Given that x and y are positive integers such that x + x + x + x + ⋯ = y + y − y + y − ⋯ , find the sum of the first 2 0 smallest possible values of x + y .
This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try
refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and,
finally, (c)
loading the
non-javascript version of this page
. We're sorry about the hassle.
I have a shorter solution. Reusing your term A , A can be written as: 2 1 ( 1 + 4 x + 1 ) = A = 2 1 ( 1 + 4 y − 3 ) In your solution, A has 2 solutions, 1 of them can be eliminated as A cannot be negative. Solving 2 1 ( 1 + 4 x + 1 ) = 2 1 ( 1 + 4 y − 3 ) 4 x + 1 = 4 y − 3 y = x + 1
Therefore, n = 1 ∑ 2 0 2 n + 1 = 4 4 0
Got it wrong though
Is it possible to unreport the qn cause I did not see the qn properly. (Did not see integer)
There should be an unreport function
Log in to reply
No worries, it takes a while for a question to be flagged. In the meantime, the problem creator will be able to review your dispute and decide how to proceed. I also deal with reports within 24-48 hours, so "bad" reports do not stay around for long.
Unreports happen very infrequently, and I think that an "unreport" button will be more confusing to the experience.
@Julian Poon I'm a moderator and I will inform Calvin about it. Disputes generally make their way to him, so I'll tell him to take note. Anyway, thanks for the constructive comment; your solution is indeed shorter :)
Log in to reply
I completely misread the problem and made it harder than it actually was.
Cool! Thanks.. :D
If we put x=2, we get 2 values, y=3 and y=6. We are asked for the lowest x+y. So shouldn't we include them too?? @Calvin Lin @Satvik Golechha @Victor Loh @Julian Poon
Log in to reply
@Ash Dab Mind if you give some details on how you derived them? Cause I didn't get 2 values when I tried it.
Log in to reply
If we solve for the first equation, we get A= 2 1 + 1 + 4 x If we put x=2, then we get A=2 as well. Now, for y. For y, the equation without simplifying is y − A 4 − y 2 + 2 A 2 y − A = 0 Putting A=2 gives us the quadratic y 2 − 9 y + 1 8 , which gives us y=3 or y=6
Even in @Victor Loh 's solution, case 1 gives us precisely that-We can put values of A from 2 to 5.
Even I had solved the way you guys did, but as I put value of x as 2, I got y=3 and 6. So I saw solutions and Now I see that you all have done the same.
Solving this way, we get the sum equal to 370, not 440
Please correct me if I am wrong.
@Satvik Golechha
Please see.
Log in to reply
I think its because you squared too many times. By squaring, you have created another solution whereby A is positive. In your solution, you have taken not only A = 2 1 + 4 y − 3 , which is the correct solution, but also A = 2 4 y + 1 − 1 , which gives the answer y = 6 . You can alsa tell that y = 6 is not the solution by substituting y = 6 into this: y + y − y + y − y + . . .
^^As long as enough layers.
And checking if it estimates into 2
You might want to see Satvik Golechha's comment on how to avoid quartics
Hope this helped
Log in to reply
@Julian Poon – Thanks :D Gotcha
Log in to reply
@Ash Dab – That was my favourite problem. I want to reshare it a million times.. :D
Log in to reply
@Satvik Golechha – I still feel sad I got it wrong...
Sorry for replying late @Ash Dab , you created some extraneous solutions by consecutive squaring. Think about it. If you go on squaring like this, you may prove that 2 = − 2 by simply squaring. Whenever you square any equation, don't forget to plug the values and remove extraneous solutions.
Problem Loading...
Note Loading...
Set Loading...
Let A be a positive real number such that x + x + x + x + ⋯ = A = y + y − y + y − ⋯
x + x + x + x + ⋯ = A ⟹ x + A = A 2 ⟹ x = A 2 − A
y + y − y + y − ⋯ = A ⟹ y + y − A = A 2 ⟹ y − A = ( A 2 − y ) 2 = A 4 − 2 A 2 y + y 2 ⟹ y 2 − 2 A 2 y − y = − A − A 4 ⟹ y 2 − ( 2 A 2 + 1 ) y = − A − A 4 ⟹ ( y − 2 2 A 2 + 1 ) 2 = − A − A 4 + ( 2 2 A 2 + 1 ) 2 = − A − A 4 + A 4 + A 2 + 4 1 = A 2 − A + 4 1 = ( A − 2 1 ) 2
Case 1: y − 2 2 A 2 + 1 = A − 2 1 ⟹ y = A 2 + A
Case 2: y − 2 2 A 2 + 1 = 2 1 − A ⟹ y = A 2 − A + 1 = x + 1
Let us first consider Case 1. Since x = A 2 − A and y = A + A 2 , x + y = 2 A 2 implies that A must be an integer. We proceed to rewrite x = A 2 − A as x + 4 1 = A 2 − A + 4 1 = ( A − 2 1 ) A = 2 1 + x + 4 1 ( rej. 2 1 − x + 4 1 ∵ A > 0 ) For A to be an integer, since x + 4 1 = 4 4 x + 1 = 2 4 x + 1 , 4 x + 1 must be odd, i.e. 4 x + 1 = 2 n + 1 , where n is a positive integer. We have 4 x + 1 = ( 2 n + 1 ) 2 = 4 n 2 + 4 n + 1 ⟹ x = n ( n + 1 ) Substituting n = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , ⋯ , we have x = 2 , 6 , 1 2 , 2 0 , ⋯
We now proceed to consider Case 2. Since y = x + 1 , we have x = 1 , 2 , 3 , ⋯ , 2 0 . Combining the results of both cases, the values of x are 1 , 2 , 3 , ⋯ , 2 0 and the values of y , consequently, would be 2 , 3 , 4 , ⋯ , 2 1 respectively. Hence our desired answer is ( 1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ + 2 0 ) + ( 2 + 3 + 4 + ⋯ + 2 1 ) = ( 2 2 0 × 2 1 ) + ( 2 2 1 × 2 2 − 1 ) = 2 1 0 + 2 3 1 − 1 = 4 4 0 , and we are done. □