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Olympiad workbook
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Olympiad workbook
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IOQM
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Basics of Mathematics

Olympiad workbook · IOQM · Basics of Mathematics

Positive integers a, b, c satisfy (a b)/(a-b)=c . What is the...

Positive integers a,b,ca, b, c satisfy aba−b=c\frac{a b}{a-b}=c. What is the largest possible value of a+b+ca+b+c not exceeding 99?

Correct answer

99

Step-by-step solution

∵1b=1a+1c⇒b<min⁡(a,c)\begin{aligned} & \because \frac{1}{b}=\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{c} \\ & \Rightarrow b < \min (a, c) \end{aligned}CaseI:WhenCase I: Whena=c,then, thenb=\frac{a}{2} \Rightarrow b \ineventhen,even then,a+b+c=5 b \Rightarrow(a+b+c)_{\max }=95CaseII:WhenCase II: Whena \neq cLetLeta=\lambda a_1andandc=\lambda c_1wherewhere\operatorname{gcd}(a1,c1)=1\left(a_1, c_1\right)=1 So, 1b=a1+c1λa1c1\frac{1}{b}=\frac{a_1+c_1}{\lambda a_1 c_1} ⇒b=(λa1+c1)a1⋅c1\Rightarrow \quad b=\left(\frac{\lambda}{a_1+c_1}\right) a_1 \cdot c_1 So, we must select λ\lambda such that \left(a_1+c_1\right) \mid \lambdaIfwecheckformaximumvalueofIf we check for maximum value of(a+b+c)=99then(a1+c1)then \left(a_1+c_1\right) must be a divisor of 99 . It is possible when (a1,c1)=(1,2)\left(a_1, c_1\right)=(1,2), then λ\lambda is divisible by 3 . (say λ=3μ\lambda=3 \mu ) a=3μ,c=6μ and b=2μ⇒a+b+c=11μ\begin{aligned} & a=3 \mu, c=6 \mu \text { and } b=2 \mu \\ & \Rightarrow a+b+c=11 \mu \end{aligned} If we take μ=9,(a+b+c)max⁡=99\mu=9,(a+b+c)_{\max }=99.
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