Is it easy?

Algebra Level 5

Consider the equation n x 4 + 4 x + 3 = 0 nx^4 + 4x+3=0 . The number of positive integers n n such that the above equation has a real root is A A and sum of all such values of n n is S S . Find the value of A + S A+S .

This is the part of the set Polynomialism .


The answer is 2.

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4 solutions

Kazem Sepehrinia
Jul 17, 2015

I want to use a little bit calculus here. Let f ( x ) = n x 4 f(x)=nx^4 and g ( x ) = 4 x 3 g(x)=-4x-3 . We want f ( x ) = g ( x ) f(x)=g(x) has one real solution at least. Note that as n n grows graph of f ( x ) = n x 4 f(x)=nx^ 4 becomes narrower and it will not touch the g ( x ) g(x) after some n = n 0 n=n_0 . So boundary is where f ( x ) f(x) is tangent to g ( x ) g(x) at some point x = a x=a and n = n 0 n=n_0 , in other words where f ( a ) = g ( a ) f(a)=g(a) and f ( a ) = g ( a ) f'(a)=g'(a) or n 0 a 4 = 4 a 3 4 n 0 a 3 = 4 n_0a^4=-4a-3 \\ 4n_0 a^3=-4 which gives a = 1 a=-1 and n 0 = 1 n_0=1 . Therefore n n 0 = 1 n\le n_0=1 .

Complete your explanation

Ravi Dwivedi - 5 years, 11 months ago

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Sorry, there was a problem. Is there a problem with brilliant? I can't load the pages properly! Edit, Post and Preview buttons doesn't work!

Kazem Sepehrinia - 5 years, 11 months ago

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It works fine now!

Kazem Sepehrinia - 5 years, 11 months ago

Now good explanation!!

Ravi Dwivedi - 5 years, 11 months ago
汶良 林
Jul 24, 2015

Isn't it supposed to be y=nx^4 + 4x + 3?

Nicolas Nauli - 2 years, 2 months ago
Ravi Dwivedi
Jul 13, 2015

Check that x = 0 x=0 is not a solution. n x 4 + 4 x + 3 = 0 nx^4 + 4x+3=0 n = 4 x 3 x 4 1 n=\frac{-4x-3}{x^4} \geq 1 (Because n n is a positive integer) x 4 + 4 x + 3 0 x^4+4x+3 \leq 0 ( x 2 1 ) 2 + 2 ( x + 1 ) 2 0 (x^2-1)^2+2(x+1)^2 \leq 0

So x = 1 x=-1 is the unique solution which occurs when equality above holds i.e. n = 1 n=1 is the only positive integer.

A = 1 A=1 and S = 1 S=1

A + S = 1 + 1 = 2 A+S=1+1=\boxed{2}

Moderator note:

How can one approach this problem without first guessing that the answer is 1? IE Your solution heavily relied on ( n 1 ) x 4 + ( x 4 + 4 x + 3 ) 0 (n-1)x^4 + (x^4 + 4x + 3) \geq 0 , so what's the motivation for that?

Simple motivation: Working backwards in this solution lead to this question

Ravi Dwivedi - 5 years, 11 months ago
Ayush Verma
Jul 26, 2015

Slightly Differently

L e t x = 1 y d o m a i n o f y i s ( , ) { 0 } n = 4 x 3 3 x 4 = 4 y 3 3 y 4 = f ( y ) d n d y = 12 y 2 ( 1 y ) s o n = f ( y ) i n c r e a s i n g f o r y < 1 & d e c r e a s i n g f o r y > 1 n m a x = f ( 1 ) = 1 s o o n l y o n e + v e i n t e g e r p o s s i b l e . A + S = 1 + 1 = 2 Let\quad x=\cfrac { -1 }{ y } \quad domain\quad of\quad y\quad is\quad \left( -\infty ,\infty \right) -\left\{ 0 \right\} \\ \\ n=-\cfrac { 4 }{ { x }^{ 3 } } -\cfrac { 3 }{ { x }^{ 4 } } =4{ y }^{ 3 }-3{ y }^{ 4 }=f\left( y \right) \\ \\ \cfrac { dn }{ dy } =12{ y }^{ 2 }\left( 1-y \right) \\ \\ so\quad n=f\left( y \right) \quad increasing\quad for\quad y<1\\ \\ \& \quad decreasing\quad for\quad y>1\\ \\ \Rightarrow { n }_{ max }=f\left( 1 \right) =1\quad so\quad only\quad one\quad +ve\quad integer\quad possible.\\ \\ A+S=1+1=2

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