avatar+8

For distinct positive integers a, b, and c, N = 5a + 3b + 5c = 4a + 5b + 4c. If 131 < N < 150, then

what is the maximum possible value of a + 2b + 3c?

1 answer

Given the equations

\[ N = 5a + 3b + 5c \] and \[ N = 4a + 5b + 4c, \]

we can set them equal to each other as follows:

\[ 5a + 3b + 5c = 4a + 5b + 4c. \]

Rearranging this equation, we get:

\[ 5a - 4a + 3b - 5b + 5c - 4c = 0, \] which simplifies to:

\[ a - 2b + c = 0. \]

From this, we can express \( c \) in terms of \( a \) and \( b \):

\[ c = 2b - a. \]

Substituting this back into \( N \), we find:

\[ N = 5a + 3b + 5(2b - a) = 5a + 3b + 10b - 5a = 13b. \]

Thus we have:

\[ N = 13b. \]

Given the condition \( 131 < N < 150 \), substituting for \( N \) yields:

\[ 131 < 13b < 150. \]

Dividing through by 13, we find:

\[ \frac{131}{13} < b < \frac{150}{13}, \]

which simplifies to:

\[ 10.0769 < b < 11.5385. \]

Since \( b \) must be a distinct positive integer, the only possible value for \( b \) is \( 11 \).

Now substituting \( b = 11 \) back into the expression for \( N \):

\[ N = 13 \times 11 = 143. \]

Now substituting \( b = 11 \) into the equation \( c = 2b - a \):

\[ c = 2 \times 11 - a = 22 - a. \]

Next, we need to ensure that \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \) are distinct positive integers. We have \( b = 11 \) and \( c = 22 - a \).

To keep \( c \) positive, we require:

\[ 22 - a > 0 \implies a < 22. \]

To maintain distinctness among \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \), we require:

  • \( a \neq 11 \) (since \( b = 11 \)),
  • \( a \neq 22 - a \) (i.e., \( 2a \neq 22 \implies a \neq 11 \)).

Thus, we can choose \( a \) as any integer from 1 to 21, excluding 11.

Let's evaluate \( a + 2b + 3c \):

\[ a + 2b + 3c = a + 2(11) + 3(22 - a) = a + 22 + 66 - 3a = -2a + 88. \]

To maximize \( a + 2b + 3c \), we should minimize \( a \). The smallest value \( a \) can take, that is a distinct positive integer, is 1.

Substituting \( a = 1 \):

\[ a + 2b + 3c = -2(1) + 88 = 86. \]

We can verify with larger values of \( a \):

  • If \( a = 2 \): \( -2(2) + 88 = 84 \)
  • If \( a = 3 \): \( -2(3) + 88 = 82 \)
  • Continuing this way increases \( -2a \), thus lowering the total.

The maximum achievable is when \( a = 1\):

Therefore, the maximum possible value of \( a + 2b + 3c \) is

\[ \boxed{86}. \]