A.P-G.P

Algebra Level 5

Given that a 1 , a 2 , a 3 a_1,a_2,a_3 is an arithmetic progression in that order so that a 1 + a 2 + a 3 = 15 a_1+a_2+a_3=15 and b 1 , b 2 , b 3 b_1,b_2,b_3 is a geometric progression in that order so that b 1 b 2 b 3 = 27 b_1b_2b_3=27 .

If a 1 + b 1 , a 2 + b 2 , a 3 + b 3 a_1+b_1, a_2+b_2, a_3+b_3 are positive integers and form a geometric progression in that order, determine the maximum possible value of a 3 a_3 .

The answer is of the form a + b c d \dfrac{a+b\sqrt{c}}{d} , where a a , b b , c c , and d d are positive integers and the fraction is in its simplest form and c c is square free. Submit the value of a + b + c + d a + b + c + d .


The answer is 143.

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1 solution

Brian Moehring
Jun 14, 2018

Since a 1 , a 2 , a 3 a_1,a_2,a_3 is an arithmetic progression with a 1 + a 2 + a 3 = 15 a_1+a_2+a_3 = 15 , we can conclude a 1 = 5 x , a 2 = 5 , a 3 = 5 + x a_1=5-x, a_2=5, a_3=5+x for some real number x x (the common difference). Similarly, since b 1 , b 2 , b 3 b_1,b_2,b_3 is a geometric progression with b 1 b 2 b 3 = 27 b_1b_2b_3=27 , we can conclude b 1 = 3 y , b 2 = 3 , b 3 = 3 y b_1=\frac{3}{y}, b_2=3, b_3= 3y for some real number y y (the common ratio). Finally, since a 1 + b 1 , a 2 + b 2 , a 3 + b 3 a_1+b_1, a_2+b_2, a_3+b_3 is a geometric progression of positive integers, we can conclude ( 5 x + 3 y ) ( 5 + x + 3 y ) = ( a 1 + b 1 ) ( a 3 + b 3 ) = ( a 2 + b 2 ) 2 = ( 5 + 3 ) 2 = 2 6 \left(5-x+\frac{3}{y}\right)\left(5+x+3y\right) = (a_1+b_1)(a_3+b_3) = (a_2+b_2)^2 = (5+3)^2 = 2^6 and therefore 5 x + 3 y = 2 k , 5 + x + 3 y = 2 6 k for some k { 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 } . 5-x+\frac{3}{y} = 2^k \quad , \quad 5+x+3y = 2^{6-k} \qquad \text{for some } k \in \{0,1,2,3,4,5,6\}.

By eliminating y y from this system of two equations, we end up with the quadratic equation x 2 + ( 2 k 2 6 k ) x + 5 ( 2 k + 2 6 k ) 80 = 0 x^2 + \left(2^k-2^{6-k}\right)x + 5\left(2^k+2^{6-k}\right) - 80 = 0 and by the quadratic formula, x = 1 2 ( ( ( 2 k 2 6 k ) ± ( 2 k 2 6 k ) 2 4 ( 5 ( 2 k + 2 6 k ) 80 ) ) = 1 2 ( 2 6 k 2 k ± 2 k 2 k 8 2 2 k 2 k + 2 + 64 ) = 64 2 2 k ± 2 k 8 2 2 k 2 k + 2 + 64 2 k + 1 a 3 = 5 + x = 5 + 64 2 2 k ± 2 k 8 2 2 k 2 k + 2 + 64 2 k + 1 \begin{aligned}x &= \frac{1}{2}\left(-\left((2^k-2^{6-k}\right)\pm\sqrt{\left(2^k-2^{6-k}\right)^2 - 4\left(5\left(2^k+2^{6-k}\right)-80\right)}\right) \\ &= \frac{1}{2}\left(2^{6-k}-2^k \pm 2^{-k}|2^k-8|\sqrt{2^{2k} - 2^{k+2} + 64}\right) \\ &= \frac{64 - 2^{2k} \pm |2^k-8|\sqrt{2^{2k}-2^{k+2}+64}}{2^{k+1}} \\ a_3 = 5+x &= 5 + \frac{64 - 2^{2k} \pm |2^k-8|\sqrt{2^{2k}-2^{k+2}+64}}{2^{k+1}}\end{aligned}

It's apparent that the maximum value will occur when the sign is '+'. Then we can just test all 7 cases for k k to find the maximum occurs for k = 0 k=0 at a 3 = 73 + 7 61 2 a_3 = \frac{73+7\sqrt{61}}{2}

Therefore the answer is a + b + c + d = 73 + 7 + 61 + 2 = 143. a+b+c+d = 73 + 7 + 61 + 2 = \boxed{143.}

Nice solution!

Vilakshan Gupta - 2 years, 12 months ago

How did you factor the expression under the radical?

Eric Zhang - 1 year, 4 months ago

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