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Source: IMO LongList 1988, India 6, Problem 41 of ILL

November 3, 2005

algebra unsolvedalgebra

Problem Statement

i.) Calculate

x

if

x = \frac{(11 + 6 \cdot \sqrt{2}) \cdot \sqrt{11 - 6 \cdot \sqrt{2}} - (11 - 6 \cdot \sqrt{2}) \cdot \sqrt{11 + 6 \cdot \sqrt{2}}}{(\sqrt{\sqrt{5} + 2} + \sqrt{\sqrt{5} - 2}) - (\sqrt{\sqrt{5}+1})}

ii.) For each positive number

x,

let

k = \frac{\left( x + \frac{1}{x} \right)^6 - \left( x^6 + \frac{1}{x^6} \right) - 2}{\left( x + \frac{1}{x} \right)^3 - \left( x^3 + \frac{1}{x^3} \right)}

Calculate the minimum value of

k.

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