2009 AIME I Problems/Problem 2

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Problem

There is a complex number $z$ with imaginary part $164$ and a positive integer $n$ such that

\[\frac {z}{z + n} = 4i.\]

Find $n$.

Solution

Let $z$ = $a$ + $164$$i$.

Then \[\frac {a + 164i}{a + 164i + n} = 4i\] and \[a + 164i = \left (4i \right ) \left (a + n + 164i \right ) = 4i \left (a + n \right ) - 656.\]

From this, we conclude that \[a = -656\] and \[164i = 4i \left (a + n \right ) = 4i \left (-656 + n \right ).\]

We now have an equation for $n$: \[4i \left (-656 + n \right ) = 164i,\]

and this equation shows that $n = \boxed{697}.$