50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Find the value of x2 + y2 + z2 where x, y, and z are real numbers satisfying (x
– 6)2 + (y – 7)2 + (z – 8)2 = 0.

Solution: 149.

Since each summand is nonnegative, the sum is zero only if each term is zero. Hence the
only solution is x = 6, y = 7, and z = 8, so the desired sum is 62 + 72 + 82 = 149.

Example 2: Find the values of a, b, and c if a, b, and c are real numbers such that
a - c - 5 + (b - c - 2) 2 + a + b - 13 = 0 .

Solution: a = 8, b = 5, and c = 3.

We know that a - c - 5 ³ 0 , (b - c - 2) 2 ³ 0 , and a + b - 13 ³ 0 . Since the sum of them

is zero, we can set up the following system of equations:

a - c - 5 = 0,
(b - c - 2) 2 = 0
a + b - 13 = 0

Solving for a, b, and, c will give us a = 8, b = 5, and c = 3.

Example 3: Solve for real x and y: x 2 - 2 x - y 2 - 2 y - 4 + 2 x - y - 7 = 0 .

Solution:

These two terms are nonnegative and so we have:

ì x 2 - 2 x - y 2 - 2 y - 4 = 0.
í
î2 x - y - 7 = 0.
Solving for x and y we get:
ì 13
ï x1 = 3 ì x2 = 3
í or í
ïy = 5 î y 2 = -1
î 1
3
134
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

Example 4: If both x and y are real numbers such that x 2 y 2 + y 2 + 4 x 2 - 8xy + 4 = 0 ,

find the values of x and y.

Solution: x = 1 and y = 2 or x = – 1 and y = – 2.

x 2 y 2 + y 2 + 4 x 2 - 8xy + 4 = ( x 2 y 2 - 4 xy + 4) + (4 x 2 - 4 xy + y 2 ) = ( xy - 2) 2 + (2 x - y) 2

Since the sum of the two squares equals 0, so

( xy - 2) 2 = 0 xy = 2
(2 x - y ) 2 = 0 2x = y

Solving for x and y, we have x = 1 and y = 2 or x = – 1 and y = – 2.

Example 5: Find the values of x and y if both x and y are real numbers such that
5x 2 + 2 y 2 + 2 xy - 14 x - 10 y + 17 = 0 .

Solution: x = 1 and y = 2.

5x 2 + 2 y 2 + 2 xy - 14 x - 10 y + 17 = 0 Þ 5x 2 + (2 y - 14) x + 2 y 2 - 10 y + 17 = 0 (1)

Since x and y are real numbers, the discriminant of (1) is

D = (2 y - 14) 2 - 4 ´ 5(2 y 2 - 10 y + 17) ³ 0
Þ
4 y 2 - 56 y + 196 - 40 y 2 + 200 y - 340 ³ 0

Simplifying, we get:
- 36 y 2 + 144 y - 144 ³ 0 Þ y 2 - 4 y + 4 £ 0 Þ ( y - 2) 2 £ 0
So y = 2.

Substituting y = 2 into (1), we obtain the value of x: x = 1.

Example 6: Find the smallest possible value of a + b if a3 + b3 + 3ab = 1 . a and b are real
numbers.

Solution: – 2.

135
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

We know that a3 + b3 + c3 - 3abc = (a + b + c)(a 2 + b2 + c 2 - ab - bc - ca) .

Letting c = -1, the above equation becomes
a3 + b3 - 1 + 3ab = (a + b - 1)(a 2 + b2 - ab + a + b + 1) = 0.

We can have either a + b -1 = 0 Þ a + b = 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
or a 2 + b2 + a + b - ab + 1 = 0 Þ ( a+ ) +( b+ ) +( a- b) = 0
2 2 2 2 2 2
So a = b = -1 Þ a + b = -2 .

The smallest value of a + b is – 2.

Example 7: Solve for real x and y: 5x 2 - 6 xy + 2 y 2 - 4 x + 2 y + 1 = 0 .

ìx = 1
Solution: í .
îy = 1

The given equation can be expressed as

( x 2 - 2 xy + y 2 ) + (4 x 2 - 4 xy + y 2 ) - 4 x + 2 y + 1 = 0 .

Completing the square:

( x - y)2 + (2 x - y)2 - 2(2 x - y) + 1 = 0
Þ
( x - y)2 + (2 x - y - 1)2 = 0 .

ìx = 1
We have í
îy = 1

Example 8: Find m if 3x + 5 y - 2 - m + 2 x + 3 y - m = x - 199 + y × 199 - x - y .

x, y, and m are real numbers.

Solution: 201.

ì x - 199 + y ³ 0, (1)
í
î199 - x - y ³ 0. (2)
From (1): x + y ³ 199

136
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

From (2): x + y £ 199.

So x + y = 199 (3)

Substituting in 199 for x +y into our given equation, we get

3x + 5 y - 2 - m + 2 x + 3 y - m = 0 .

Since 3x + 5 y - 2 - m ³ 0 and 2 x + 3 y - m ³ 0 , we have 3x + 5 y - 2 - m ³ 0 and

2x + 3 y - m ³ 0 .

Since 3x + 5 y - 2 - m + 2 x + 3 y - m = 0 , we have
3x + 5 y - 2 - m = 0 (4)
2x + 3 y - m = 0 (5)

Solving the system of equations (3), (4), and (5) for x, y, and z:
x = 396, y = – 197, m = 201.

Example 9: Solve for real numbers x and y: ( x - 16 y)2 + (8 y - 1)2 = 0 .

Solution: x = 2 and y = 1/8.

Method 1:

Since x and y are real numbers, x – 16y and 8y – 1 must also be real numbers.
Since squares are always nonnegative,
( x - 16 y)2 ³ 0 and (8 y - 1)2 ³ 0 .
Since ( x - 16 y)2 + (8 y - 1)2 = 0, x - 16 y = 0 and 8 y - 1 = 0 .
So x = 2 and y = 1/8.

Method 2:

Expanding ( x - 16 y)2 + (8 y - 1)2 = 0 yields:

x 2 - 32 yx + (320 y 2 - 16 y + 1) = 0.
Since x is real, the discriminant of the quadratic equation is nonnegative:
D = (-32 y)2 - 4(320 y 2 - 16 y + 1) ³ 0 .
- 162 y 2 + 64 y - 4 ³ 0 Þ - 4[(8 y)2 - 16 y + 1] ³ 0 Þ - 4(8 y - 1)2 ³ 0 .
Since x is real, (8 y - 1) 2 ³ 0 .
137
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

However - 4(8 y - 1)2 £ 0 , so

1
(8 y - 1) 2 = 0 Þ y= .
8
1
Substituting y = into ( x - 16 y)2 + (8 y - 1)2 = 0 gives:
8
1 2 1
( x - 16 ´ ) + (8 ´ - 1) 2 = 0 Þ x = 2.
8 8

So x = 2 and y = 1/8.

Example 10: Find (a - 2b + c) 2013 for real numbers of a, b, and c if a + b + c = 2 3 and

a 2 + b2 + c 2 = 4 .

Solution: 0.

Since (a + b + c)2 = (2 3) 2 ,
\ a 2 + b2 + c 2 + 2(ab + bc + ca) = 12 .

We also know that

a 2 + b2 + c2 = 4
\ ab + bc + ca = 4.
\ a 2 + b 2 + c 2 = ab + bc + ca
1
\ [(a - b) 2 + (b - c) 2 + (c - a) 2 ] = 0
2

According to the property of nonnegative numbers, since the sum of three squares equals
0,
a - b = 0, b - c = 0, c - a = 0
\ a=b=c
\ (a - 2b + c) 2013 = (a - 2a + a) 2013 = 0.

abc
æ 1 1 1ö
Example 11: If 3 + a + b + c < ab + 3b + 2c , find ç + + ÷
2 2 2
for integer values of a,
èa b cø
b, and c.

138
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

25
Solution: .
4

Since 3 + a 2 + b2 + c 2 < ab + 3b + 2c , we have

a 2 + b2 + c 2 - ab - 3b - 2c + 4 < 1 .

Because a, b, and c are integers, the left hand side of the above inequality is an integer, so
a 2 + b2 + c 2 - ab - 3b - 2c + 4 £ 0 .
Completing the squares gives us:
b b
(a - ) 2 + 3( - 1) 2 + (c - 1) 2 £ 0 .
2 2
According to the property of nonnegative numbers, we know that
b b
(a - ) 2 + 3( - 1) 2 + (c - 1) 2 ³ 0 .
2 2

In order to be both greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0, the expression
must be equal to 0.
b b
(a - ) 2 + 3( - 1) 2 + (c - 1) 2 = 0 .
2 2
Since the sum of three squares is equal to 0,
b b
a - = 0, - 1 = 0, c - 1 = 0.
2 2
Solving for a,b, and c gives us
a = 1, b = 2, c = 1 .
abc 1´2´1
æ 1 1 1ö æ1 1 1ö 25
Hence ç + + ÷ =ç + + ÷ = .
èa b cø è1 2 1ø 4

Example 12: If a, b, c, and d are real numbers such that a 4 + b 4 + c 4 + d 4 = 4abcd ,

determine the shape of the quadrilateral formed by a, b, c, and d.

Solution: The quadrilateral is a rhombus or a square.

a 4 + b 4 + c 4 + d 4 = 4abcd Þ a 4 + b 4 + c 4 + d 4 - 4abcd = 0 .
\ a 4 - 2a 2b2 + b4 + c 4 - 2c 2d 2 + d 4 + 2a 2b2 + 2c 2d 2 - 4abcd = 0 .
(a 2 - b 2 ) 2 + (c 2 - d 2 ) 2 + 2(ab - cd ) 2 = 0 .
139
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

We know that (a 2 - b 2 ) 2 ³ 0 , (c 2 - d 2 ) 2 ³ 0 , 2(ab - cd ) 2 ³ 0 , and a + b - 13 ³ 0 .

Since the sum of them is zero, so:

(a 2 - b 2 ) 2 = 0
(c 2 - d 2 ) 2 = 0
2(ab - cd ) 2 = 0

Solving, we have a = b =c = d.

Therefore, the quadrilateral is a rhombus or a square.

140
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

PROBLEMS

Problem 1: Which term is greater: 19 or 6 - 3 ?

Problem 2: Find a -10 + b-2013if a and b are real numbers and 2a - 1 + b + 1 = 0 .

Problem 3: Find a - 6 + 7 - a - 2 a 2 - 10a + 25 if equation x 2 - 10 x + 5a = 0 has two

distinct real roots.

Problem 4: Find real numbers x and y if x - 16 y + 8 y - 1 = 0 .

1- x2 + x2 -1
Problem 5: If both x and y are real numbers such that y = , then what
x +1
is the values of (x + y)2013?

Problem 6: If both x and y are real numbers such that x 2 - yz = y 2 - zx = z 2 - xy , find

the values of x + y + z if x, y, and z y are distinct.

abc a b c
Problem 7: Find for real numbers a, b, and c if + + = 1.
abc a b c

Problem 8: Find x + y + z if x = y + 2 and 2 xy + 2 2 z 2 + 1 = 0 for real numbers x, y,

and z.

Problem 9: Find x 2 + 2 x + 1 + x 2 - 4 x + 4 if – 1 < x < 2.

Problem 10: Find x : y : z if x, y, and z are real numbers and

141
50 AMC Lectures Chapter 20 Nonnegative Numbers

x + y + z - 3c + (2 x + y - 3z - 4c) 2 + x 2 + y 2 + c 2 - 2 xy - 2 xc + 2 yc = 0 .

Problem 11: Find the units digit of (5x + 3 y - 3z )2013for real numbers of x, y, and z if
x+ y-z
x +5+ x -4 + = 3.
4

Problem 12: Find x + y + z for real numbers of x, y, and z if x + 2 y + 3z + 1 = 0 and

x 2 + y 2 + z 2 - 9 x - 8 y - 5z + 11 = 0 .

142