I think this is swifty

Algebra Level 3

Find the sum of the real roots that satisfy the equation

x + 3 3 x + x + 2 2 x + x + 1 1 x = 0 \sqrt{x + 3} - \sqrt{3-x} + \sqrt{x + 2} - \sqrt{2-x} + \sqrt{x+1} -\sqrt{1-x} = 0


The answer is 0.

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3 solutions

It is easy to see that x = 0 x = 0 satisfy the equation. To prove that this is unique, the equation...

x + 3 3 x + x + 2 2 x + x + 1 1 x = 0 \sqrt{x + 3} - \sqrt{3-x} + \sqrt{x + 2} - \sqrt{2-x} + \sqrt{x+1} -\sqrt{1-x} = 0

implies x + 3 + x + 2 + x + 1 = 3 x + 2 x + 1 x \sqrt{x + 3} + \sqrt{x + 2} + \sqrt{x+1} = \sqrt{3-x} +\sqrt{2-x} + \sqrt{1-x}

Noticed that the LHS and RHS are both one-to-one and LHS is increasing while RHS is decreasing. Thus, the equation has at most 1 solution. Therefore, the sum of the roots is 0 0 .

展豪 張
May 6, 2016

After changing x x to x -x and some algebraic manipulation, a same equation is formed.
This means that if x x is a solution, so does x -x .
The sum = 0 =0

@Otto Bretscher oh my god! you got another account? =D =D

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 1 month ago

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Haha no I ain't him =D

展豪 張 - 5 years, 1 month ago
P C
May 5, 2016

The equation above is equivalent to x x + 3 + 3 x + x x + 2 + 2 x + x x + 1 + 1 x = 0 \frac{x}{\sqrt{x+3}+\sqrt{3-x}}+\frac{x}{\sqrt{x+2}+\sqrt{2-x}}+\frac{x}{\sqrt{x+1}+\sqrt{1-x}}=0 x ( 1 x + 3 + 3 x + 1 x + 2 + 2 x + 1 x + 1 + 1 x ) = 0 x\bigg(\frac{1}{\sqrt{x+3}+\sqrt{3-x}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{x+2}+\sqrt{2-x}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{x+1}+\sqrt{1-x}}\bigg)=0 Since 1 x + 3 + 3 x + 1 x + 2 + 2 x + 1 x + 1 + 1 x > 0 ; x [ 1 ; 1 ] \frac{1}{\sqrt{x+3}+\sqrt{3-x}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{x+2}+\sqrt{2-x}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{x+1}+\sqrt{1-x}}>0; \forall x\in [-1;1] so the only solution is x = 0 x=0

Your solution is my favorite solution of the three. Great job!

James Wilson - 3 years, 6 months ago

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