# Difference between revisions of "2018 AIME I Problems/Problem 5"

## Problem 5

For each ordered pair of real numbers $(x,y)$ satisfying $$\log_2(2x+y) = \log_4(x^2+xy+7y^2)$$there is a real number $K$ such that $$\log_3(3x+y) = \log_9(3x^2+4xy+Ky^2).$$Find the product of all possible values of $K$.

## Solution 1

Using the logarithmic property $\log_{a^n}b^n = \log_{a}b$, we note that $(2x+y)^2 = 4x^2+4xy+y^2$. That gives $x^2+xy-2y^2=0$ upon simplification and division by $3$. Then, $x=y$ or $x=-2y$. From the second equation, $9x^2+6xy+y^2=3x^2+4xy+Ky^2$. If we take $x=y$, we see that $K=9$. If we take $x=-2y$, we see that $K=21$. The product is $\boxed{189}$.

-expiLnCalc

## Note

The cases $x=y$ and $x=-2y$ can be found by SFFT (Simon's Favorite Factoring Trick) from $x^2+xy-2y^2=0 \implies (x+2y)(x-y)=0$.

## Solution 2

Do as done in Solution 1 to get $x^2+xy-2y^2=0\implies (\frac{x}{y})^2+\frac{x}{y}-2=0\implies \frac{x}{y}=\frac{-1\pm\sqrt{1+8}}{2}=1,-2$. Do as done in Solution 1 to get $9x^2+6xy+y^2=3x^2+4xy+Ky^2\implies 6x^2+2xy+(1-K)y^2=0\implies 6(\frac{x}{y})^2+2\frac{x}{y}+(1-K)=0\implies \frac{x}{y}=\frac{-2\pm \sqrt{4-24(1-K)}}{12}\implies \frac{x}{y}=\frac{-2\pm 2\sqrt{6K-5}}{12}=\frac{-1\pm \sqrt{6K-5}}{6}$. If $\frac{x}{y}=1$, then $1=\frac{-1\pm \sqrt{6K-5}}{6}\implies 6=-1\pm \sqrt{6K-5}\implies 7=\pm \sqrt{6K-5}\implies 49=6K-5\implies K=9$. If $\frac{x}{y}=-2$, then $-2=\frac{-1\pm \sqrt{6K-5}}{6}\implies -12=-1\pm \sqrt{6K-5}\implies -11=\sqrt{6K-5}\implies 121=6K-5\implies 126=6K\implies K=21$. Hence our final answer is $21\cdot 6=\boxed{126}$ -vsamc

## See Also

 2018 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources) Preceded byProblem 4 Followed byProblem 6 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 All AIME Problems and Solutions

The problems on this page are copyrighted by the Mathematical Association of America's American Mathematics Competitions.

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