1981 AMC 12 Problem 18

Attempt Problem 18 of the 1981 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 1981 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

18.

The number of real solutions to the equation x100=sin⁡x \frac{x}{100}=\sin x is
6161
6262
6363
6464
6565
Answer: C
Concepts:trigonometrycounting intersectionssymmetry
Small hint:
Use odd symmetry and first count the positive solutions
Big hint:
Only positive sine humps below x=100x=100 can meet the line, with special care for the first hump
Solution:
The equation is odd-symmetric and has the solution x=0.x=0. On (0,π)(0,\pi) there is one further positive solution. For each k=1,2,…,15,k=1,2,\ldots,15, the positive sine hump on (2kπ,(2k+1)π)(2k\pi,(2k+1)\pi) rises above x100\frac{x}{100} and then falls below it, giving two solutions. There are no positive solutions beyond 31π31\pi, because the next positive hump begins above 100100 while ∣sin⁡x∣≤1.|\sin x|\le1. Thus there are 1+2(15)=311+2(15)=31 positive solutions, the same number negative, and zero itself: 31+31+1=63.31+31+1=63.
Therefore, the correct answer is C.
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