USA Mathematical Talent Search

Solutions to Problem 2/2/17

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2/2/17. Write the number

2 32

as the sum of terms of the form 2q , where q is rational.

(For
example, 21 + 21/3 + 28/5 is a

3
sum of this form.) Prove that your sum equals 1/( 2 2).
Credit This problem was proposed by Sidney Kravitz.
Comments This problem is effectively an exercise in rationalizing the denominator, but
the twist is the presence of both the square root and the cube root. A knowledge of basic
algebraic identities can take care of both. James Sundstrom arrives at the answer using
two steps, Justin Hsu shows how to the same calculation in one step, and Jeffrey Manning
provides a clever solution using geometric series. Solutions edited by Naoki Sato.

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Solution 1 by: James Sundstrom (11/NJ)

The identities (a b)(a + b) = a2 b2 and (a b)(a2 + ab + b2 ) = a3 b3 suggest
the
2 and
following
approach
for
rationalizing
the
denominator.
For
example,
setting
a
=

3
b = 2 gives

3
3
3
( 2 2)( 2 + 2) = 2 4,
so

1
2+ 32
2+ 32

=

=
.
2 32
( 2 3 2)( 2 + 3 2)
2 34

Then setting a = 2 and b = 3 4 gives

3
3
3
(2 4)(4 + 2 4 + 2 2) = 8 4 = 4,

so

2+ 32
( 2 + 3 2)(4 + 2 3 4 + 2 3 2)
=

2 34
(2 3 4)(4 + 2 3 4 + 2 3 2)

4 2+432+234 2+4+232 2+234

=
4

3
3
3

4 2
2 2
4
3
= 2+ 2+
+1+
+
2
2 1 
2 1 






1
2
1
1
2
1
0
= 22 + 23 + 23 22 2
+ 2 + 2 3 2 2 21 + 2 3 21
1

= 2 2 + 2 3 + 2 6 + 20 + 2 6 + 2 3 .

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Solutions to Problem 2/2/17
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Solution 2 by: Justin Hsu (11/CA)

We have the identity
(a b)(a5 + a4 b + a3 b2 + a2 b3 + ab4 + b5 ) = a6 b6 .

Now, we let a = 2 and b = 3 2, and multiply the numerator and denominator by a5 + a4 b +

a3 b2 + a2 b3 + ab4 + b5 . This gives us

1
4 2+432+234 2+4+232 2+234
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2 32 4 2+432+234 2+4+232 2+234

4 2+432+234 2+4+232 2+234

=
4
1
1
1
1
1
0
= 2 2 + 2 3 + 2 6 + 2 + 2 6 + 2 3 ,
giving us the required sum of rational powers of 2.
Solution 3 by: Jeffrey Manning (10/CA)
Notice that if x 6= 0, then the sum x3 + x2 + x + 1 + x1 + x2 is a geometric series with
common ratio x1 and initial term x3 . If x 6= 1, then we can use the formula for a geometric
series to get
x3 + x2 + x + 1 + x1 + x2 =

x3 (1 x6 )
x3 x3
(x3 x3 )x3
x6 1
=
=
=
.
1 x1
1 x1
(1 x1 )x3
x3 x2

Applying this formula with x = 21/6 gives

1
21 1

=
21/2 21/3
2 32
(21/6 )6 1
= 1/6 3
(2 ) (21/6 )2
= (21/6 )3 + (21/6 )2 + 21/6 + 1 + (21/6 )1 + (21/6 )2
= 21/2 + 21/3 + 21/6 + 20 + 21/6 + 21/3 .