cos}^6 x)$, we may factor it as $2(\text{sin}^2 x + \text{cos}^2 x)(\text{sin}^4 x + \text{cos}^4 x - \text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x)$ which can be rewritten as $2(\text{sin}^4 x + \text{cos}^4 x - \text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x)$, and then as $2(\text{sin}^2 x + \text{cos}^2)^2) - 6\text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x$, which is equivalent to $2 - 6\text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x$.

Putting everything together, we have $(3 - 6\text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x) - (2 - 6\text{sin}^2 x \text{cos}^2 x) = 1$ or $1 = 1$. Therefore, the given equation $3f_{4}(x)-2f_{6}(x)=f_{2}(x)$ is true for all real $x$, meaning that there are more than 8 values of $x$ that satisfy the given equation and so the answer is $\boxed{\text{(E) more than }8}$.

See also

2002 AMC 12P (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 9 		Followed by
Problem 11
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

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