Difference between revisions of "2022 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 21"

(Solution 5: Quick (But not quicker than 2))
m (Solution 4 (undetermined coefficients))
Line 72: Line 72:
 
~qgcui
 
~qgcui
  
==Solution 4 (undetermined coefficients)==
+
==Solution 4 (Undetermined Coefficients)==
  
 
Notice that we cannot have the quotients equal to some constants, since the same constant will yield different constant terms for <math>P(x)</math> (which is bad) and different constants will yield different first coefficients (also bad). Thus, we try setting the quotients equal to linear terms (for minimizing degree).
 
Notice that we cannot have the quotients equal to some constants, since the same constant will yield different constant terms for <math>P(x)</math> (which is bad) and different constants will yield different first coefficients (also bad). Thus, we try setting the quotients equal to linear terms (for minimizing degree).
Line 81: Line 81:
  
 
~MathHayden
 
~MathHayden
 
  
 
==Solution 5: Quick (But not quicker than 2) ==
 
==Solution 5: Quick (But not quicker than 2) ==

Revision as of 19:26, 30 November 2022

Problem

Let $P(x)$ be a polynomial with rational coefficients such that when $P(x)$ is divided by the polynomial $x^2 + x + 1$, the remainder is $x+2$, and when $P(x)$ is divided by the polynomial $x^2+1$, the remainder is $2x+1$. There is a unique polynomial of least degree with these two properties. What is the sum of the squares of the coefficients of that polynomial?

Solution 1 (Experimentation)

Given that all the answer choices and coefficients are integers, we hope that $P(x)$ has positive integer coefficients.

Throughout this solution, we will express all polynomials in base $x$. E.g. $x^2 + x + 1 = 111_{x}$.

We are given:

\[111a + 12 = 101b + 21 = P(x)\].

We add $111$ and $101$ to each side and balance respectively:

\[111(a - 1) + 123 = 101(b - 1) + 122 = P(x)\]

We make the units digits equal:

\[111(a - 1) + 123 = 101(b - 2) + 223 = P(x)\]

We now notice that:

\[111(a - 11) + 1233 = 101(b - 12) + 1233 = P(x)\].

Therefore $a = 11_{x} = x + 1$, $b = 12_{x} = x + 2$, and $P(x) = 1233_{x} = x^3 + 2x^2 + 3x + 3$. $3$ is the minimal degree of $P(x)$ since there is no way to influence the $x$‘s digit in $101b + 21$ when $b$ is an integer. The desired sum is $1^2 + 2^2 + 3^2 + 3^2 = \boxed{\textbf{(E)} \ 23}$

P.S. The 4 computational steps can be deduced through quick experimentation.

~ numerophile

Solution 2

Let $P(x) = Q(x)(x^2+x+1) + x + 2$, then $P(x) = Q(x)(x^2+1) + xQ(x) + x + 2$, therefore $xQ(x) + x + 2 \equiv 2x + 1 \pmod{x^2+1}$, or $xQ(x) \equiv x-1 \pmod{x^2+1}$. Clearly the minimum is when $Q(x) = x+1$, and expanding gives $P(x) = x^3+2x^2+3x+3$. Summing the squares of coefficients gives $\boxed{\textbf{(E)} \ 23}$

~mathfan2020

Solution 3

Let $P(x) = (x^2+x+1)Q_1(x) + x + 2$, then $P(x) = (x^2+1)Q_1(x) + xQ_1(x) + x + 2$

Also $P(x) = (x^2+1)Q_2(x) + 2x + 1$

We infer that $Q_1(x)$ and $Q_2(x)$ have same degree, we can assume $Q_1(x) = x + a$, and $Q_2(x) = x + b$, since $P(x)$ has least degree. If this cannot work, we will try quadratic, etc.

Then we get: $(x^2+1)(Q_1(x) - Q_2(x)) + xQ_1(x) - x + 1 = 0$

The constant term gives us: $(Q_1(x) - Q_2(x)) + 1 = 0$

So $Q_1(x) - Q_2(x) = -1$

Substituting this in gives: $-(x^2+1) + xQ_1(x) - x + 1 = 0$

Solving this equation, we get $Q_1(x) = x + 1$

Plugging this into our original equation we get $P(x) = x^3 + 2x^2 + 3x + 3$

Verify this works with $P(x) = (x^2+1)Q_2(x) + 2x + 1$

Therefore the answer is $1^2 + 2^2 + 3^2 + 3^2 = \boxed{\textbf{(E)} \ 23}$

~qgcui

Solution 4 (Undetermined Coefficients)

Notice that we cannot have the quotients equal to some constants, since the same constant will yield different constant terms for $P(x)$ (which is bad) and different constants will yield different first coefficients (also bad). Thus, we try setting the quotients equal to linear terms (for minimizing degree).

Let $P(x)=(x^2+x+1)(ax+b)+(x+2)$ and $P(x)=(x^2+1)(ax+c)+(2x+1)$. The quotients have the same $x$ coefficient, since $P(x)$ must have the same $x^3$ coefficient in both cases. Expanding, we get \[P(x)=ax^3+(a+b)x^2+(a+b+1)x+(b+2)\] and \[P(x)=ax^3+cx^2+(a+2)x+(c+1).\]

Equating coefficients, we get $b+2=c+1$, $a+b+1=a+2$, and $a+b=c$. From the second equation, we get $b=1$, then substituting into the first, $c=2$. Finally, from $a+b=c$, we have $a=1$. Now, $P(x)=(x^2+x+1)(ax+b)+(x+2)=(x^2+x+1)(x+1)+(x+2)=x^3+2x^2+3x+3$ and our answer is \[1^2+2^2+3^2+3^2=\boxed{\textbf{(E)} \ 23}.\]

~MathHayden

Solution 5: Quick (But not quicker than 2)

We construct the following equations in terms of $P(x)$ and the information given by the problem: \[\textbf{(1) } P(x)=(x^2+x+1)\cdot Q(x)+x+2\] \[\textbf{(2) } P(x)=(x^2+1)\cdot R(x)+2x+1\] Upon inspection, $Q(x)$ and $R(x)$ cannot be constant, so the smallest possible degree of $P(x)$ is $3,$ and both $Q(x)$ and $R(x)$ are linear.

Let $Q(x)=x-q$ and $R(x)=x-r.$ We know there will be values for $q$ and $r$ that make the below equation hold, so we can assume that $P(x)$ has a leading coefficient of $1$.

Substituting these values in, and setting $\textbf{(1)}$ and $\textbf{(2)}$ equal to each other, \[(x^2+x+1)(x-q)+x+2=(x^2+1)(x-r)+2x+1.\] We plug in $x=0$, yielding $r+1=q.$ Substituting this value into the above equation, \[(x^2+x+1)(x-r-1)+x+2=(x^2+1)(x-r)+2x+1.\] Letting $x=1,$ we conclude that $r=-2,$ so $R(x)=x+2.$ Therefore, \[P(x)=(x^2+1)(x+2)+2x+1 = x^3+2x^3+3x+3.\] The requested sum is \[1^2+2^2+3^2+3^2=\boxed{\textbf{(E) }23}\]

-Benedict T (countmath1)

Video Solutions

https://youtu.be/yGUur4vP_6k

~ ThePuzzlr

https://youtu.be/ELdhkqVyB9E

~Steven Chen (Professor Chen Education Palace, www.professorchenedu.com)

Video Solution by OmegaLearn using Circular Tangency

https://youtu.be/HdrbPiZHim0

~ pi_is_3.14


See Also

2022 AMC 10B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 20
Followed by
Problem 22
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 10 Problems and Solutions

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