Olympiad problems

2006 Pan African, 2

Tags: Vieta , algebra , polynomial , Rational Root Theorem , number theory unsolved , number theory

Let $a, b, c$ be three non-zero integers. It is known that the sums $\frac{a}{b}+\frac{b}{c}+\frac{c}{a}$ and $\frac{b}{a}+\frac{c}{b}+\frac{a}{c}$ are integers. Find these sums.

2015 AMC 10, 12

Tags: quadratics , algebra , polynomial , Vieta , quadratic formula , absolute value , AMC

Points $(\sqrt{\pi}, a)$ and $(\sqrt{\pi}, b)$ are distinct points on the graph of $y^2+x^4=2x^2y+1$. What is $|a-b|$? $ \textbf{(A) }1\qquad\textbf{(B) }\dfrac{\pi}{2}\qquad\textbf{(C) }2\qquad\textbf{(D) }\sqrt{1+\pi}\qquad\textbf{(E) }1+\sqrt{\pi} $

2013 Miklós Schweitzer, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , Vieta , number theory unsolved , number theory

Prove there exists a constant $k_0$ such that for any $k\ge k_0$, the equation \[a^{2n}+b^{4n}+2013=ka^nb^{2n}\] has no positive integer solutions $a,b,n$. [i]Proposed by István Pink.[/i]

2005 National Olympiad First Round, 15

Tags: function , Vieta

For how many positive real numbers $a$ has the equation $a^2x^2 + ax+1-7a^2 = 0$ two distinct integer roots? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 1 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 2 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 3 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \text{Infinitely many} \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{None of above} $

2002 AMC 12/AHSME, 12

Tags: quadratics , Vieta , algebra , number theory , prime numbers , special factorizations

Both roots of the quadratic equation $ x^2 \minus{} 63x \plus{} k \equal{} 0$ are prime numbers. The number of possible values of $ k$ is $ \textbf{(A)}\ 0 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 1 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 2 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 3 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \textbf{more than four}$

1988 USAMO, 2

Tags: AMC , USA(J)MO , USAMO , algebra , polynomial , Vieta , algebra unsolved

The cubic equation $x^3 + ax^2 + bx + c = 0$ has three real roots. Show that $a^2-3b\geq 0$, and that $\sqrt{a^2-3b}$ is less than or equal to the difference between the largest and smallest roots.

2004 AMC 12/AHSME, 17

Tags: logarithms , Vieta

For some real numbers $ a$ and $ b$, the equation \[ 8x^3 \plus{} 4ax^2 \plus{} 2bx \plus{} a \equal{} 0 \]has three distinct positive roots. If the sum of the base-$ 2$ logarithms of the roots is $ 5$, what is the value of $ a$? $ \textbf{(A)}\minus{}\!256 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\minus{}\!64 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\minus{}\!8 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 64 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 256$

1990 AIME Problems, 15

Tags: AMC , AIME , Vieta , algebra , polynomial

Find $ax^5 + by^5$ if the real numbers $a$, $b$, $x$, and $y$ satisfy the equations \begin{eqnarray*} ax + by &=& 3, \\ ax^2 + by^2 &=& 7, \\ ax^3 + by^3 &=& 16, \\ ax^4 + by^4 &=& 42. \end{eqnarray*}

2006 Flanders Math Olympiad, 1

Tags: trigonometry , algebra , polynomial , Vieta , complex numbers

(a) Solve for $\theta\in\mathbb{R}$: $\cos(4\theta) = \cos(3\theta)$ (b) $\cos\left(\frac{2\pi}{7}\right)$, $\cos\left(\frac{4\pi}{7}\right)$ and $\cos\left(\frac{6\pi}{7}\right)$ are the roots of an equation of the form $ax^3+bx^2+cx+d = 0$ where $a, b, c, d$ are integers. Determine $a, b, c$ and $d$.

1950 AMC 12/AHSME, 3

Tags: quadratics , Vieta , algebra , quadratic formula

The sum of the roots of the equation $ 4x^2\plus{}5\minus{}8x\equal{}0$ is equal to: $\textbf{(A)}\ 8 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ -5 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ -\dfrac{5}{4} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ -2 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \text{None of these}$

2013 AMC 10, 19

Tags: quadratics , AMC , AMC 10 , AMC 10 B , Vieta , arithmetic sequence , algebra

The real numbers $c, b, a$ form an arithmetic sequence with $a\ge b\ge c\ge 0$. The quadratic $ax^2+bx+c$ has exactly one root. What is this root? $\textbf{(A)}\ -7-4\sqrt{3}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ -2-\sqrt{3}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ -1\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ -2+\sqrt{3}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ -7+4\sqrt{3} $