Basic Mathematics Problem Set 1
Problems
1 1
1. Suppose x + x = −1. Find the value of x99 + x99
.
1 1 1
2. Suppose x + x + x2 + x2
= −1. Find the value of x100 + x100
.
x2 y2 z2
3. Given that x+1 + y+2 + z+3 = x + y + z + 106, find the value of the following expression:
1 1 9
+ + .
4x + 4 y + 2 4z + 12
4. Consider numbers x, y, z such that:
x3 + x(y 2 + yz + z 2 ) = 76,
y 3 + y(x2 + xz + z 2 ) = 34,
z 3 + z(x2 + xy + y 2 ) = −29.
30y
Find the value of 3x+y+2z .
5. Consider numbers a, b, c such that:
a3 b3 c3
+ + = 10
4a2 + 2ab + b2 4b2 + 2bc + c2 4c2 + 2ca + a2
and
b3 c3 a3
+ + = 12
4a2 + 2ab + b2 4b2 + 2bc + c2 4c2 + 2ca + a2
Find the value of a + b + c.
6. Let a > 0, b > 0, c > 0, d > 0 be real numbers such that:
√ √ √ √
q q q q
a + b − ab 2 + b + c − bc 2 + c + d − cd 2 = a2 + d2 + ad 2.
2 2 2 2 2 2
(a+c)(b+d)
Find the value of ad .
7. Let x1 , x2 , x3 be three roots of the equation x3 − 3x2 + 4x − 65 = 0. Find the value of the
expression:
x31 + 3x22 + 3x23 − 4x2 − 4x3 .
8. Let x, y, z be real numbers such that:
100
x3 + y 3 = ,
x2
+ xy + y 2
50
y3 + z3 = 2 ,
y + yz + z 2
25
z 3 + x3 = 2 .
z + zx + x2
30z
Find the value of 3x−2y+z .
1
Basic Mathematics Problem Set 1
Hints
1. Multiply the equation by (x − 1) to find the value of x3 .
2. Multiply the equation by (x − 1) to find a relationship involving x5 .
3. Subtract (x − 1), (y − 2), and (z − 3) from the respective terms on the LHS.
4. Multiply the first equation by (y − z), the second by (z − x), the third by (x − y) and add
them together.
5. Multiply the first equation by 8 and subtract the second equation from it. Notice the
algebraic identity that forms.
6. Interpret the equation geometrically. Consider the cosine rule on connected line segments
forming triangles with angles 45◦ , 45◦ , and 45◦ , which sum to 135◦ .
7. Use the original polynomial equation to express x31 in terms of a quadratic, then use Vieta’s
formulas on the symmetric sum.
8. Multiply the equations by (x − y), (y − z), and (z − x) respectively, and add them together
to eliminate variables.
2
Basic Mathematics Problem Set 1
Solutions
1. Given x + x1 = −1, we multiply by x to get x2 + x + 1 = 0. Since x ̸= 1, we can multiply
by (x − 1) to obtain (x − 1)(x2 + x + 1) = 0 =⇒ x3 − 1 = 0 =⇒ x3 = 1. Thus,
x99 + x199 = (x3 )33 + (x31)33 = 133 + 1133 = 1 + 1 = 2.
2. Multiplying the given equation by x2 yields x4 + x3 + x2 + x + 1 = 0. Multiplying by (x − 1)
1
yields x5 −1 = 0 =⇒ x5 = 1. Therefore, x100 + x100 = (x5 )20 + (x51)20 = 120 + 1120 = 1+1 = 2.
x2 1
3. Rewrite the terms on the LHS: x+1 = (x − 1) + x+1 . Applying this pattern to all variables:
1 4 9
(x − 1) + + (y − 2) + + (z − 3) + = x + y + z + 106
x+1 y+2 z+3
1 4 9
Simplifying yields x + y + z − 6 + x+1 + y+2 + z+3 = x + y + z + 106. Canceling x + y + z
and adding 6 gives: x+1 + y+2 + z+3 = 112. The target expression is exactly 14 of this sum.
1 4 9
Thus, 14 (112) = 28.
4. Multiply the equations by (y−z), (z−x), and (x−y) respectively. Notice that x3 (y−z)+x(y−
z)(y 2 + yz + z 2 ) = x3 y − x3 z + xy 3 − xz 3 . When adding all three modified equations, the LHS
completely cancels out cyclically to 0. The RHS becomes: 76(y−z)+34(z−x)−29(x−y) = 0.
Expanding: 76y − 76z + 34z − 34x − 29x + 29y = 0 =⇒ −63x + 105y − 42z = 0. Dividing
by 21 gives −3x + 5y − 2z = 0 =⇒ 3x + 2z = 5y. Substitute this into the target expression:
30y 30y 30y
(3x+2z)+y = 5y+y = 6y = 5.
5. Multiply the first equation by 8 and subtract the second. The first term becomes:
8a3 − b3 (2a − b)(4a2 + 2ab + b2 )
= = 2a − b
4a2+ 2ab + b2 4a2 + 2ab + b2
Applying this cyclically gives (2a − b) + (2b − c) + (2c − a) = a + b + c. On the RHS, we
perform the same operation: 8(10) − 12 = 80 − 12 = 68.
6. The terms represent lengths of third sides of triangles with a common origin, using the Law√of
Cosines. The angles between adjacent sides a, b, c, d are 45◦ , 45◦ , 45◦ . Since cos(45◦ ) = 22 ,
p
a2 + b2 − 2ab cos(45◦ ) is the distance between endpoints. The total angle from ray a to
ray d is 135◦ . The equation states that the sum of the three segment lengths √ equals the
◦ 2
direct distance from the first to the last endpoint (since cos(135 ) = − 2 ). Thus, the
endpoints A, B, C, D are collinear. Placing the origin at (0, 0) and ray a on the x-axis,
the points√ satisfy a line equation. By evaluating the segments, one derives the relations
1 1 2 1 1
√
2 2
√ 1 1 √
2 b+d
a + c = b and − a = d . Adding these yields c = 2( b − d ) =⇒ c = bd . We want
√ c √ √ √
(a+c)(b+d) ac 2 c 2(b+d)
ad = b × b+d ad = bd = c 2 × c2 = 2.
7. From the equation, x31 = 3x21 − 4x1 + 65. Substitute this into the expression: (3x21 − 4x1 +
65) + 3x22 + 3x23 − 4x2 − 4x3 = 3(x21 + x22 + x23 ) − 4(x1 + x2 + x3 ) + 65. Using Vieta’s formulas:
3
Basic Mathematics Problem Set 1
x1 + x2 + x3 = 3 and x1 x2 + x2 x3 + x3 x1 = 4. So, x21 + x22 + x23 = 32 − 2(4) = 1. The
expression evaluates to 3(1) − 4(3) + 65 = 3 − 12 + 65 = 56.
8. Rewrite the equations as (x3 + y 3 )(x2 + xy + y 2 ) = 100. Multiply by (x − y) to get (x3 +
y 3 )(x3 − y 3 ) = x6 − y 6 = 100(x − y). Similarly, y 6 − z 6 = 50(y − z) and z 6 − x6 = 25(z − x).
Adding all three yields: 0 = 100x − 100y + 50y − 50z + 25z − 25x = 75x − 50y − 25z. Divide
by 25: 3x − 2y − z = 0 =⇒ 3x − 2y = z. Substitute this into the target expression:
30z 30z 30z
(3x−2y)+z = z+z = 2z = 15.