1968 AMC 12 Problem 28

Attempt Problem 28 of the 1968 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1968 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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28.

If the arithmetic mean of aa and bb is double their geometric mean, with a>b>0,a\gt b\gt0, then a possible value for the ratio ab,\frac{a}{b}, to the nearest integer, is:
55
88
1111
1414
none of these
Answer: D
Concepts:AM-GM Inequalityquadraticratio and proportion
Small hint:
Set t=abt=\frac{a}{b} and divide the mean equation by bb
Big hint:
The equation t+1=4tt+1=4\sqrt t becomes quadratic after squaring
Solution:
Let t=ab>1.t=\frac{a}{b}\gt1. The condition gives t+12=2t,\frac{t+1}{2}=2\sqrt t, so t2−14t+1=0.t^2-14t+1=0. The root greater than 11 is t=7+43≈13.93,t=7+4\sqrt3\approx13.93, whose nearest integer is 14.14.
Therefore, the correct answer is D.
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