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Santos - Jiunior Problem Seminar - 2008 - 16-16

This document contains examples of solving algebra problems involving identities with squares, finding numbers given their sum and product, and computing a large expression without a calculator. It provides the key steps and solutions to these examples to illustrate concepts in algebra.

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52 views1 page

Santos - Jiunior Problem Seminar - 2008 - 16-16

This document contains examples of solving algebra problems involving identities with squares, finding numbers given their sum and product, and computing a large expression without a calculator. It provides the key steps and solutions to these examples to illustrate concepts in algebra.

Uploaded by

chengpeck
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter 2

Algebra

2.1 Identities with Squares


Recall that
(x + y)2 = (x + y)(x + y) = x2 + y2 + 2xy (2.1)
If we substitute y by y + z we obtain
(x + y + z)2 = x2 + y2 + z2 + 2xy + 2xz + 2yz (2.2)
If we substitute z by z + w we obtain

(x + y + z + w)2 = x2 + y2 + z2 + w2 + 2xy + 2xz + 2xw + 2yz + 2yw + 2zw (2.3)

56 Example The sum of two numbers is 21 and their product −7. Find (i) the sum of their squares, (ii) the sum of their
reciprocals and (iii) the sum of their fourth powers.

Solution: If the two numbers are a and b, we are given that a + b = 21 and ab = −7. Hence

a2 + b2 = (a + b)2 − 2ab = 212 − 2(−7) = 455

and
1 1 b+a 21
+ = = = −3
a b ab −7
Also
a4 + b4 = (a2 + b2 )2 − 2a2 b2 = 4552 − 2(−7)2 = 357

57 Example Find positive integers a and b with


È √ √
√
5 + 24 = a + b.

Solution: Observe that √ √ √ √


5 + 24 = 3 + 2 2 · 3 + 2 = ( 2 + 3)2 .
Therefore È √ √ √
5 + 2 6 = 2 + 3.

58 Example Compute È
(1000000)(1000001)(1000002)(1000003) + 1
without using a calculator.

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