Difference between revisions of "2021 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 22"

(Solution: part a)
m (Solution: Minor LaTeX edit)
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<math>2\cos \frac{2\pi}7 + 2\cos \frac{4\pi}7 + 2\cos \frac{6\pi}7 = -1</math>
 
<math>2\cos \frac{2\pi}7 + 2\cos \frac{4\pi}7 + 2\cos \frac{6\pi}7 = -1</math>
  
Therefore, we have <math>a = -\left(-\frac{1}2\right) = \frac{1}2\right</math>
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Therefore, we have <math>a = -\left(-\frac{1}2\right) = \frac{1}2</math>
  
 
Finally multiply <math>abc = \frac{1}2 * - \frac{1}2 * -\frac{1}8 = \frac{1}32</math> or D.
 
Finally multiply <math>abc = \frac{1}2 * - \frac{1}2 * -\frac{1}8 = \frac{1}32</math> or D.

Revision as of 17:48, 11 February 2021

Problem

Suppose that the roots of the polynomial $P(x)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c$ are $\cos \frac{2\pi}7,\cos \frac{4\pi}7,$ and $\cos \frac{6\pi}7$, where angles are in radians. What is $abc$?

$\textbf{(A) }-\frac{3}{49} \qquad \textbf{(B) }-\frac{1}{28} \qquad \textbf{(C) }\frac{^3\sqrt7}{64} \qquad \textbf{(D) }\frac{1}{32}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\frac{1}{28}$

Solution

Part 1: solving for $\cos \frac{6\pi}7 = \cos \frac{8\pi}7$

$c$ is the negation of the product of roots by Vieta's formulas

$c = -\cos \frac{2\pi}7 \cos \frac{4\pi}7 \cos \frac{8\pi}7$

Multiply by $8 \sin{2\pi}7$

$c 8 \sin{2\pi}7 = -8 \sin{2\pi}7 \cos \frac{2\pi}7 \cos \frac{4\pi}7 \cos \frac{8\pi}7$

Then use sine addition formula backwards:

$2 \sin \frac{2\pi}7 \cos \frac{2\pi}7 = \sin \frac{4\pi}7$

$c 8 \sin{2\pi}7 = -4 \sin \frac{4\pi}7 \cos \frac{4\pi}7 \cos \frac{8\pi}7$

$c 8 \sin{2\pi}7 = -2 \sin \frac{8\pi}7 \cos \frac{8\pi}7$

$c 8 \sin{2\pi}7 = -\sin \frac{16\pi}7$

$c 8 \sin{2\pi}7 = -\sin \frac{2\pi}7$

$c = -\frac{1}8$


Part 2: in progress - solving for b

$b$ is the sum of roots two at a time by Vieta's

$b = \cos \frac{2\pi}7 \cos \frac{4\pi}7 + \cos \frac{2\pi}7 \cos \frac{6\pi}7 + \cos \frac{4\pi}7 \cos \frac{6\pi}7$

This comes out to $- \frac{1}2$, but I forget how.


Part 3: solving for a

$a$ is the negation of the sum of roots

$a = -\cos \frac{2\pi}7 + \cos \frac{4\pi}7 + \cos \frac{6\pi}7$

The real values of the 7th roots of unity are: $1, \cos \frac{2\pi}7, \cos \frac{4\pi}7, \cos \frac{6\pi}7, \cos \frac{8\pi}7, \cos \frac{10\pi}7, \cos \frac{12\pi}7$ and they sum to $0$.

If we subtract 1, and condense identical terms, we get:

$2\cos \frac{2\pi}7 + 2\cos \frac{4\pi}7 + 2\cos \frac{6\pi}7 = -1$

Therefore, we have $a = -\left(-\frac{1}2\right) = \frac{1}2$

Finally multiply $abc = \frac{1}2 * - \frac{1}2 * -\frac{1}8 = \frac{1}32$ or D.


This is in progress - I am working on the solution for b.

~Tucker

See also

2021 AMC 12A (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 21
Followed by
Problem 23
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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