AMC 10A Year 2007 Problem 20 Sequential Hints

Join Trial or Access Free Resources
[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="4.0"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway||||||||" background_color="#f4f4f4" custom_margin="10px||10px" custom_padding="10px|20px|10px|20px" box_shadow_style="preset2"]Suppose that the number \(a\) satisfies the equation \(a\)+\(\frac{1}{a}\)=\(4\) What is the value of \(a^4\)+\(\frac{1}{a^4}\)? 

(a) 164.        (b)172.       (c)192.       (d)194.       (e)212

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color="#0c71c3" _builder_version="4.0" toggle_font="||||||||" body_font="Raleway||||||||" text_orientation="center" custom_margin="10px||10px"][et_pb_accordion_item title="Source of the problem" open="on" _builder_version="4.0"]

American Mathematical Contest 2007 10 A Problem 20

[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Topic" _builder_version="4.0" open="off"]

Basic Algebra 

[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Difficulty Level" _builder_version="4.0" open="off"]

4/10

[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title="Suggested Book" _builder_version="4.0" open="off"]

Challenges and Thrills in Pre College MathematicsExcursion Of Mathematics 

[/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" text_font="Raleway|300|||||||" text_text_color="#ffffff" header_font="Raleway|300|||||||" header_text_color="#e2e2e2" background_color="#0c71c3" custom_margin="48px||48px" custom_padding="20px|20px|20px|20px" border_radii="on|5px|5px|5px|5px" box_shadow_style="preset3"]

Start with hints

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs active_tab_background_color="#0c71c3" inactive_tab_background_color="#000000" _builder_version="4.0" tab_text_color="#ffffff" tab_font="||||||||" background_color="#ffffff"][et_pb_tab title="Hint 0" _builder_version="4.0"]Do you really need a hint? Try it first!

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 1" _builder_version="4.0"]

Step 1.Look's hard , lets see we are given with \(a\)+\(\frac{1}{a}\)=\(4\) and we need to find \(a^4\)+\(\frac{1}{a^4}\). So first we will square both sides in order to get  \(a^2\)+\(\frac{1}{a^2}\) and find its value. Give it a try!!!!.

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 2" _builder_version="4.0"]

Step 2.We reached the power 2 now aim is to get to power 4. Now After getting the the value of  \(a^2\)+\(\frac{1}{a^2}\) , again square both sides to get the value of the expression \(a^4\)+\(\frac{1}{a^4}\) . Very close to the solution !!!!!!.

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 3" _builder_version="4.0"]

Step 3 .Now we get the equation \(a^4\)+\(\frac{1}{a^4}\) after solving  \((a^2+\frac{1}{a^2})^2\). Now I hope u can see the answer by your self just a last step!!!!.

[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title="Hint 4" _builder_version="4.0"]

Step 4By solving we get the results that is  \(a^2\)+\(\frac{1}{a^2}\)=14

and \(a^4\)+\(\frac{1}{a^4}\) =194 which is our required value to find ,thats it!!!

[/et_pb_tab][/et_pb_tabs][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="4.0"][/et_pb_section]
More Posts
A Major Milestone in Young Research: Aaditya Punatar and Muskan Sadana Publish in JEI

A Major Milestone in Young Research: Aaditya Punatar and Muskan Sadana Publish in JEI

October 11, 2026

Publishing original scientific research in a peer-reviewed journal is an achievement many scholars work toward for years. Achieving this feat early in one's academic journey requires exceptional intellectual rigor, creativity, and persistence. Aaditya Punatar and Muskan Sadana have reached this remarkable milestone, successfully publishing their collaborative research paper in the prestigious Journal of Emerging Investigators […]

Read More
Prishaa Shrimali Named Grand Finalist at Regeneron ISEF 2026 for Quantum-Powered Urban Planning Research

Prishaa Shrimali Named Grand Finalist at Regeneron ISEF 2026 for Quantum-Powered Urban Planning Research

October 6, 2026

Her project on quantum-accelerated Steiner trees for 15-minute cities earned a place among the finalists at the world's largest pre-college STEM competition. Prishaa Shrimali of Marymount School of New York, was selected as a Grand Finalist at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, Arizona. Her project was Optimizing Urban Accessibility: […]

Read More
ISI M.Stat Entrance Success Story 2026

ISI M.Stat Entrance Success Story 2026

June 27, 2026

In 2026, the following Cheenta students have been successful for Indian Statistical Institute's M.Stat Entrance. They ranked within the first 50 in the entire country in these entrances. I.S.I. M.Stat Entrance

Read More
ISI B.Stat-B.Math and CMI BSc. Math Entrance Success Story 2026

ISI B.Stat-B.Math and CMI BSc. Math Entrance Success Story 2026

In 2026, the following Cheenta students have been successful for Indian Statistical Institute's B.Stat Entrance and Chennai Mathematical Institute's B.Sc. Math Entrance. They ranked within the first 200 in the entire country in these entrances. Most of these students attended the problem solving workshops regularly, which happen 5 days every week. CMI B.Sc. Math Entrance […]

Read More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

© 2010 - 2025, Cheenta Academy. All rights reserved.
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram