How sharp are your eyes? Part 3

Algebra Level 4

x 4 x 2 + 4 + x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 = 7 x \large \sqrt{x^4-x^2+4}+\sqrt{x^4+20x^2+4}=7x Find the sum of all real x x satisfy the equation above.


The answer is 3.

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3 solutions

P C
Mar 2, 2016

The condition of x is x 0 x\geq 0

Now we have x 4 x 2 + 4 2 x + x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 5 x = 0 \sqrt{x^4-x^2+4}-2x+\sqrt{x^4+20x^2+4}-5x=0 ( x 4 5 x 2 + 4 ) ( 1 x 4 x 2 + 4 + 2 x + 1 x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 + 5 x ) = 0 \Leftrightarrow (x^4-5x^2+4)\bigg(\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^4-x^2+4}+2x}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^4+20x^2+4}+5x}\bigg)=0 Since 1 x 4 x 2 + 4 + 2 x + 1 x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 + 5 x > 0 \frac{1}{\sqrt{x^4-x^2+4}+2x}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^4+20x^2+4}+5x} >0 , we now have x 4 5 x 2 + 4 = 0 x^4-5x^2+4=0 { x 2 = 1 x 2 = 4 \Leftrightarrow\begin{cases} x^2=1\\x^2=4\end{cases} x = { 1 ; 2 } \Leftrightarrow x=\{1;2\} So the sum is 3 3

Since L H S 0 LHS \geq 0 , we must have R H S 0 RHS \geq 0 This implies that x 0 x \geq 0

Let x 4 x 2 + 4 = b \sqrt{x^4-x^2+4} = b and x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 = a \sqrt{x^4+20x^2+4} = a

Then we have a + b = 7 x ( 1 ) a + b = 7x \quad \quad - (1)

We also have a 2 b 2 = ( x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 ) ( x 4 x 2 + 4 ) = 21 x 2 a^2 - b^2 = (x^4+20x^2+4) - (x^4-x^2+4) = 21x^2

Therefore a b = a 2 b 2 a + b = 3 x ( 2 ) a - b = \frac{a^2 - b^2}{a + b} = 3x \quad \quad - (2)

Now, ( 1 ) + ( 2 ) (1) + (2) gives us 2 a = 10 x a = 5 x 2a = 10x \implies a = 5x

x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 = 5 x \sqrt{x^4+20x^2+4} = 5x

x 4 + 20 x 2 + 4 = 25 x 2 x^4+20x^2+4 = 25x^2

( x 2 4 ) ( x 2 1 ) = 0 (x^2 - 4)(x^2 - 1) = 0

Implies x = ± 1 , ± 2 x = \pm1, \pm2 . But x 0 x \geq 0 . Therefore x = 1 , 2 x = 1,2 and sum of all values is 3 \boxed{3}

Prakhar Bindal
Mar 3, 2016

Substitute x^4 +19x^2 / 2 +4 = y . See the magic ! (It will simplify as if you are simplifying a simple expression)

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