It Is A Polynomial, Isn't it?

Algebra Level 3

( x = 1 n x 3 46 x + 360 n ) = 0 (\sum_{x=1}^{n} x^{3} - 46x + \frac{360}{n}) = 0

Find the sum of the possible value(s) of n n that satisfy the equation above for n > 1 n > 1


The answer is 12.

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1 solution

The equation can be written

x = 1 n x 3 x = 1 n 46 x + x = 1 n 360 n = 0 \sum_{x=1}^n x^{3} - \sum_{x=1}^n 46x + \sum_{x=1}^n \frac{360}{n} = 0

x = 1 n x 3 46 × x = 1 n x + n × 360 n = 0 \sum_{x=1}^n x^{3} - 46 \times \sum_{x=1}^n x + n \times \frac{360}{n} = 0

( 1 3 + 2 3 + 3 3 + . . . + n 3 ) 46 ( 1 + 2 + 3 + . . . + n ) + 360 = 0 (1^{3} + 2^{3} + 3^{3} + ... + n^{3}) - 46(1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n) + 360 = 0

We have

( 1 3 + 2 3 + 3 3 + . . . + n 3 ) = ( 1 + 2 + 3 + . . . n ) 2 (1^{3} + 2^{3} + 3^{3} + ... + n^{3}) = (1 + 2 + 3 + ... n)^{2}

and

1 + 2 + 3 + . . . n = ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 1 + 2 + 3 + ... n = \frac{(n)(n+1)}{2}

So the equation become

( ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 ) 2 46 ( ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 ) + 360 = 0 (\frac{(n)(n+1)}{2})^{2} -46(\frac{(n)(n+1)}{2}) + 360 = 0

( ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 10 ) ( ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 36 ) (\frac{(n)(n+1)}{2} - 10)(\frac{(n)(n+1)}{2} - 36)

( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 = 10 \frac{(n)(n+1)}{2} = 10 or ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 = 36 \frac{(n)(n+1)}{2} = 36

for ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 = 10 \frac{(n)(n+1)}{2} = 10

n 2 + n = 20 n^{2} + n = 20

n 2 + n 20 = 0 n^{2} + n - 20 = 0

( n + 5 ) ( n 4 ) = 0 (n + 5)(n - 4) = 0

n = 5 n = -5 doesn't satisfy n > 1 n > 1 so n = 4 n = 4

for ( n ) ( n + 1 ) 2 = 36 \frac{(n)(n+1)}{2} = 36

n 2 + n = 36 n^{2} + n = 36

n 2 + n 36 = 0 n^{2} + n - 36 = 0

( n + 9 ) ( n 8 ) = 0 (n + 9)(n - 8) = 0

n = 9 n = -9 doesn't satisfy n > 1 n > 1 so n = 8 n = 8

So we get the sum of possible values of n n is 4 + 8 = 12 4 + 8 = \boxed{12}

*cmiiw

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