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2023 AMC 12A Problem 19

Problem 19 of 25HarderAlgebra

What is the product of all the solutions to the equation log7x2023log289x2023=log2023x2023? \begin{gathered} \log_{7x}2023\cdot\log_{289x}2023\\ {}=\log_{2023x}2023? \end{gathered}

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Solution

Let a=log20237a=\log_{2023}7 and b=log2023289.b=\log_{2023}289. Since 2023=7289,2023=7\cdot 289, we have a+b=1.a+b=1. Writing t=log2023x,t=\log_{2023}x, each logarithm becomes a reciprocal, and the equation turns into (1+t)=(a+t)(b+t). (1+t)=(a+t)(b+t). Expanding and using a+b=1,a+b=1, the linear terms cancel, leaving t2+(ab1)=0.t^2+(ab-1)=0. Its two roots satisfy t1+t2=0.t_1+t_2=0. The corresponding solutions multiply to x1x2=2023t12023t2x_1x_2=2023^{t_1}\cdot 2023^{t_2} =2023t1+t2=2023^{\,t_1+t_2} =20230=1.=2023^0=1. Thus, the correct answer is C.

More practice

Concepts: logarithm · Vieta’s Formulas

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.