Switching numerator and denominator

Algebra Level 1

5 a = b + c , 10 b = c + a , 13 c = a + b . \dfrac{5}{a} = b+c, \quad \dfrac{10}{b} = c+a, \quad \dfrac{13}{c} = a+b.

Let a a , b b , c c be positive real numbers satisfying the equations above.

What is a b c abc ?


The answer is 6.

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3 solutions

The three equations are equivalent to

a b + a c = 5 ab+ac=5

b c + a b = 10 bc+ab=10

a c + b c = 13 ac+bc=13

Therefore, 2 = 5 + 10 13 = ( a b + a c ) + ( b c + a b ) ( b c + a c ) = 2 a b a b = 1 2=5+10-13=(ab+ac)+(bc+ab)-(bc+ac)=2ab \implies ab=1

Similarly, we can get b c = 9 , a c = 4 bc=9,ac=4 .

Thus, a b . b c . a c = ( a b c ) 2 = 36 a b c = 6 ab.bc.ac=(abc)^2=36 \implies \boxed{abc=6}

Danish Ahmed
Dec 14, 2015

5 = a b + a c 5=ab+ac 10 = a b + b c 10=ab+bc 13 = a c + b c 13=ac+bc Adding all three equations yields 28 = 2 ( a b + b c + a c ) 28=2(ab+bc+ac) Now, we can plug in each of the first equations into this newly derived equation to find that b c = 9 , a c = 4 , a b = 1 bc=9, ac=4, ab=1 .

Therefore, a = 2 3 , b = 3 2 , c = 6 a=\dfrac{2}{3}, b=\dfrac{3}{2}, c=6 ,

which multiply to ( 2 3 ) ( 3 2 ) ( 6 ) = 6 \left(\dfrac{2}{3}\right) \left(\dfrac{3}{2}\right)\left(6\right)=6 .

Is the condition that a , b , c a, b, c are positive important? Why or why not?

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 5 months ago
Abhijeet Vats
Dec 15, 2015

Moderator note:

Good approach. The substitution of A = a b , B = b c , C = c a A = ab , B = bc, C = ca was hard to see.

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