Canadian

Mathematics
Competition
An activity of the Centre for Education
in Mathematics and Computing,
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario

Euclid eWorkshop # 2
Solutions

2006
c C ANADIAN M ATHEMATICS C OMPETITION
 Euclid eWorkshop #2 S OLUTIONS

S OLUTIONS

1. Subtract one equation from the other and factor the resulting expression.

xy + y − 8 − 8x = 0
x(y − 8) + y − 8 = 0
(x + 1)(y − 8) = 0
√
There are solutions when x = −1 √ and when y = 8. If x = −1 then y = 9. If y = 8 then x = 4 ± 2 2. The
solutions are (−1, 8) and (4 ± 2 2, 9).
2. Find the intercepts:

(x − 1)2 − 4 = 0
(x − 1)2 = 4
x=1±2

−1 + 3
Thus x = 3 or −1. Thus a = = 1.
2
3. (a) Consider a = 0 and a = 1, and find the intersection point of the resulting equations, y = x2 and
y = x2 + 2x + 1. Then 0 = 2x + 1 and the intersection point is (− 12 , 14 ). Now substitute this point into
the general equation to show that this point is on all the parabolas, since

y = x2 + 2ax + a
1 −1
= + 2a · +a
4 2
1
=
4

(b) Now y = x2 + 2ax + a = (x + a)2 + a − a2 so the vertex is at (−a, a − a2 ). If we represent the coordinates
of the vertex by (p,q) we have p = −a and q = a − a2 or q = −p2 − p, the required parabola.
4. (a) .

20

x
-2 0 2 4 6
0

-20

-40

-60

(b) From the graph x ≥ 0.

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5. Factoring both equations we arrive at:

p(1 + r + r2 ) = 26 (1)
p2 r(1 + r + r2 ) = 156 (2)

Dividing (2) by (1) gives pr = 6. Substituting this relation back into (1) we get
6
+ 6 + 6r = 26
r
6 − 20r + 6r2 = 0
3r2 − 10r + 3 = 0
(3r − 1)(r − 3) = 0

Hence (r, p) = (3, 2) or ( 31 , 18).

b c
6. We assume, on the contrary, that the coefficients are in geometric sequence. Then = or b2 = ac. But
a b
now the discriminant b2 − 4ac = −3b2 < 0 so that the roots are not real. Thus we have a contradiction of the
condition set out in the statement of the problem and our assumption is false.

7. Let r and s be the integer roots. The equation can be written as

a(x − r)(x − s) = a(x2 − (r + s)x + rs)

= ax2 − a(r + s)x + ars
= ax2 + bx + c

with b = −a(r + s) and c = ars. Since a, b, c are in arithmetic sequence, we have

c−b=b−a
a + c − 2b = 0
a + ars + 2a(r + s) = 0
1 + rs + 2(r + s) = 0 we can divide by a since a 6= 0
(r + 2)(s + 2) = 3

Since there are only 2 integer factorings of 3 we have {r, s} = {1, −1} or {−3, −5}.

8. Solution 1
Multiplying out and collecting terms results in x4 − 6x3 + 8x2 + 2x − 1 = 0. We look for a factoring with
integer coefficients, using the fact that the first and last coefficients are 1. So

x4 − 6x3 + 8x2 + 2x − 1 = (x2 + ax + 1)(x2 + bx − 1)

where a and b are undetermined coefficients. However multiplication now gives a + b = −6 and −a + b = 2
and ab = 8. Since all 3 equations are satisfied by a = −4 and b = −2, we have factored the original expression
as
x4 − 6x3 + 8x2 + 2x − 1 = (x2 − 4x + 1)(x2 − 2x − 1)
√ √
Factoring these two quadratics gives roots of x = 2 ± 3 and 2 ± 2.

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Solution 2
We observe that the original equation is of the form f (f (x)) = x where f (x) = x2 − 3x + 1. Now if we can
find x such that f (x) = x then f (f (x)) = x. So we solve f (x) = x2 − 3x + 1 = x which gives the first factor
x2 − 4x + 1 above. With polynomial division, we can then determine that

x4 − 6x3 + 8x2 + 2x − 1 = (x2 − 4x + 1)(x2 − 2x − 1)

and continue as in Solution 1.

9. The vertex has x = 2 and y = −16 so A = (2, −16). When y = 0 we get intercepts at −2 and 6. The larger
value is 6, so B = (6, 0). Therefore we want the line through (2, −16) and (6, 0) which is 4x − y − 24 = 0.

10. Solution 1
Multiplying gives

x2 − (b + c)x + bc = a2 − (b + c)a + bc
0 = x2 − (b + c)x + a(b + c − a)
p
b + c ± (b + c)2 − 4a(b + c − a)
x=
p 2
b + c ± (b + c − 2a)2
=
2
= a OR b + c − a

Solution 2 Observe that x = a is one solution. Rearrange as above to get x2 − (b + c)x + a(b + c − a) = 0.
Using the sum/product of roots, the other solution is x = b + c − a.
11. Since x = −2 is a solution of x3 − 7x − 6, thus x + 2 is a factor. Factor as

x3 − 7x − 6 = (x + 2)(x2 − 2x − 3)
= (x + 2)(x + 1)(x − 3)

so the roots are −2, −1 and 3.

12. Let the roots be r and s. By the sum and product rule,
−4(a − 2)
r+s=
4
=2−a
−8a2 + 14a + 31
rs =
4
2 7 31
= −2a + a +
2 4
Then

r2 + s2 = (r + s)2 − 2rs
7 31
= (2 − a)2 − 2(−2a2 + a + )
2 4
2 2 31
= 4 − 4a + a + 4a − 7a −
2
2 23
= 5a − 11a − .
2

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23
It appears that the minimum value should be at the vertex of the parabola f (a) = 5a2 − 11a − , that is
2
11
at a = (found by completing the square). But we have ignored the condition that the roots are real. The
10
discriminant of the original equation is

B 2 − 4AC = [4(a − 2)]2 − 4(4)(−8a2 + 14a + 31)

= 16(a2 − 4a + 4) + 128a2 − 224a − 496
= 144a2 − 288a − 432
= 144(a2 − 2a − 3)
= 144(a − 3)(a + 1).
11
Thus we have real roots only when a ≥ 3 or a ≤ −1. Therefore a = cannot be our final answer, since the
10
23
roots are not real for this value. However f (a) = 5a2 − 11a − is a parabola opening up and is symmetrical
2
11
about its axis of symmetry a = . So we move to the nearest value of a to the axis of symmetry that gives real
10
roots, which is a = 3.

13. Let g(2) = k. Since f and g are inverse functions, thus f (k) = 2. We need to solve
3k − 7
=2
k+1
3k − 7 = 2(k + 1)
k=9

Thus g(2) = 9.

14. Write

y = −2x2 − 4ax + k
k
= −2(x2 + 2ax + )
2
= −2(x + a)2 + k + 2a2

The vertex is at (−a,k + 2a2 ) or (−2, 7) and we can solve for a = 2 and k = −1.

15. Using sum and product of roots we have the 4 equations:

a + b = −c ab = d

c + d = −a cd = b.

Therefore − (c + d) + cd = −c
cd − d = 0
d(c − 1) = 0

But none of a, b, c or d are zero, so c = 1. Then we get d = b, a = 1 andd = b = −2. Thus a + b + c + d = −2.

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16. The most common way to do this problem uses calculus. However we make the substitution z = x − 4. To get
y in terms of z, try

y = x2 − 2x − 3
= (x − 4)2 + 6x − 19
= (x − 4)2 + 6(x − 4) + 5
= z 2 + 6z + 5

y−4 z 2 + 6z − 1 6 1 1
The value we want to minimize is then 2
= 2
= 1 + + 2 . If we now let u = , we have
(x − 4) z z z z
the up-opening parabola 1 + 6u + u2 which has its minimum at u = −3 with minimum value of −8. Note that
since x can assume any real value except 4, z and u will assume all real values except zero. Thus the minimum
value of this expression is −8.

C ANADIAN M ATHEMATICS C OMPETITION 6