Equating Radicals

Algebra Level 4

1 + 2 + x = 1 + x 3 \large \sqrt{1+\sqrt{2+\sqrt{x}}} = \sqrt[3]{1+\sqrt{x}}

Find the sum of all real x x satisfying the above statement.


The answer is 49.

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1 solution

Sharky Kesa
Sep 9, 2017

Let y = 1 + x 3 y=\sqrt[3]{1+\sqrt{x}} . Thus, 1 + 2 + x = 1 + x 3 1 + 1 + y 3 = y \sqrt{1+\sqrt{2+\sqrt{x}}} = \sqrt[3]{1+\sqrt{x}} \implies \sqrt{1+\sqrt{1+y^3}} = y .

This implies y 2 1 = 1 + y 3 y^2-1=\sqrt{1+y^3} , so y 4 2 y 2 + 1 = 1 + y 3 y^4 - 2y^2 + 1 = 1+ y^3 . This simplifies to y 4 y 3 2 y 2 = 0 y^4 - y^3 - 2y^2 = 0 , which simplifies to y 2 ( y + 1 ) ( y 2 ) = 0 y^2 (y+1)(y-2) = 0 .

Therefore, y = 0 , 1 , 2 y=0, -1, 2 . Testing, we find only y = 2 y=2 works, which implies x = 49 x=49 is the only solution.

Therefore, the sum of all real x x satisfying 1 + 2 + x = 1 + x 3 \sqrt{1+\sqrt{2+\sqrt{x}}} = \sqrt[3]{1+\sqrt{x}} is 49 \boxed{49} .

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