Skip to main content
OlympiadHQ

Browse · harp

Print

imc

algebra intermediate

Problem

What is the least possible value of where is a real number?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Solution
Grouping the first and last terms and two middle terms gives , which can be simplified to . Noting that squares are nonnegative, and verifying that for some real , the answer is .
Final answer
B