Add, subtract, multiply, divide

Algebra Level pending

For some nonzero reals a , b a,b , the numbers a + b , a b , a b , a b a+b, a-b, ab, \frac{a}{b} form an arithmetical progression in that order. If a + b a+b can be expressed as x y \frac{x}{y} where x x is an integer, y y is a positive integer, and x , y x,y are coprime, determine the value of x + y |x+y| .


The answer is 29.

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1 solution

Ivan Koswara
Aug 19, 2015

Note that a + b , a b a+b, a-b are consecutive terms of the arithmetical progression. Thus the difference of the progression is 2 b -2b , and thus the third term a b ab is equal to a 3 b a-3b , and the fourth term a b \frac{a}{b} is equal to a 5 b a-5b .

Since b 0 b \neq 0 , we can multiply b b to both sides of the equation a b = a 5 b \frac{a}{b} = a-5b , giving a = a b 5 b 2 a = ab - 5b^2 . We also have a b = a 3 b ab = a-3b . Substituting, we get:

a = ( a 3 b ) 5 b 2 5 b 2 + 3 b = 0 b ( 5 b + 3 ) = 0 \begin{aligned} a &= (a-3b) - 5b^2 \\ 5b^2 + 3b &= 0 \\ b(5b+3) &= 0 \end{aligned}

Since b 0 b \neq 0 , we have b = 3 5 b = \frac{-3}{5} . Substituting to a b = a 3 b ab = a-3b , we obtain:

a 3 5 = a 3 3 5 8 5 a = 9 5 a = 9 8 \begin{aligned} a \cdot \frac{-3}{5} &= a - 3 \cdot \frac{-3}{5} \\ \frac{-8}{5} \cdot a &= \frac{9}{5} \\ a &= \frac{-9}{8} \end{aligned}

Just to check, we can verify this: a + b = 69 40 , a b = 21 40 , a b = 27 40 , a b = 15 8 a+b = \frac{-69}{40}, a-b = \frac{-21}{40}, ab = \frac{27}{40}, \frac{a}{b} = \frac{15}{8} indeed forms an arithmetical progression.

Thus a + b = 69 40 a+b = \frac{-69}{40} , giving x = 69 , y = 40 x = -69, y = 40 , and x + y = 69 + 40 = 29 |x+y| = |-69+40| = \boxed{29} .

Moderator note:

Finding the values of b b and a a seem somewhat "random". What was the motivation behind dealing with the equations in that way?

@CM: I don't understand what is random from here. The method is the simplest I can think of, simply solving the system a b = a 3 b , a b = a 5 b ab = a-3b, \frac{a}{b} = a-5b . The values look "terrible", but are apparently fixed after I decide the arithmetic progression (in order + , , × , ÷ +, -, \times, \div ), so not much I can do.

Ivan Koswara - 5 years, 9 months ago

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